BGF Retail maintained an integrated ESG rating of A+ for the second consecutive year, receiving A+ in the environmental and social categories and A in governance in this year's assessment. [BGF Retail]
BGF Retail maintained an integrated ESG rating of A+ for the second consecutive year, receiving A+ in the environmental and social categories and A in governance in this year's assessment. [BGF Retail]

BGF Retail said Wednesday it maintained an integrated ESG rating of A+ for the second consecutive year, receiving A+ in the environmental and social categories and A in governance in this year's assessment. Scores improved across all three areas compared with the previous year — up 3.32 percentage points in environment, 18.39 percentage points in social, and 1.97 percentage points in governance.

In the environmental category, the company received positive marks for expanding sustainable packaging, promoting resource recycling and working to preserve biodiversity. BGF Retail has been cutting packaging waste by switching its private-brand bottled water to fully label-free bottles and improving label design on ready-to-eat dosirak. The company has also moved to reduce single-use items, including removing disposable chopsticks from its dosirak sets. Alongside this, it has continued resource-recycling initiatives such as collecting discarded electronics and donating surplus inventory to lower its environmental footprint.

The company has also stepped up biodiversity conservation efforts. Since 2025, it has partnered with the Korea National Park Service to establish an alternative habitat for the Daecheong fan iris, a Class II endangered wild species. Based on candidate sites identified by the Korea National Park Service, BGF Retail transplanted 100 specimens of the plant to an uninhabited island within Taean Haean National Park.

In the social category, the company overhauled its risk management framework across supply chain, human rights, consumer protection and personal data privacy. It refined procedures for identifying and assessing risk factors and established medium- and long-term goals and management systems to strengthen the effectiveness and transparency of related activities.

The company also introduced a service to improve store accessibility. A QR code posted on store entrance doors allows customers to request assistance from staff — a feature designed to make shopping more convenient for people with disabilities and elderly customers.

In governance, BGF Retail strengthened its oversight framework centered on its ESG management committee and board of directors. The company has held quarterly ESG management committee meetings involving major BGF Group affiliates since 2021. The committee reviews ESG strategy and performance and examines medium- and long-term strategies and key policy risks. Major discussion items are reported to the board on a regular basis and reflected in overall management after going through an approval process.

The company also upgraded its ethics and compliance management systems, reinforcing related controls through ISO 37001 anti-bribery management system and ISO 37301 compliance management system certifications.

"We will continue to practice environmental protection and social responsibility while strengthening a transparent and systematic management system, building a foundation for sustainable growth together with our stakeholders," said Park Jong-seong, head of BGF Retail's communications division.


siuu@heraldcorp.com