LH Achieves Highest ESG Rating 'AA' for the First Time

Seoul Gangnam-gu Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) Seoul Regional Headquarters. Photo by Yonhap News

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Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) announced on the 19th that it received the highest rating of 'AA' for the first time in its history in the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) evaluation.

The evaluation was conducted by Sustainvest, which developed the first ESG diagnostic model in Korea in 2006 and evaluated a total of 1,287 listed companies in the second half of this year.

By receiving the highest 'AA' rating, LH ranked within the top 10% among the institutions evaluated this year. This marks the third consecutive year of rating improvement, following a 'BB' rating in 2022 and an 'A' rating last year. The ESG rating scale consists of seven grades: 'AA', 'A', 'BB', 'B', 'C', 'D', and 'E'.

Following its 'people-centered' ESG management philosophy, LH has focused on enhancing benefits for residents and public convenience, actively engaging in ESG management. As a result, in addition to this rating upgrade, LH received several awards consecutively, including the 'THE BEST ESG' Grand Prize at the Korea ESG Management Awards in August, the 'CSV·ESG Porter Prize', and the '2024 Sustainable Management Merit Award' from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

LH conducts the annual 'LH ESG Best Practices Contest' to achieve ESG outcomes. This year, a total of 60 projects were identified across four areas: environment, society, governance, and regional ESG. After evaluation, 14 projects were selected as best practices.

The grand prize of the LH ESG Best Practices Contest was awarded to the case of 'Urban Space Innovation in Dongtan New Town through the Undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Expressway,' the first of its kind in Korea. It received high marks for securing traffic safety while creating a park in the upper space, contributing to a pleasant residential environment for residents.

Other outstanding works included an 'eco-friendly parking lot construction model that reduces carbon emissions through off-site construction (OSC) methods such as factory production of materials' and a 'project converting semi-basement spaces in rental housing into unmanned warehouses.'

LH President Lee Han-jun stated, "We will continue to create ESG management achievements through people-centered management."

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