As the first ESG-integrated advisory firm in Korea, Jipyong provides comprehensive advisory and consulting services on Environmental, Social, and Governance matters through a team of attorneys, consultants, and expert advisors.
Jipyong first established its Human Rights Management Team in 2019 and integrated it with the existing Environment and Compliance Teams in 2020 to establish the ESG Center. Since 2021, the ESG Center has established an organic, collaborative working system by recruiting ESG consultants, human rights management advisors, and trade regulation experts to work with its attorneys. Furthermore, we have entered business agreements with global institutions such as BSR, RBA, and WBA, which have been leading ESG and Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) in the international community. Through these partnerships, the Center supports domestic companies in advancing their sustainable management practices.
The ESG Center is jointly led by attorney Sung Taek Lim, a former member (non-standing) of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea Commission of Korea, and attorney Chang Wook Min, who focuses on ESG/Compliance. Our team includes Hee Jung Shim, a former Secretary General of the Legal Compliance Monitoring Committee of Samsung; Ji Hye Lee, an expert in environmental due diligence and overseas regulatory advisory; Kwang Wui Kim, a director and former expert in ESG strategy and disclosure at Deloitte; Hyun Chan Jung, a senior advisor who served at the UN Headquarters and currently serves on various public institutions’ human rights management committees; Kyoung Bae Kwon, a former senior advisor and former senior examiner and senior instructor at DNV with over 30 years of experience in safety, environmental, and quality diagnostics and audits; and other consultants with extensive experience in ESG consulting.
The ESG Center has successfully advised numerous domestic companies on human rights and environmental due diligence, ESG strategy, disclosure, and assessment, compliance and corporate ethics, supply chain risk management, and responses to ESG- and trade-related regulations in the EU and the United States. Going forward, the ESG Center will continue to support domestic companies in achieving sustainable growth and responsible management through integrated ESG advisory services.
Key Practice Areas Close
- Enactment and amendment of the Code of Conduct and verification of its implementation (including guarantee of contracts)
- Establishment of ESG policy and climate transition plan
- Establishment of Human Rights Management Declaration and policies/procedures/methodologies
- Preparation of DE&I policy and corporate culture improvement strategy
- Preparation of responsible procurement policy for supply chain and strategy for improving purchasing practices
- Implementation of human rights and environmental due diligence in accordance with international standards (UNGPs, OECD) and due diligence laws (CS3D, LkSG)
- Implementation of checklists/SAQ assessments, in-depth interviews (e.g. FGI), and working environment inspections
- Due diligence for corporate facilities and domestic/international subsidiaries, including group-level due diligence
- Supply chain due diligence for companies including raw material suppliers, purchasing suppliers, in-house partners, and downstream companies
- Community due diligence, including local resident impact assessments and Indigenous Peoples’ FPIC
- Assistance in responding to due diligence/supply chain management assessments such as CHRB and KTC
- Documentation of due diligence findings and change management using DD solutions
- Operation of external grievance handling channels via communication hotline(webpage)
- Consultation and response to incidents involving human rights and environmental violations
- Effectiveness assessments of grievance handling procedures in accordance with international standards (UNGPs)
- Assessment of ESG management level and business strategy development
- In-depth analysis and benchmarking pertaining to sustainability management issues
- Advisory on global strategy and management in accordance with industry and regulatory policies
- Establishment of ESG management data management systems and IT system integration
- Assistance in responding to the European Union Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD/ESRS), conducting a double materiality assessment
- Responding to domestic and international greenwashing regulations and risk assessment, including support for guidelines/education
- Assistance in financial reporting, including TCFD, TNFC, TISFD
- Responding to domestic and international ESG rating agencies, such as MSCI, S&P CSA (DJSI), EcoVadis, CDP, and KCGS.
- Establishment of carbon neutrality strategies (SBTi) and implementation management
- Responses to emissions trading schemes, measurement of Scope 1-3 emissions, support for product carbon footprint (PCF, OCF) calculation
- Evaluation of climate change scenarios and transition/physical risks and opportunities
- Establishment of biodiversity strategy and analysis of nature-related dependencies/impacts/risks/opportunities (TNFD- and SBTN-based)
- Advisory on and verification of corporate sustainability management reports
- Preparation and support for human rights management reports in accordance with the UNGPRF
- Support for the engagement and communication with stakeholders, such as local communities and vulnerable groups
- Establishment of corporate and corporate group-level compliance monitoring policies/procedures/systems
- Diagnosis/establishment/enhancement of compliance systems applying international standards (ECCP, COSO)
- Support for the establishment and implementation of fair-trade compliance programs (CP)
- Effectiveness evaluation of compliance control standards
- Assessment and maintenance of the company's internal regulations framework, including the establishment of regulations hierarchy, revision of procedures for enactment and amendment of internal regulations
- Review and improvement of internal regulations for compliance with domestic and international laws
- Support for integrated operation of internal regulations and corporate compliance/risk management systems
- Advisory on internal regulations management applying the standards of the Ministry of Government Legislation
- Development of corporate anti-corruption and ethical management policies
- Assessment of corporate ethics levels applying international standards (TI, WB), with comparative analysis: of the domestic and international business operations
- Identification of detailed ethical management risks and assistance in improving organizational culture원
- Responses to trade- and ESG-linked due diligence sanctions, including those under the EUBR (Battery Regulation), EUDR (Deforestation Regulation), and EUFLR (Forced Labor Regulation)
- Responses to trade regulations on product environmental impact and life cycle assessment (LCA), including CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), ESPR (Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation), and PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation)
- Responses to the EU’s Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) policy and related legislation
- Advisory on business trade risk management and response strategies
- Advisory on UFLPA (Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act) compliance and supply chain forced labor risk management
- Interpretation of and responses to tariff policies
Due Diligence & Responsible Business
We conduct human rights and environmental due diligence in compliance with global Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) standards and advise on establishing supporting corporate policies and operating grievance and remedy procedures.
[Establishment of ESG / Human Rights Management Policy]
[Company/Subsidiary/Supply Chain Due Diligence]
[Operation of Grievance Handling Procedures]
Strategy & Communication
We advise on the development of corporate ESG management strategies, responses to global sustainability disclosures and assessments, and effective shareholder communication to enhance corporate value.
[ESG Management Assessment and Strategy Development]
[Global ESG Disclosure and Evaluation Responses]
[Establishment of Climate Change/Biodiversity Strategy and Calculation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions]
[Support for Sustainability Management Reports and Communication Strategies]
Compliance & Ethics
We support the effective establishment and operation of corporate compliance systems and advise on refining internal regulations and improving corporate culture.
[Compliance System Design, Enhancement, and Effectiveness Assessment]
[Maintenance of Corporate Internal Regulations Framework]
[Corporate Ethics Assessment and Organizational Culture Improvement]
ESG & Trade Regulatory Advice
We respond to ESG and trade regulations in the EU and the U.S., managing labor, human rights, and environmental risks within the supply chain.
[EU Trade Regulations]
[U.S. Trade Regulations]
