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Expanding Contribution to Agricultural and Fishing Villages by Recognizing Companies and Institutions with Outstanding Rural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Practice
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2026.09.21.
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Expanding Contribution to Agricultural and Fishing Villages by Recognizing Companies and Institutions with Outstanding Rural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Practice
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Hwang Jong-woo), Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA; Minister Song Mi-ryeong), Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE; Minister Kim Jeong-kwan), and Korea Foundation for Cooperation of Large & Small Business, Rural Affairs (KOFCA; Secretary General Byun Tae-seop) announced that they would be recruiting and selecting companies and institutions to be recognized for 2026 under the Rural ESG Practice Scheme to identify and recognize outstanding companies and institutions that have contributed to rural communities and agriculture and fisheries through ESG activities such as cooperation and social contribution in rural communities.
The Rural ESG Practice System recognizes excellent companies and institutions by comprehensively evaluating their collaboration, social contributions, and ESG activities in rural areas. The number of recognized companies and institutions has steadily increased every year* since its introduction in 2022.
* Number of enterprises recognized for outstanding rural ESG practice: (2022) 23 enterprises (4 private and 19 public) → (2023) 41 enterprises (10 private and 31 public) → (2024) 52 enterprises (13 private and 39 public) → (2025) 68 enterprises (17 private and 51 public)
Starting this year, the evaluation system has been revamped to assess more accurately the actual extent to which the ESG activities of companies and institutions have contributed to rural communities and agriculture and fisheries. The existing Environmental, Social, and Governance indicators were integrated from 33 to 30, and the activity status indicators that evaluate only the presence or absence of activities were reduced from 15 to 5 to reflect actual activity levels and performance in the evaluation better. The plan is to recognize companies and institutions garnering 80 points or more out of a maximum of 110 points.
* Example of indicator integration: “Management of hazardous environmental substance emissions” and “Energy use and emission reduction activities” → Integrated into “Environmental improvement efforts through hazardous environmental substances and energy management and reduction activities”
In addition, the scheme supports ongoing ESG activities in rural and fishing communities through follow-up support such as diagnostic consulting and identification and rewarding of best practices.
For recognized companies and institutions, various benefits are provided including awarding of a recognition plaque, commendations such as ministerial citations from MOF, MAFRA, and MOTIE, preferential treatment in the Win-Win Growth Index evaluation, preferential limits and interest rates for policy funding, support for comprehensive ESG consulting linked to rural and fishing communities, discovery of best practices, and media promotion.
With MOTIE newly joining this year, the three ministries including MOF and MAFRA will jointly recognize excellent companies and institutions. Through the Rural ESG Practice Scheme, the three ministries plan to publicize widely the activities of outstanding companies and institutions that add vitality to rural communities and agriculture and fisheries, and to support cooperation in rural communities actively.
Companies and organizations wishing to participate in the Rural ESG Practice Scheme can submit an application to KOFCA from September 18 to October 12. More details on the scheme are available in the announcements section of the Agricultural and Fishing Villages Collaborative Cooperation Fund website (www.winwinfund.or.kr).
“I hope the Rural ESG Practice Scheme will help corporate and institutional ESG activities contribute to the sustainable development of rural and fishing communities and agriculture and fisheries, while also helping address local challenges. We will continue to identify and share best practices and encourage active private-sector participation so that companies and institutions can grow together with rural and fishing communities,” said Jeon Han-young, Director General of Rural Policy at MAFRA.
“With MOTIE joining the Rural ESG Practice Scheme this year, we will work to further expand corporate ESG management and mutually beneficial cooperation with rural communities. We will strengthen cooperation with relevant ministries and actively support corporate participation so that the industry’s diverse ESG activities contribute to the sustainable development of rural communities,” said Park Geun-oh, Director General of Trade Agreement Policy at MOTIE.
“Rural and fishing communities are where our people live and an important foundation of local economies. I hope the Rural ESG Practice Scheme will serve as a bridge between corporate ESG activities and the sustainable development of rural and fishing communities, leading to more examples of mutually beneficial cooperation that provide tangible benefits to these communities,” said Yang Young-jin, Director General of Fisheries Policy at MOF.
- Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, and Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy jointly recognize outstanding companies and institutions in rural ESG practices
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Hwang Jong-woo), Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA; Minister Song Mi-ryeong), Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE; Minister Kim Jeong-kwan), and Korea Foundation for Cooperation of Large & Small Business, Rural Affairs (KOFCA; Secretary General Byun Tae-seop) announced that they would be recruiting and selecting companies and institutions to be recognized for 2026 under the Rural ESG Practice Scheme to identify and recognize outstanding companies and institutions that have contributed to rural communities and agriculture and fisheries through ESG activities such as cooperation and social contribution in rural communities.
The Rural ESG Practice System recognizes excellent companies and institutions by comprehensively evaluating their collaboration, social contributions, and ESG activities in rural areas. The number of recognized companies and institutions has steadily increased every year* since its introduction in 2022.
* Number of enterprises recognized for outstanding rural ESG practice: (2022) 23 enterprises (4 private and 19 public) → (2023) 41 enterprises (10 private and 31 public) → (2024) 52 enterprises (13 private and 39 public) → (2025) 68 enterprises (17 private and 51 public)
Starting this year, the evaluation system has been revamped to assess more accurately the actual extent to which the ESG activities of companies and institutions have contributed to rural communities and agriculture and fisheries. The existing Environmental, Social, and Governance indicators were integrated from 33 to 30, and the activity status indicators that evaluate only the presence or absence of activities were reduced from 15 to 5 to reflect actual activity levels and performance in the evaluation better. The plan is to recognize companies and institutions garnering 80 points or more out of a maximum of 110 points.
* Example of indicator integration: “Management of hazardous environmental substance emissions” and “Energy use and emission reduction activities” → Integrated into “Environmental improvement efforts through hazardous environmental substances and energy management and reduction activities”
In addition, the scheme supports ongoing ESG activities in rural and fishing communities through follow-up support such as diagnostic consulting and identification and rewarding of best practices.
For recognized companies and institutions, various benefits are provided including awarding of a recognition plaque, commendations such as ministerial citations from MOF, MAFRA, and MOTIE, preferential treatment in the Win-Win Growth Index evaluation, preferential limits and interest rates for policy funding, support for comprehensive ESG consulting linked to rural and fishing communities, discovery of best practices, and media promotion.
With MOTIE newly joining this year, the three ministries including MOF and MAFRA will jointly recognize excellent companies and institutions. Through the Rural ESG Practice Scheme, the three ministries plan to publicize widely the activities of outstanding companies and institutions that add vitality to rural communities and agriculture and fisheries, and to support cooperation in rural communities actively.
Companies and organizations wishing to participate in the Rural ESG Practice Scheme can submit an application to KOFCA from September 18 to October 12. More details on the scheme are available in the announcements section of the Agricultural and Fishing Villages Collaborative Cooperation Fund website (www.winwinfund.or.kr).
“I hope the Rural ESG Practice Scheme will help corporate and institutional ESG activities contribute to the sustainable development of rural and fishing communities and agriculture and fisheries, while also helping address local challenges. We will continue to identify and share best practices and encourage active private-sector participation so that companies and institutions can grow together with rural and fishing communities,” said Jeon Han-young, Director General of Rural Policy at MAFRA.
“With MOTIE joining the Rural ESG Practice Scheme this year, we will work to further expand corporate ESG management and mutually beneficial cooperation with rural communities. We will strengthen cooperation with relevant ministries and actively support corporate participation so that the industry’s diverse ESG activities contribute to the sustainable development of rural communities,” said Park Geun-oh, Director General of Trade Agreement Policy at MOTIE.
“Rural and fishing communities are where our people live and an important foundation of local economies. I hope the Rural ESG Practice Scheme will serve as a bridge between corporate ESG activities and the sustainable development of rural and fishing communities, leading to more examples of mutually beneficial cooperation that provide tangible benefits to these communities,” said Yang Young-jin, Director General of Fisheries Policy at MOF.
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