Sustainable Management
KT Corp. (CEO Hwang Chang-kyu) came out as the highest-scoring firm worldwide in the telecommunication field at Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) World. It was also the highest scoring Asian company in the overall criteria, topping traditional sustainability leaders such as Nestlé, Vodafone, E.ON, and BMW. This year is the sixth year that the company has been incorporated in DJSI World.
Developed in 1999 and jointly operated by S&P Dow Jones of the United States and RobecoSAM of Switzerland, DJSI is a global standard that assesses the quality of sustainability management based on metrics concerning economic, environmental, and social performances. The assessment is also industry-specific and identifies the industry's best-in-class company, or “industry leader,” from 59 different industries on a global basis. As for the telecommunication service field, the DJSI combines both wired and wireless communications.
In 2011, for the first time as a Korean company, KT was named an “Industry Leader” in the field of telecommunication services and remained in that position for three consecutive years from 2011 to 2013. This year, KT again returned to the world’s top position and reconfirm the company’s longevity potential.
Currently, under the vision of “Giga Topia,” KT plans to introduce new technological paradigms to wide-ranging industries such as smart energy, integrated security systems, next-generation media, healthcare, and an intelligent traffic control system where the company promotes not only the convenience but also the safety of users.
KT is also actively exercising and incorporating into practices the concept of so-called corporate citizenship. In March this year, KT opened Gyeonggi Innovation Creative Center, a high-tech cluster where KT works to realize the global standardization of indigenous technologies and cooperates with startups in the form of technology transfers, financial support, and training.
Also, through a project called “GiGA Story,” KT is working to bridge the gap between cities and remote or mountainous areas in terms of education, culture, and economic criteria. KT plans to provide customized infrastructure and IT solutions to the residents in remote areas.
Among the world’s major telecoms companies, only nine were included in the DJSI World this year. KT was also picked as the industry leader in both fixed line and wireless telecommunications categories. KT was also selected as the industry leader in the DJSI fixed line and wireless categories first in 2011, and maintained the industry-leading title until 2013.
Oh Young-ho, head of the Communication Department, said “despite the high standards and difficulty of being listed in DJSI World as a telecommunication company, KT is recognized as a number one company. The accomplishment sends out a significant message.” He added, “KT won’t stop here, but will continuously work hard to best serve customers and the interests of shareholders.”