44 of 231 firms earn top rating
50 billion won fund among financial support programs
Quality certification, IP rights provided free to partners
HL Mando, the software-defined vehicle flagship of HL Group, said Friday it received the top "excellent (S)" rating for the second consecutive year in the 2026 Co-prosperity Index evaluation.
The Co-prosperity Index measures the level of mutual-growth cooperation between large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises. Published annually by the Co-prosperity Committee since 2011, it combines the Korea Fair Trade Commission's fair-trade agreement compliance assessment with an overall co-prosperity evaluation to produce five rating tiers. This year, 231 companies were assessed, and 44 — or 19 percent of the total — earned the top rating.
HL Mando operates several financial support programs to help stabilize its partners' operations. These include a preferential export-import joint network guarantee worth 102 billion won ($76.6 million), a 50 billion won mutual-growth cooperation loan fund, and a co-prosperity network loan program.
The co-prosperity network loan, developed in partnership with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, helps suppliers secure the production financing they need before delivering goods. An export finance support program established with Hana Bank and the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation assists automotive parts suppliers struggling with shifts in the global trade environment, bolstering their financial stability and export competitiveness.
Support has extended beyond finance to strengthening technology and quality competitiveness and building a foundation for sustainable management. HL Mando assists suppliers in obtaining quality system certification and provides intellectual property rights free of charge. The company also conducts environmental, social and governance education to enhance suppliers' sustainable management capabilities. It has worked to establish a transparent, fair-trade culture and has recognized outstanding partners at exchange events such as Partners Day, sharing the results of its co-prosperity efforts.
"We are strengthening a mutual-growth cooperation framework that grows together with our suppliers, based on the belief that their competitiveness is our competitiveness," an HL Mando official said. "We will continue to lead efforts to enhance supplier competitiveness and build a sustainable supply chain ecosystem grounded in a fair and transparent business culture."
Meanwhile, HL Mando develops and produces products related to driver safety and convenience, including braking, steering and suspension systems. The company operates production facilities in Pyeongtaek, Wonju and Iksan, and an R&D center in Pangyo. It is diversifying its customer base beyond Hyundai Motor and Kia to include General Motors, Ford, Chinese automakers, and European and Indian vehicle manufacturers.
eyre@heraldcorp.com
