Korea – KBCSD
What is your country’s government doing with respect to the SDGs and how have they engaged business around this agenda?
The Korean Ministry of Environment along with the Committee on Sustainable Development serves as a control tower in establishing the Korean-tailored SDGs, namely the K-SDGs.
17 task-forces representing each SDG, involving government officials, private sector experts and academia, are responsible for drafting the K-SDGs framework which will include goals, targets and implementation tasks. Additionally, 13 multi-stakeholder groups have been set up to provide their inputs through position papers. The K-SDGs framework is scheduled to be finalized at the end of 2018.
The business sector is engaged in drafting the K-SDGs framework, either by serving as a member of the 17 task-forces or by representing their voices as one of the 13 multi-stakeholder groups.
What are some of the key trends with regard to how business is engaging with the SDGs in your country?
Mostly large companies with domestic and international business operations are focused on mainstreaming the SDGs into their management practices as they are more exposed to UN mandate. Overall, business engagement with the SDGs in Korea can be summed up into two-types:
- Aligning their core business and/or core technology with the SDGs by integrating local communities, consumers, subcontractors and developing countries in the corporate value chain;
- Establishing the company-specific SDG goals, targets, index and measurement tools to be implemented and monitored by a designated time period (approx. 3-5 years).
What is your organization doing with respect to the SDGs?
The Korea Business Council for Sustainable Development (KBCSD), which has been designated as the Focal Point of the K-SDG’s Business Sector Group, is responsible for advocating the business voice and perspective in respect to developing the K-SDGs framework by communicating closely with about 200 Korean companies, government ministries and other stakeholder groups.
Meanwhile, KBCSD is partnering with the Ministry of Environment and the Committee on Sustainable Development in setting up the ‘Innovative Technology Platform for Implementing the SDGs’ to be launched in the latter half of 2018. The Platform aims at identifying best practice for accelerating the SDG implementation through innovative and appropriate technologies in areas such as plastic alternatives, manufacturing processes, transportation, energy transformation and smart cities.
More information
Websites: Government online portal that includes reports, tools, position papers, legal frameworks, and embraces the up-to-date progress in establishing the K-SDGs.
Korea Business Council for Sustainable Development
Contact: Chai-Un Hahn, Team Leader
