ESG scores top industry averages across all categories

MSCI AAA for 5th straight year; DJSI inclusion for 10th consecutive year

Youth, community and SME support programs expanded

A view of KB Financial Group's headquarters [KB Financial Group]
A view of KB Financial Group's headquarters [KB Financial Group]

KB Financial Group has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a global ESG investment index, for the 16th consecutive year, with scores exceeding industry averages across all three pillars — environment, social and governance.

KB Financial Group announced Friday that it has been included in the FTSE4Good index every year from 2011 through this year.

FTSE4Good is an ESG index compiled by FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group, that evaluates the environmental, social and governance performance of listed companies. It serves as a benchmark for constructing ESG investment products and assessing the performance of investment portfolios.

KB Financial Group also continues its sustainability initiatives in support of youth, local communities and small and medium-sized enterprises. In the youth segment, the group runs programs linking young people to employment, training AI talent, and supporting youth entrepreneurship and self-reliance. KB Kookmin Bank has also continued its "KB Good Job" employment support program, which it launched in 2011.

For small and medium-sized enterprises, the group supports AI transformation, green transition and safety transition, while expanding impact investment in community-based social enterprises. At the local level, it supports the expansion of cultural, educational and lifestyle infrastructure and helps build foundations for regional self-sufficiency.

KB Financial Group has also maintained strong results in other global ESG assessments. It received an AAA rating from MSCI ESG for the fifth consecutive year and was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the 10th consecutive year. It also earned an A rating from CDP's climate change assessment for the second straight year.

KB Financial Group Chairman Yang Jong-hee wrote in this year's sustainability report that "the value of finance lies in the trust that connects capital to where it is needed and protects people's lives and futures," adding that the group would "pursue inclusive growth, innovation and future development together, grounded in that trust."

A KB Financial Group official said the 16th consecutive inclusion in the FTSE4Good index "reflects our consistent practice of sustainable management across environment, social and governance," and pledged that the group would "continue to practice responsible finance, support the growth and independence of young people, invigorate local communities, and drive innovation among small and medium-sized enterprises — delivering real value to our customers and society."

Meanwhile, as of end-2025, KB Financial Group manages 20.8 trillion won ($14.8 billion) in ESG financial products — spanning green products, investments and loans — and plans to expand that figure to 25 trillion won by 2030.


rim@heraldcorp.com