Editor's note- ESG, which contains sustainable ideas through environmental and social responsibility and management, is taking a place as mandatory, not an option. Yet, quite a number of businesses are still ignoring this matter. Practicing ESG management is directly linked to consumption value. Thus, we are reporting on the steps of leading ESG management businesses this year, hoping to bring messages to both consumers and businesses that are not aware of their importance.

[Consumerwide - HueSoung Jun Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter] Volvo Car Korea has been enhancing environmental protection and social contribution among overseas brand in Korea. Volvo activities include releasing electric cars and plogging activities, which are part of sustainability steps. This is a report about the environmental and social contribution activities of Volvo.

E: Effort on environmental sustainability

Volvo is targeting to approach sustainability value while initiating sales of automized models, including hybrid and electric models, manufacturing electric models for all car classifications by 2030, and practicing climate neutralisation in all business aspects, including development, manufacturing, sales, and transportation, by 2040.

As a part of mission, Volvo began premium small SUV reservation in November. This model uses nordico, which is a bio material made out of pine oil that is manufactured in Finland and Sweden, recycled denim and plastic, flax based synthetic fiber, wool-70% recycled poliester blended material without leather. Concerning Volvo mission "Sustainability", they chose recycled materials, which costs more, and excluded Chrome elements from exterior. Black expression was applied on window side, and this gives modern and sporty feeling. Recycled plastic was used on low parts of exterior. The same material different details were applied to each front, side, and rear part. Besides, only recycled steel was used. This model has a 300 thousand tonnes of carbon reduction effect in case of driving 200 thousand km driving.

E and S... Environmental protection campaign and social contribution activities.

Volvo has exhibited domestic artists collaborated obje with a concept, "Children's home of the future" (Safety of earth), during 2023 Busan Design Week in June. The obje was made from 30 types of recycled car waste collected from official service centres. In July, Volvo began their 6th environmental campaign, Hej Plogging, Volvo Road. Hej Plogging began in 2019 to promote Sweden plogging culture to Korea. This year, concept was completing clean Volvo Road on earth, and involved various activities such as individual plogging challenge through Runday App, local plogging with ploggin crews, offline plogging event hosted by Volvo Car Korea. In August, Volvo Road Day was held at Sokcho Beach. Families and friends participants cleaned the beach during their summer holidays. In October, Volvo Pavilion was planned and facilitated at Seoul Arts Centre Jandigwangjang (lawn square) to present sustainability value of Volvo. Using recycled materials (Tyvek and Waste Wood) Volvo Pavilion sculture and table and chairs were made and installed. At the field, environmental protection experiment program was offered for children. In November, a total of 47 puzzle benches and tables, which are reprocessed structures from the Pavilion, were donated to Chameleon Children's Museum of Arts, Guro Library of Miracle, Mokdong Elementary School, Gyeonggi Elementary School, and Ehwa GEwha Womans University College of Education Affiliated Kindergarten located in Seoul. On December 7th, as the last step of the environmental campaign in 2023, Volvo donated 1400 trees under the contributor's names, which they received during the Pavilion Field Event, to Nanjido Noeul Park.

Volvo also donated 0.3 trillion won for customised assistive devices for children and teens with impairments as a social contribution activity in a treaty with the Pureume Fund in November.

An associated person from Volvo said during an interview with Consumerwide, "Volvo will practice sustainability value in every sector from product development to social contribution to make the world where beyong human, all the being on earth, coexists balanced and safely."