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JB Financial earns top AAA rating in MSCI's ESG assessment

Published: 04 Aug. 2025, 16:15

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

JB Financial Group headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul [JB FINANCIAL GROUP]

JB Financial Group said Monday that it has received a top-tier AAA rating in the latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) assessment conducted by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), a global ESG evaluation agency.

Each year, the global investment research firm evaluates the sustainability practices of approximately 8,500 listed companies worldwide and assigns ratings across seven tiers, from AAA to CCC. The AAA grade is awarded to only the top 9 percent of banks evaluated, making it the highest possible rating in the financial sector.

JB Financial Group earned high marks for its performance in green finance, human capital development, financial accessibility and corporate governance.

The group operates an ESG Committee composed entirely of board members and an ESG Council made up of key executives and employees from the holding company and its affiliates. In 2024, it became the first in the banking sector to sign direct purchase agreements for renewable energy power with Jeonbuk Bank and Gwangju Bank.

JB Financial also launched Korea’s first private-sector RE100-exclusive loan product in the commercial banking sector this year. It is also expanding social contribution programs through its volunteer organization, “Team Seed,” which is driven by employee participation. The group has been increasing its support for underprivileged children, teenagers and migrant workers.

“This follows our inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Korea Index last year, further validating JB Financial’s ESG performance,” a group spokesperson said. “We will continue to lead in authentic ESG practices through meaningful implementation of ESG management.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]