Sustainability
- ESG
- Social
- Governance
Environmental Management
With the goal of achieving environmentally friendly management that meets global standards, we have established our environmental policy based on ISO 14001 (environmental management system). We regularly revise this policy to reflect global initiatives and regulations.
Kia Environmental Management Policy
1. It shall recognize the environment as key to corporate success, creates corporate values through proactive eco-friendly management, and fulfills its corporate social responsibility.
2. It shall set out implementable targets to respond to climate change and evaluate their implementation performance.
3. It shall make efforts to use resources and energy sustainably and reduce pollutants throughout the lifecyle of the development, production, sale, and discarding.
4. It shall actively support suppliers’ environmental management activities and establish and implement criteria necessary for an ecofriendly supply chain policy.
5. It shall comply with domestic and international environmental laws and conventions and establish and implement necessary policies to promote environmental management.
6. It shall protect bio-diversity and draft a policy to preserve the natural environment.
7. It shall disclose its environmental management performance to corporate members and takeholders per reasonable and objective criteria.
Main principles by environmental element
Water
Water recycling
Water Storage
Inspection of potable water
Pollutants
Air pollutants
Water pollutants
Soil contaminants
GHGs
Reduction of business sites
The Supply chain reduction
Reduction of products and services
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Materials
Raw and subsidiary materials
Efficiency use of raw and subsidiary materials
Re-use of production waste
Inspection on raw and subsidiary material production site
Waste product
Provision of waste product recovery information
Collection of waste products
Recycling of waste products
Energy
Energy conservation
Introduction of renewable energy
Operation of an Energy Management System
Waste
Tracking waste disposal
Improving waste recycling
Waste recycling
The local community
The local community
Scope
This environmental management policy applies to all Kia operations across the world, and companies and business units under its control.
- Supply chain
- Production and Business sites
- Distribution network
- Products and services
- Sales and marketing
- Recovery and Recycling
- M&A
- Others (new businesses and project investments, etc.)
Governance
As Kia embraces its identity as a "Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider," Kia is dedicated to converting all corporate activities to be environmentally friendly, contributing to the protection of the Earth's environment. Within its Board of Directors, the Sustainable Management Committee reviews and deliberates on revisions to environmental management policies, legal and regulatory compliance in environmental areas, and environmental management achievements. Additionally, through the ESG Committee, which includes participation from the Sustainable Management Committee and top management, Kia discusses environmental management risks, strategies for addressing them, and oversees overall activities aimed at improving environmental performance.
Organizational Structure
Sustainable Management Team
Take full charge of establishing ESG strategies
Responding to external evaluations
Disclosing data regarding sustainability
Carbon Neutral Strategy Team
Establish strategies for climate action and net-zero
Implement tasks to achieve RE100
Environment & Fire Protection Support Team
workplace environment management: water, Contaminants, etc.
Manufacturing Innovation Strategy Team
Managing sustainability of plants
Managing sustainability of plants
Regulation & Certification Team
Compliance with regulations on hazardous substances
Energy Management/Facilities Management Team
Manage and operate energy at business sites
Environmental Agenda Items Reported to the Board
Build an eco-friendly manufacturing environment, including a resource circulation system Mid- to Long-Term ESG Strategy System
Initiative to reinvest in infrastructurebased on the partnership with Ocean Cleanup
Restore biodiversity in tidal flatsPlan to undertake collaborative projects
Environmental Management Data
Kia’s entire operating system is undergoing an evolution in order for our vehicles to contribute as "Clean Mobility" on global environmental protection.
Furthermore, by 2025, we will have reduced direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) greenhouse gas emissions by 17.4 percent compared to 2016.
Greenhouse Gas and Energy Use
GHG Emissions(Scope 1&2)
2024
Unit : 1,000 tCO2-eq
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total emissions (Scope 1&2)¹ | 1,166.9 | 1,130.9 | 1,178.5 |
Direct emissions (Scope 1) | 379.9 | 354.0 | 386.3 |
Domestic | 266.0 | 244.6 | 238.6 |
Overseas | 113.9 | 109.3 | 147.7 |
Indirect emissions (Scope 2) | 787.0 | 776.9 | 792.2 |
Domestic | 467.3 | 454.4 | 471.2 |
Overseas | 319.6 | 322.6 | 321.0 |
* Since 2024, emissions from leased assets, which were previously classified under Scope 3 Category 8, have been included in Scope 1&2 calculations
GHG Emissions(Scope 3)
2024
Unit : 1,000 tCO2-eq
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total emissions (Scope 3) | 72,975.5 | 99,498.2 | 99,395.2 |
Purchased Goods and Services¹ | 13,736.3 | 17,176.3 | 18,437.9 |
Capital goods² | 2.5 | 1.9 | 112.3 |
Fuel-and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1&2³ | 99.3 | 185.8 | 208.7 |
Upstream transportation and distribution⁴ | - | 35.0 | 94.7 |
Waste generated in operations⁵ | 30.8 | 60.9 | 56.8 |
Business travel⁶ | 5.1 | 11.1 | 23.5 |
Employee commuting⁷ | 277.6 | 47.9 | 57.8 |
Upstream leased assets | - | 4.5 | - |
Downstream transportation and distribution⁸ | 1,153.6 | 1,311.6 | 1,188.5 |
Use of sold products⁹ | 57,390.0 | 79,327.6 | 77,804.5 |
End of life treatment of sold products¹⁰ | 189.0 | 1,199.1 | 1,267.6 |
Investments¹¹ | 91.3 | 136.4 | 142.8 |
1. Emission factors for key raw materials (e.g., steel, aluminum, plastic) are applied based on the global LCI database, including Scope 1&2 emissions from major domestic emitting partners
2. Emissions generated during the production of purchased capital goods (e.g., buildings, structures, machinery)
3. Upstream emissions of used energy (electricity, LNG, gasoline, diesel, etc.)
4. Emissions from the transportation and logistics of components
5. Emissions from waste processing at business sites
6. Emissions generated from transportation methods used for employee business trips
7. Emissions generated from transportation methods used during employee commuting
8. Emissions from the transportation and logistics of products (finished vehicles)
9. Use phase emissions generated after 200,000 km of driving (excluding Well-to-Tank emissions)
10. Emissions from recycling, incineration, and landfill processes
11. Emissions from domestic corporate entities with a 20-50% shareholding
Energy Consumption
Total energy consumption (general + renewable)
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total(MWh) | 3,794,359 | 3,637,639 | 3,869,712 |
Domestic(MWh) | 2,467,659 | 2,322,506 | 2,327,178 |
Overseas(MWh) | 1,326,700 | 1,315,133 | 1,542,534 |
Total(TJ) | 19,763 | 19,036 | 20,112 |
Domestic(TJ) | 14,987 | 14,301 | 14,559 |
Overseas(TJ) | 4,776 | 4,734 | 5,553 |
Kia is strengthening company-wide awareness and action on energy conservation by investing in energy-efficient facilities and providing energy efficiency training for employees.
Air Pollutants
Dust
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions(tons) | 71.6 | 65.6 | 82.4 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
SOx
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions(tons) | 6.1 | 19.9 | 9.2 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
NOx
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions(tons) | 155.2 | 127.5 | 110.5 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 3.3 | 2.7 | 1.7 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
THC/VOC
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
THC emissions per unit area(g/㎡) | 33.0 | 27.1 | 25.5 |
VOC emissions(ton) | 100.5 | 58.0 | 47.2 |
VOC emissions intensity(ton/KRW trillion) | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
Water Resource and Water Pollutants
Water
2024
Unit : ton
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total water intake | 7,006,517 | 6,343,388 | 6,516,768 |
Water intake from high water stress areas¹ | 1,633,092 | 1,421,762 | 0 |
Total water withdrawal | 4,737,786 | 4,645,326 | 4,776,932 |
Water withdrawal to high water stress areas¹ | 1,409,389 | 1,279,843 | 0 |
Total consumption | 2,268,731 | 1,698,062 | 1,739,836 |
Water consumption in high water stress areas¹ | 223,703 | 141,919 | 0 |
Amount of reuse | 324,827 | 269,342 | 284,129 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
1. 2022, 2023 : AutoLand Gwangmyeong, 2024 : AutoLand Gwangmyeong is excluded from water stress areas
※ Water stress refers to the ratio of water demand to available water resources. A higher value indicates a more acute water scarcity region.
It is a representative tool to identify water stress areas with reference to the Water Risk Atlas of the World Resources Institute (WRI).
COD
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions (tons) | 82.2 | 67.4 | 65.2 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
TOC
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions (tons) | 51.4 | 42.1 | 40.8 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
BOD
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions (tons) | 22.8 | 14.8 | 18.7 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
SS
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Emissions (tons) | 7.7 | 10.4 | 8.0 |
Emission intensity (tons/KRW trillion) | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
Raw and Subsidiary Materials / Waste
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total usage(ton) | 267,267.7 | 281,528.8 | 279,539.1 |
Intensity of ues(kg/unit) | 211.0 | 208.1 | 217.3 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
* Main raw materials(Iron, Thinner, Paint, Aluminum)
Waste generation
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total waste
generated(ton) | 199,933.7 | 231,938.1 | 208,417.8 |
General | 191,796.1 | 222,292.1 | 198,900.5 |
Designated | 8,137.6 | 9,646.0 | 9,517.3 |
Waste generation
intensity(ton/KRW
trillion) | 4,308.0 | 3,963.4 | 3,294.8 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
Waste recycling
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total waste recycled (ton) | 187,593.4 | 216,537.4 | 194,858.9 |
General waste recycled | 183,852.6 | 212,110.7 | 190,170.5 |
Designated waste recycled | 3,740.8 | 4,426.7 | 4,688.4 |
Total recycling ratio (%) | 93.8 | 93.4 | 93.5 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
Waste treatment
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Total waste treated (ton) | 12,340.2 | 15,400.7 | 13,558.9 |
General waste treated | 7,943.4 | 10,181.4 | 8,730.0 |
Designated waste treated | 4,396.7 | 5,219.4 | 4,828.9 |
* Data coverage : Domestic
Chemicals
2024
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
Chemical emissions intensity (ton/KRW trillion) | 57.6 | 36.2 | 27.0 |
Hazardous chemical emissions intensity (kg/unit) | - | - | - |
Environmental Training
| Education course | Subject to education | No. of employees educated | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Safety and Environment New employee Training | New hires and personnel related to the safety and environment team | 60 | 2024-03~05 | To ensure effective job performance in the safety and environment team |
Regular Safety and Health Training | All employees | 34,265 | 2024-09 | To raise awareness among employees about chemical safety management, including hazardous substances and MSDS |
Biodiversity
Kia acknowledges its dependence on natural ecosystems and takes measures to safeguard the environment by conducting risk analyses and undertaking conservation initiatives. Identifying risks of biodiversity degradation and loss within its operations helps Kia develop policies that preserve, restore, and enhance biodiversity in local communities. Kia actively manages a range of projects dedicated to the protection of natural capital. These initiatives include tidal flat restoration, The Ocean Cleanup partnership, and the biochar project. For biodiversity conservations, we expand green spaces in proportion to the building area of worksites, creating eco-friendly and relaxing working conditions.
Biodiversity Risk Assessment
Kia, recognizing the importance of biodiversity, conducts biodiversity risk assessment and strives to actively respond to biodiversity risks-related business impacts and dependence. In 2023, biodiversity risk assessment was conducted for regions where Kia's global business sites are located using WWF's Biodiversity Risk Filter (BRF). We analyzed the dependence and impact of biodiversity based on the region where the business site is located.According to the result of the assessment, the biodiversity-related reputational risks are low, but some of the physical risks were identified as vulnerable risks for areas where the Kia's production sites are located. It was confirmed that physical risks, such as the risk of Limited Wild Flora & Fauna Availability, although to some degree each areas have different exposure to the risk, is high. Kia will continue to monitor the biodiversity of its business sites and nearby areas, and promote various eco-friendly improvement activities to preserve biodiversity.