Kolon Life Science announced on Wednesday that it has earned a Silver Medal in the EcoVadis assessment, a global supply chain ESG evaluation agency.

Kolon Life Science was selected for the Silver Medal after receiving high scores across all four categories in this assessment: environment, labor & human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. EcoVadis' Silver Medal is awarded to the top 15 percent of companies evaluated worldwide.

Founded in France in 2007, EcoVadis assesses the sustainability management level of corporate supply chains based on various international standards, including the U.N. Global Compact (UNGC) Ten Principles, International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions, and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. To date, over 130,000 companies worldwide have been assessed. Notably, starting this year, the evaluation method shifted to relative assessment across all industries, making it significantly more challenging to achieve a top rating.

Kolon Life Science has established policies to manage key environmental issues, including energy, greenhouse gases, water resources, chemicals, and waste. It has secured ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) certification and completed verification of its greenhouse gas emissions. In the labor and human rights domain, it respects employee diversity and human rights, implementing policies, training, and institutional mechanisms to prevent discrimination and harassment, thereby fostering a safe working environment.

In the ethics field, the company implements comprehensive policies to protect confidential information, prevent corruption and bribery, and ensure information security, while operating a whistleblower system to maintain a transparent management environment. In sustainable procurement, it practices win-win management with partners through supply chain ESG evaluations and on-site audits.

The EcoVadis Silver Medal achievement, coupled with recent ESG accomplishments, demonstrates the systematic strengthening of Kolon Life Science's ESG management, the company said. Following the simultaneous acquisition of two international certifications -- ISO 37001 (Anti-Bribery Management System) and ISO 37301 (Compliance Management System) -- Kolon Life Science published its first-ever Sustainability Management Report, it added.

“Sustainability is a core value that determines corporate competitiveness in the global biohealth industry,” Kolon Life Science CEO Kim Sun-jin said. “Amid growing ESG management demands from global clients, we will further strengthen our global competitiveness by enhancing corporate sustainability and credibility.”