KTNET Plus

On September 15, Young-hwan Cha, CEO of Korea Trade Network (KTNET), participated in the 'Go-Go Challenge', an eco-friendly campaign by the Ministry of Environment to reduce disposable products and plastics in daily life use.

The Go-Go Challenge, a campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment on January 4, will proceed by participants pledging one thing they should not do in daily life and another they can do to protect the environment through social media. Afterward, they pass on the challenge by nominating the next participant(s).

CEO Young-hwan Cha considered reducing the use of disposables and increasing the use of electronic documents instead of paper documents as eco-friendly measures and heralded the catchphrase “to reduce disposable and plastic goods around me, and increase eco-friendly electronic documents.” As internal and external action plans, KTNET and its office building tenants plan to curb the use of disposable and plastic goods together and reduce carbon emissions by increasing the utilization rate of corporate electronic documents.

KTNET implements a differentiated pricing system that favors the use of reusable containers for drinks sold at in-house cafes. Any tenant employee who uses a personal tumbler or multi-use container is offered at a discounted price of 500 won per container. Regarding electronic documents, the import and export procedures centered on paper documents have been digitalized, while recently, digital trade logistics and document platforms have been established. KTNET is contributing to reducing a total of 57,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and saving a total of 1.45 million trees each year through e-trade. (Source: Korea International Trade Research Institute, Korea International Trade Association)

CEO Cha said, “The use of electronic documents has the effect of killing two birds with one stone by reducing paper consumption not only in the trade sector but also in various fields such as businesses and households, reducing carbon emissions and increasing work efficiency.

He added, “Reducing the use of plastic containers and disposable products is for the benefit of a clean and healthy environment for future generations, and we will continue to be at the forefront in creating a healthy planet through ESG management.”

CEO Young-hwan Cha nominated President Hak-soo Kim of the Korea Financial Telecommunications & Clearings Institute, and President Kyung-sil Lee of Kohygen, as the next participants for the campaign challenge.