KOREA ZINC

KOR

We'll find out what you're
curious about

ESG Data

For a bountiful future for all humanities,
Korea Zinc refines today and prepares for tomorrow.

Environment

Environmental Management System

The Onsan Refinery, first acquired ISO 14001 certification in 2015. This certification, which serves as the international standard for environmental management systems, has been maintained through regular renewals. The refinery undergoes annual audits by accredited third-party institutions to assess and improve its environmental management system, ensuring its continued effectiveness.

Metric Site Employee
Total Number 2 (Headquaters, Onsan Refinery) 1,944
Number certified to ISO 14001 1 (Onsan Refinery) 1,693*
Proportion 50% 86%

*Number of employee at certified site

Net Zero Scenario

Korea Zinc reported our “Carbon Reduction Plan” during the regular board meeting held on November 8, 2024, and the agenda for this meeting is accessible on our website.

Fleet Fuel Carbon Emission and
Energy Usage

Metric FY 2024
Carbon Emission (tCO₂eq) 470
Energy Usage (MJ) 6,823,615

Energy Usage of
Hydrogen Forklift in 2024

Korea Zinc hosted an inauguration ceremony on August 28, 2024, to mark the completion of a hydrogen refueling station for hydrogen-powered forklifts at its Onsan Smelter in Ulsan. This facility is the first hydrogen refueling station in South Korea to be built within a national industrial complex. It was developed after Korea Zinc received regulatory approval in March 2023 under a sandbox program to construct and operate a station dedicated to hydrogen fuel cell forklifts. In addition to building the refueling station, Korea Zinc introduced five hydrogen-powered forklifts. Of these, four are 5-ton forklifts, and one is a 3.5-ton model. Looking ahead, the company plans to phase in an additional 25 forklifts, bringing the total fleet to 30 units

Metric FY2024
Hydrogen (m³) 2,321
Electricity (kWh) 43,427

Investment in Energy Conservation & Saving from energy Conservation programs

Since 2022, Korea Zinc has invested KRW 40.7 billion in a range of energy-saving initiatives. As a result, the company achieved energy cost savings of KRW 2.3 billion in 2023 and KRW 7.7 billion in 2024.

No. Energy Conservation Program Duration Investment
(milion KRW)
1 Electricity Savings Through the Integrated Management of Aging Facilities Feb 22 ~ Feb 24 27,281
2 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through the Transition of Forklift Fuel from Diesel to Hydrogen Dec 22 ~ Aug 24 5,106
3 Electricity Savings Through the Deployment of High-Efficiency Cooling Tower Fans (Phase 1, Units #2) Sep 23~ Oct 23 144
Electricity Savings Through the Deployment of High-Efficiency Cooling Tower Fans (Phase 2, Units #8) Aug 24 ~ Feb 25 610
4 Electricity Savings Achieved by Replacing Aging Equipment with High-Efficiency, Large-Capacity Systems Sep 24 ~ Jun 25 6,204
5 Reducing LNG Consumption Through the Reutilization of Exhaust Gas Waste Heat Dec 24 ~ Jul 25 599
6 Comprehensive Evaluation of Energy Utilization Across All Facilities and Diagnosis for Energy Efficiency Improvement Apr 24 ~ Nov 24 202
7 Optimizing Energy Utilization Through the Implementation of an Advanced Energy Monitoring System Oct 24 ~ May 25 523
Total 40,669

Water Resource Risk Management

Korea Zinc recognizes water consumption and water scarcity as critical global trends to monitor, despite its own activities not being significantly water-intensive. Korea Zinc, on its part, upholds the right to water as a fundamental human right. Korea Zinc conducts an annual water risk assessment of its facilities using the WRI Aqueduct tool, confirming that its sites are not located in regions facing significant water scarcity. Nonetheless, Korea Zinc remains committed to enhancing water efficiency across its operations and will invest in innovative technologies and systems to further promote water and energy conservation. Additionally, Korea Zinc actively encourages its subsidiaries to implement water recycling practices within their operations.

Metric Unit Water Stress
Present 2030 Scenario
Headquaters Jongno-gu, Seoul Medium-high(20-40%) · Optimistic: Medium-high (20-40%)
· Pessimistic: Medium-high (20-40%)
Onsan Refinery Ulju-gun, Ulsan Medium-high(20-40%) · Optimistic: Medium-high (20-40%)
· Pessimistic: Medium-high (20-40%)
No. of business sites 2(Headquaters, Onsan Refinery)
No. of business sites located in high or extremely high water stress(40%-) regions 0
Proportion of business sites in areas with high water stress(40%-) 0%
Metric Unit FY2024
Freshwater withdrawn m3 14,725,920
Percentage of fresh water withdrawn in regions with High or Extremely High Baseline Water Stress Percentage(%) 0
Amount of water recycling* m3 796,404

*Stormwater(rainwater) recycling and RO-treated recycled water

  • Biodiversity

    This is not applicable, as the Company operates from sites located in National Industrial Complex, far from ecologically sensitive regions. However, biodiversity initiatives are actively being pursued. For further details, please refer to the “Biodiversity Protection” section of this Sustainability Report on page 36.

  • Disturbed Land

    Korea Zinc operates within government-regulated National Industrial Complex, ensuring compliance with all land use and environmental regulations. The company employs Top Submerged Lance (TSL) technology, which efficiently recycles waste materials to maximize zinc recovery. This process eliminates the need for waste ponds, as residues are processed to extract valuable metals, resulting in minimal environmental disturbance.

  • Spill

    Korea Zinc reported zero spills at its operational sites in both 2023 and 2024. This achievement is supported by the company’s robust chemical substance management practices, which are disclosed on page 31 of the Sustainability Report.

Society

ESG Committee

Since 2022, Korea Zinc has operated the Sustainability Management Committee as an advisory body to the CEO. On December 23, 2024, we elevated it to the ESG Committee, a committee under the Board as defined by the Commercial Act, and simultaneously established the Sustainability Promotion Committee, as its implementation body. The ESG Committee is positioned as the core decision-making body for ESG management, overseeing the overall direction, performance and major issues of sustainable management across environmental, social and governance sectors.

Session Date No. of Member Committee
Attendance
1st 25 Feb 3 100%
2nd 16 Jul 3 100%

Diversity Metric

The total number of employees in 2023 is 1,881, as noted on page 51 of our Sustainability Report. Among them, six positions are held by foreign nationals: five in management positions and one in a junior management position, which is held by a U.S. national.

Metric Unit FY 2024 Note
Management position No. of people 5 Includes 3 Australians and 2 U.S. nationals
Junior management position No. of people 1 Includes 1 U.S. national

2024 Annual Average Education Hours Categorized by Gender

Metric Male Female Total
Accumulated hours 92,777 8,372 101,149
No. of employee 1,851 118 1,969
Per capita hours 50 71 51

2024 Annual Average Education Hours by Employee Category

Metric Male Female Total
Accumulated hours 5,740 95,409 101,149
No. of employee 123 1,846 1,969
Per capita hours 47 52 51

Promotion on mental health awareness

The company conducts an annual mental health assessment for all employees, including contractors working at operational sites. In 2024, the assessment took place from May 8th to June 28th, evaluating 43 key factors. These factors encompassed the physical work environment, interpersonal conflicts, corporate culture, work-related stress, and the level of autonomy employees have in their roles. Participants identified as experiencing high stress levels were provided with one-on-one counseling sessions, along with the option for more in-depth support if required. Additionally, employees who displayed healthy mental well-being received online educational materials to help sustain and enhance their mental resilience. Furthermore, the company provides all employees with access to free consultation programs each year to support both job satisfaction and emotional well-being.

Product Safety

Korea Zinc produces a range of products, including zinc, lead, copper ingots and alloys, as well as gold and silver bars, among others. The company employs chemical processes to extract pure target materials from concentrates or ores. However, with most of our products achieving over 99% purity, the inclusion of other chemicals or harmful substances is virtually impossible. Purity is a hallmark of our operations, and Korea Zinc takes great pride in this achievement. The company is registered with prestigious organizations such as the London Metal Exchange (LME), the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI).