In a world where sustainability and environmental compliance have become strategic priorities, South Korean companies face unprecedented challenges. Reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency, and complying with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards, all while operating within tight budgets, is no easy task. But what are the best solutions to tackle these challenges?
Why is ESG Essential?
ESG is more than just a global trend. In South Korea, regulations and stakeholder expectations—from investors, clients, to governments—are rapidly evolving. Ignoring these elements could harm a company’s reputation, limit growth opportunities, or even threaten long-term profitability. For businesses in energy-intensive industries such as manufacturing and semiconductors, it is crucial to rethink their ESG strategies to remain competitive and compliant with evolving regulations.
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Key ESG Challenges for Businesses
- Reducing Carbon Emissions: Manufacturing industries, especially in the semiconductor sector, are particularly concerned with reducing CO2 emissions. However, finding affordable and effective technologies to meet these goals remains a challenge for many companies.
- Improving Energy Efficiency: Balancing energy efficiency improvements with operational cost control is a major challenge. Fortunately, new and innovative solutions are emerging that allow businesses to achieve both goals.
- Regulatory Compliance: Regulatory frameworks are becoming increasingly strict, requiring businesses to implement ESG solutions while managing limited budgets.
Solutions to Achieve Your ESG Goals
As the pressure to improve ESG performance grows, many companies are turning to innovative solutions and reliable partners to guide their ecological transformation.
- Reducing Carbon Emissions: More and more companies are adopting digital technologies to better monitor and reduce their emissions. For example, energy management platforms enable businesses to track their emissions in real-time and optimize energy consumption. Veolia, as an ESG partner, offers emissions reduction solutions through technologies such as Hubgrade, a digital platform already helping several companies in South Korea reduce their carbon footprint.
- Waste Management and Recycling: Plastic recycling and industrial waste management have become priorities for many companies across Asia. A concrete example is Veolia’s acquisition of the Ecocycle site in South Korea, which produces solid recovered fuel (SRF) from plastic waste with a capacity of 80K tons per year. Additionally, Veolia operates DH Recycling, DY Recycling, and Plastiloop Hwaseong(Doksan/DSPL) sites, all contributing to waste plastic recycling as recycled raw materials from sorting. Together, these facilities process nearly 100,000 tons of waste annually (including extension planned). These initiatives create synergies that help companies turn waste into resources and improve their environmental impact, while meeting K-ESG standards.
- Improving Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency is another area where companies can save costs while meeting their ESG objectives. In South Korea, a notable example is Veolia’s 8-year Energy Performance Contract with Dongkook Pharmaceutical. This project optimizes the performance of wastewater treatment plants and reduces the company’s carbon footprint by recycling biogas from wastewater for plant operations.
Tangible Results
Veolia's solutions are not just promises; they are measurable.
In 2023, our technologies helped reduce carbon emissions by over 14 million tons globally.
Moreover, we contributed to recycling over 465,000 tons of plastic and helped several companies achieve their ESG goals while reducing operational costs.
Taking Action
It’s clear that businesses in South Korea can no longer afford to neglect the importance of ESG management. By adopting the right solutions, they not only meet investor and regulatory expectations but also improve their long-term competitiveness. At Veolia, we are ready to support you in your ecological transformation.
