Handok has earned an overall grade of “A” in the 2023 ESG Evaluation of Listed Companies released today by the Korea Institute of Corporate Governance and Sustainability (KCGS).

KCGS conducts an annual comprehensive assessment of listed companies in Korea on environment, society, and governance (ESG), and assigns grades. Handok won a combined grade A, with an A in environment, A+ in society, and B+ in governance. This is a step up from last year’s combined B+ rating.

Handok has been pioneering sustainability management based on its management philosophy to achieve growth in the most effective way. Early on, it internalized, and continues to practice, sustainability management. In recognition of this, it received the highest score for domestic listed companies in the ESG Evaluation conducted by Who’s Good in 2020.

Handok’s sustainability management is based on transparency and ethical adherence to create healthy governance, a mutual growth philosophy to create a healthy society, and eco-friendly behavior to create a healthy environment. Ethical and transparent management are internalized in the company’s core values and management philosophy and are practiced across the board, including in its corporate culture, business processes, and communications. In addition, it established Handok Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy in 1964—the first specialized museum in Korea owned by a company—to collect, preserve, and exhibit medical artifacts. The Museum collaborates with Eumseong-gun in Chungcheongbuk-do, where the production plant is located, on industrial tourism activities to revitalize the region’s economy.

In addition, Handok declared its intention to engage in eco-friendly management in 1997 and was designated the first “green company” in the pharmaceutical industry in 2000, maintaining its certification for the longest period of time. In recent years, Handok has established an ESG governance system and continues to further refine and implement sustainability management under the auspices of the Board of Directors and Leadership Team through its Sustainability Management Team, Taskforce, and dedicated teams.

Handok Chairman & CEO Kim Young-jin said, “Handok has taken the initiative to internalize sustainability into its corporate culture and continues to practice it. Not only are we aiming to acquire external recognition, we are committed to striving for authentic sustainability management.”