Lee Han-Sung, CEO of Korea ESG Management Institute, puts effort intobringing about a sustainable society. Photo by Kang Dongyeon
As stated by Invest KOREA, ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, representing the three key pillars of management needed to achieve sustainability: environmental management, social responsibilities, and sound and transparentgovernance. It was initiated with the aim to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals. The SDGs were adopted by the UN in 2015 as a universal call to action aiming to end poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring that everyone can experience peace and prosperity by 2030.
On Nov. 11, 2024, Ewha’s ESG committee published its first SDGs Report, titled “Annual Sustainability Report 2024,” to establish the SDGs of Ewha and review and improve their achievements enacted by university members.
The SDGs Report delves into the policies related to ESG and the establishment of specific SDGs, while also examining the progress made toward achieving them. The report also outlines the plan and blueprint of the ESG activities at Ewha.
This report holds great significance since it is the first to focus on the approaches to achieving the SDGs, with a gradual emphasis on environmental, social, and governance aspects. Regarding SDG 5 Gender Equality, Ewha ranked first out of 1,385 institutions in South Korea, creating permanent social impact through women’s education and empowerment.
However, the report did have shortcomings because it was only written in English, making it less accessbile for Korean-preferring members of the university, and lacked quantitative indicators in the ESG Data Management System and concrete environmental policies.
“Unfortunately, Ewha’s SDGs Report lacks detailed descriptions and the considerations of stakeholders, including the students, faculty, staff, and the society,” stated Lee Han-Sung, the CEO of Korea ESG Management Institute.
Lee suggested that the voices of all stakeholders of Ewha should be included in the report as ESG is achieved through the collective effort of all individuals associated with the university. He underscored the importance of both the Ewha community and other universities deeply understanding the concept and necessity of ESG.
“The ‘E’ of ESG stands for the appreciation of the planet as well as natural resources, while ‘S’ indicates everything related to people, ranging from human rights to diversity,” Lee explained. “People often view ‘G,’ or goverance, simply as a structure of rules, but it actually refers to a transparent and well-organized system of an institution. Universities and college students should grasp the true definition of ESG and expand its goals and plans for establishing a sustainable campus.”
Regarding the “Environmental” sector, Professor Wee Daehyun from the Department of Environmental Science & Engineering pointed out that keeping track of the physical phenomena, material, and tangible impacts on the environment is essential.
“The report does not adequately document what is already assessed, and whether effective action has been taken,” Wee mentioned. “In particular, since environmental impacts are physical, quantitative indicators are crucial to accurately assess the university’s status quo. The report mainly lists the activities or events hosted by Ewha, and the willingness to make sound improvements is not evident.”
Both Lee and Wee highlighted the importance of the transparency of ESG. It should not be considered as revealing Ewha’s shortcomings, but rather as a practical and meaningful first step toward building a sustainable future.
A freshman from the Department of Content Convergence, who wished to be referred to as Han, stated her opinion about the SDGs of Ewha, mentioning that she was not aware of the announcement of the SDGs report.
“I think Ewha lacks a transparent system,” Han said. “It is necessary to organize and inform students of the school’s decision-making processes and internal matters on a regular basis or listen to students’ opinions more.”
She further pointed out the lack of communication between schools and students, citing the first period start time and required chapel as examples.
Han stressed that students’ interest and participation are also needed for a sustainable, eco-friendly campus. She asserted that promotions and campaigns should be more systematic and interesting to increase student participation and make their access to related information easier. To make Ewha a truly sustainable campus, the participation of every member of Ewha, including students, and a system that allows it, is crucial.
As Lee contended, though each person can be seen as a mere individual, when they gather, they can have power and influence. It is desirable for Ewha to improve its transparency in its future reports, contributing to making a significant dedication toward building a sustainable university and society.
출처 : Ewha Voice(http://evoice.ewha.ac.kr)
Lee Han-Sung, CEO of Korea ESG Management Institute, puts effort intobringing about a sustainable society. Photo by Kang Dongyeon
As stated by Invest KOREA, ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, representing the three key pillars of management needed to achieve sustainability: environmental management, social responsibilities, and sound and transparentgovernance. It was initiated with the aim to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals. The SDGs were adopted by the UN in 2015 as a universal call to action aiming to end poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring that everyone can experience peace and prosperity by 2030.
On Nov. 11, 2024, Ewha’s ESG committee published its first SDGs Report, titled “Annual Sustainability Report 2024,” to establish the SDGs of Ewha and review and improve their achievements enacted by university members.
The SDGs Report delves into the policies related to ESG and the establishment of specific SDGs, while also examining the progress made toward achieving them. The report also outlines the plan and blueprint of the ESG activities at Ewha.
This report holds great significance since it is the first to focus on the approaches to achieving the SDGs, with a gradual emphasis on environmental, social, and governance aspects. Regarding SDG 5 Gender Equality, Ewha ranked first out of 1,385 institutions in South Korea, creating permanent social impact through women’s education and empowerment.
However, the report did have shortcomings because it was only written in English, making it less accessbile for Korean-preferring members of the university, and lacked quantitative indicators in the ESG Data Management System and concrete environmental policies.
“Unfortunately, Ewha’s SDGs Report lacks detailed descriptions and the considerations of stakeholders, including the students, faculty, staff, and the society,” stated Lee Han-Sung, the CEO of Korea ESG Management Institute.
Lee suggested that the voices of all stakeholders of Ewha should be included in the report as ESG is achieved through the collective effort of all individuals associated with the university. He underscored the importance of both the Ewha community and other universities deeply understanding the concept and necessity of ESG.
“The ‘E’ of ESG stands for the appreciation of the planet as well as natural resources, while ‘S’ indicates everything related to people, ranging from human rights to diversity,” Lee explained. “People often view ‘G,’ or goverance, simply as a structure of rules, but it actually refers to a transparent and well-organized system of an institution. Universities and college students should grasp the true definition of ESG and expand its goals and plans for establishing a sustainable campus.”
Regarding the “Environmental” sector, Professor Wee Daehyun from the Department of Environmental Science & Engineering pointed out that keeping track of the physical phenomena, material, and tangible impacts on the environment is essential.
“The report does not adequately document what is already assessed, and whether effective action has been taken,” Wee mentioned. “In particular, since environmental impacts are physical, quantitative indicators are crucial to accurately assess the university’s status quo. The report mainly lists the activities or events hosted by Ewha, and the willingness to make sound improvements is not evident.”
Both Lee and Wee highlighted the importance of the transparency of ESG. It should not be considered as revealing Ewha’s shortcomings, but rather as a practical and meaningful first step toward building a sustainable future.
A freshman from the Department of Content Convergence, who wished to be referred to as Han, stated her opinion about the SDGs of Ewha, mentioning that she was not aware of the announcement of the SDGs report.
“I think Ewha lacks a transparent system,” Han said. “It is necessary to organize and inform students of the school’s decision-making processes and internal matters on a regular basis or listen to students’ opinions more.”
She further pointed out the lack of communication between schools and students, citing the first period start time and required chapel as examples.
Han stressed that students’ interest and participation are also needed for a sustainable, eco-friendly campus. She asserted that promotions and campaigns should be more systematic and interesting to increase student participation and make their access to related information easier. To make Ewha a truly sustainable campus, the participation of every member of Ewha, including students, and a system that allows it, is crucial.
As Lee contended, though each person can be seen as a mere individual, when they gather, they can have power and influence. It is desirable for Ewha to improve its transparency in its future reports, contributing to making a significant dedication toward building a sustainable university and society.
출처 : Ewha Voice(http://evoice.ewha.ac.kr)