Environmental Green Management

Environmental Green Management

  • Green Management Vision 2030

    Hyosung TNC has established its Green Management Vision 2030 with the goal of becoming a sustainable company that helps create a better quality of life for humanity. Aligned with Hyosung Group's Green Management strategy, which focuses on greenhouse gas reduction, the development of sustainable technologies and market expansion, fostering a sustainable corporate culture, and enhancing trust with stakeholders, we have set specific tasks for each strategy and formulated a company-wide climate change response strategy.

  • An eco-friendly company that enhances
    and enriches quality of life for humanity

  • 14.5% reduction of GHG emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels icon
    • GHG reduction through external reduction projects such as SDM in accordance with the new climate regime
    • GHG reduction through energy-saving activities at facilities and increased adoption of renewable energy
    • Efficient GHG management through the operation of an in-house carbon asset management system and a product carbon footprint calculation system
    • Establishing processes to identify climate change risks and opportunities for risk hedging and opportunity exploration
    • * SDM (Sustainable Development Mechanisms) : Sustainable development framework under the Paris Agreement
  • Market expansion and business growth through the development of sustainable technologies icon
    • Strengthening the lineup of carbon-reducing fiber products, including recycled and bio-based options
    • Expanding the business of carbon-reducing steel products and chemical materials
  • Fostering a corporate culture conducive to sustainable infrastructure development icon
    • Minimizing environmental impact by advancing water and air pollutant management systems
    • Promoting water reuse to reduce consumption and resource recycling to reduce waste generation
    • Continuing collaboration and shared growth with value chain partners in carbon-reducing fibers to strengthen their capabilities
    • Building sustainable infrastructure through increased purchasing of low-carbon and sustainable technology products
  • Building trust with stakeholders through transparent information disclosure icon
    • Establishing a green management system through the expansion of eco-friendly and green certifications
    • Building trust with stakeholders through participation in CDP and the Environmental Information Disclosure System, and the publication of sustainability reports
    • Voluntary participation in international initiatives related to climate change
    • Facilitating smooth communication with local residents and promoting environmental cleanup activities through one-company-one-site programs, such as rivers, parks, or mountains
    • *CDP(Carbon Disclosure Project) A project focused on disclosing carbon-related information.

  • Sustainable Procurement Policy

    Hyosung TNC strives to fulfill its environmental and social responsibilities and minimize negative impacts from its purchasing activities by adhering to the following principles:

    1

    We select the suppliers with the capability and willingness to prevent negative environmental impacts such as climate change, water pollution, soil contamination, and air pollution.

    2

    We select suppliers that comply with the International Labor Organization (ILO) labor standards and fulfill social responsibilities including proper working conditions, diversity protection, human rights, and ethical management.

    3

    We select the suppliers that prioritize safety for both company employees and end-users.

  • Green Procurement Policy

    Hyosung TNC aims to contribute to resource conservation, minimize environmental impact, and fulfill its responsibilities to product users and society through green procurement activities. The company adheres to the following principles during purchasing activities:

    1

    We avoid unnecessary purchases to minimize leftover materials and conserve resources.

    2

    We give preference to environmentally friendly products by considering the environmental performance of products, in addition to quality and price.

    3

    We make continuous efforts to identify products that contribute to reduced use of hazardous chemicals, waste reduction, and resource conservation to expand green procurement.

    4

    We share the company's green procurement policy with suppliers and encourage them to improve the environmental performance of delivered products.

  • Promotion of Green Management

    Since 2025, Hyosung TNC has operated an ESG Management Committee under the Board of Directors to strengthen clarity and accountability in environmental decision-making. The ESG Committee not only makes final decisions on key environmental issues but also conducts in-depth reviews of strategies and performance, and ensures their systematic management and oversight.

    An ESG Management Team, reporting directly to the CEO, oversees company-wide environmental strategies and their implementation. At each site, the Production and the Utilities teams promote energy efficiency and GHG reduction, while the Environment & Safety Team leads efforts to minimize pollutant emissions.

    See below

    Decision-making Bodies

    • Board of Directors
      1. ESG Management Promotion Committee
      2. R&D Committee

    Operational organization and its roles

    • ESG Management Team Strategy development and performance disclosure
    • Business Management Team (personnel responsible for green management) Strategy implementation and execution management
    • Energy Team/Production Team Identification and execution of energy and greenhouse gas reduction projects
    • Environmental Safety Team Management of environmental pollution reduction activities at sites

  • Environmental Management System

    Hyosung TNC has established and operates an environmental management system based on the ISO 14001 standard
    for environmental management and based on the environmental operational management process.

    See below
    1. A. Environmental Operational Management Process
      1. Organizational Situation Management
      2. Risk Management
      3. Impact Assessment
      4. Legal and Policy Management
      5. Environmental Permits
      6. Green Management Operations
      7. Compliance Assessment Management
      8. Change Management
    2. B. Green Management Communication
    3. C. Education and Training
    4. D. Environmental and Safety Emergency Response
    1. Scenario Development for Different Situations
    2. Emergency Response Training
    3. Emergency Response Training Improvement of Emergency Response Systems

Carbon Reduction Product and
Technology Development Strategy

Hyosung TNC is dedicated to carbon reduction technology and product research and development, based on the core value of innovation and the "market expansion and business growth through carbon reduction technology development" strategy in line with Vision 2030. Through this commitment, we aim to secure the future growth drivers and achieve sustainable growth.

See below

Carbon Reduction Product/Technology Development

  • Hyosung Way Innovation

    "Challenging new possibilities"

  • VISION 2030 Strategy

    Market expansion and business growth through carbon reduction technology development

Textile Textile
Trading Trade
Enhancement of Recycled and
Carbon-reducing Fiber product Portfolio

Hyosung TNC is taking the lead in introducing sustainable raw materials produced from recycled materials through close collaboration with fashion companies, which are downstream participants of the industry closest to consumers. In addition, we are continuously investing to ensure that spandex can be produced using carbon-reducing bio-based materials instead of fossil fuels. We measured the product carbon footprint throughout the entire process, including the production of raw material packaging, transportation, and product manufacturing, for products: regen Polyester, transforming discarded PET bottles, regen Spandex, produced from production process by products; and regen BIO Spandex, made from non-edible food ingredients, regen Ocean Nylon made from discarded fishing nets. We also conducted these measurements for existing conventional products.

The results showed that, compared to conventional products, regen Ocean Nylon has a carbon emission reduction effect of approximately 55%, regen Polyester about 66%, regen Spandex about 74%, and regen BIO Spandex more than 19%. Additionally, Hyosung TNC has registered regen BIO Spandex in the Material Sustainability Index (MSI) category of the Higg Index, an environmental impact assessment index developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a global coalition of more than 250 companies from 35 countries in the sustainable apparel industry. We are committed to ongoing efforts to address climate change responsibly.

Spandex
Development of regen BIO Spandex Development of regen Spandex GRS Certification, OEKO-TEX Certification, SGS ECO Product Certification
Nylon/Polyester
Development of Chemical & Mechanical Recycling Technologies Basic Research on PBAT Spinning Technology Development of Biodegradable MB-blended PET Spinning Technology Development of regen Polyester GRS, OEKO-TEX, OBP Certification
Textiles/Dyeing
OEKO-TEX Certification
Expansion of Carbon-reducing Steel and
Chemical Product Exports in Business Areas

In the comprehensive trading division of Hyosung TNC, we are expanding our trading activities in a line with ESG management. We are increasing our transactions in sustainable industries for existing steel and chemical products. Additionally, we are expanding our exports and international trade in eco-certified products. To achieve this, the steel division is continuously expanding its trading volume for steel products used in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Meanwhile, the chemical division has obtained International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) EU & Plus certification for biofuels (biodiesel and bio-fuel oil) and raw materials for biofuels (UCO, palm oil, etc.). This certification confirms that the products handled by Hyosung TNC comply with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) of the European Union, ensuring their suitability for distribution in the European market.

Steel
Expansion of the trading business in renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.)-based steel products
Chemical
Obtaining ISCC EU & Plus certification for biofuels and a raw materials

  • Efforts to Increase Awareness of Green Management

    Hyosung TNC has been actively promoting not only green management training for its employees but also various contests and projects aimed at expanding environmental awareness in society.

    These initiatives have included: Carbon Fiber Startup Contest in 2014; University Student Sustainable Ideas Contest from 2017 to 2019; Greenhouse Gas Energy Savings In-house Contest in 2021; Open Innovation Project in 2022.
    In the future, we will continue our efforts to increase the interest in green management among stakeholders.

  • Sustainable Ideas Contest
    Hyosung conducted the Sustainable Ideas Contest for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019.

    Hyosung conducted the Sustainable Ideas Contest for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019.

    In 2017, ideas such as "Shoes That Charge Wireless Devices" and "Brake Pad Dust Collection Device Using Zeolite Filter" were awarded.

    In 2018, the idea of "Seed-Containing Bio-plastic Waste Bags" won the top prize. These bags, made from biodegradable plastic, decompose in just 20 days and contain seeds, which allow pet waste to be used as natural fertilizer to grow flowers—addressing both pollution prevention and environmental beautification.

    In 2019, the idea of a "Chemically Cleanable Mass-market Mask" was awarded the top prize. This innovative mask improved upon the limitations of existing fine dust filters by coating them with a solution containing various chemicals, enhancing their efficiency.

  • regen, Recycling Campaign for a Circular Economy
    Since 2021, Hyosung TNC has been conducting an internal campaign to collect discarded PET bottles, involving all employees at its Mapo and Banpo offices.

    Each year, PET bottles collected by employees are utilized as raw materials for Hyosung TNC's sustainable fiber brand, "regen". The company collaborates with sustainable fashion startups to create regen-based products, which are then gifted to employees as part of a circular campaign.

    This initiative provides employees with firsthand experience in upcycling, raising awareness of resource recycling and contributing to the creation of sustainable corporate culture

    A total of 8,831 waste PET bottles were collected in 2022, 22,425 in 2023, and 42,693 in 2024. This is equivalent to the annual CO₂ absorption of approximately 37 pine trees (30 years old) in 2022, 94 trees in 2023, and 179 trees in 2024.

  • In-house Energy saving and GHG reduction idea contest
    Hyosung TNC's Ulsan plant participated in an in-house contest for energy savings and GHG reduction ideas in 2021.

    The plant submitted an idea to increase the production concentration of the lactams by depolymerising Nylon recovery process, which reduces steam consumption. This idea was awarded the top prize, receiving a prize of 2 million won ($1,500). The implementation of this idea is expected to result in an annual steam savings of 953 tons/year.

  • Internal Campaign for GHG Energy Savings
    Since 2021, Hyosung TNC has been conducting a campaign to eliminate disposable office supplies in an effort to foster an sustainable corporate culture among all employees at its Mapo and Banpo offices. The first step taken in this campaign was to encourage the use of personal tumblers instead of disposable paper cups.

    In 2020, it was estimated that employees at Hyosung TNC used approximately 190,000 disposable paper cups within the company's headquarters.

    As a response to this, Hyosung TNC removed disposable items, including paper cups, from common areas such as break rooms and provided employees with financial incentives to purchase and use personal tumblers.

    This simple change has had a significant impact, potentially reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2 tons just by discouraging paper cup usage.

  • Environmental Training for All Employees
    Hyosung TNC conducts annual training programs for all employees to raise awareness of environmental issues, climate change, carbon neutrality policies, and the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

    In addition, climate change and carbon neutrality are emphasized in the ESG management training provided to a new employees.

  • with Local Authorities

    Circular Resource Project in Collaboration

    Hyosung TNC has been collaborating with local authorities, starting with Jeju Island and Seoul, to recycle collected PET bottles into the sustainable raw materials for high-quality clothing production.

    The recycled raw materials produced by Hyosung TNC are supplied to various domestic and international sustainable clothing brands, including Pleats Mama and The North Face, contributing to the establishment of a circular economy.

Open Innovation Project

(Startup Exploration and Support)

Hyosung TNC has conducted an Open Innovation Project aimed at discovering startups specializing in eco-friendly-fibers, smart fibers, and other related fashion fields. Open Innovation is a management technique in which large companies collaborate with external parties, such as startups, to innovate their business models and core technologies, enhancing their competitiveness.

Hyosung TNC aims to discover startups with expertise in sustainable fibers, including bio-based and biodegradable fibers, recycling fibers, as well as sustainable dyeing and processing technologies through this project. We are also looking for startups that possess innovative smart fiber technologies such as wearable fibers and IT-integrated fibers. The goal is to collaborate with these startups to drive innovation in the field of sustainability and smart fiber technologies. Furthermore, Hyosung TNC expects the participation of startups that specialize in carbon and energy-saving technologies, sustainability, and possess expertise in ESG management. We anticipate that these startups can contribute to the innovation of existing business operations and propose a new business models.
Selected startups receive support through business collaboration, joint product development, technology development assistance, technology verification, and equity investment.

In 2021, Hyosung TNC strategically partnered with Pleats Mama, a leading upcycling fashion startup in Korea, and signed an MOU for equity investment. In 2022, Hyosung TNC continued its support for domestic eco-fashion startups, such as Harlie K, based in Daegu, to enhance its marketing capabilities and support its global expansion efforts. Hyosung TNC is committed to providing an extensive support to enhance the capabilities of domestic eco-fashion startups.