Hana Financial Group and Kakao Bank both announced on the 9th of this month that they have been awarded the highest grade of ‘AAA’ in the 2025 ESG evaluation by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), a leading global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) rating agency.
MSCI’s ESG evaluation assesses the ESG management levels of approximately 8,500 publicly listed companies worldwide, assigning ratings on a scale from AAA to CCC.
As of the end of October this year, Hana Financial Group secured the top position among domestic financial institutions for the second consecutive year. Out of 576 companies evaluated in the banking industry, the group earned the highest ‘AAA’ rating, maintaining the same score as last year. Hana Financial Group received particularly high marks in the governance sector, with notable achievements in areas such as:
- Strengthening board independence and transparency
- Enhancing employee welfare and organisational culture
- Practicing ethical management
- Promoting consumer-centric management
- Managing climate-related risks
Meanwhile, Kakao Bank also received the coveted ‘AAA’ grade in this evaluation, marking a significant improvement from its previous rating of ‘AA’ in February, just eight months ago. Kakao Bank’s rating has surged from ‘BBB’ in its initial evaluation in October 2021 to the top ‘AAA’ rating in just four years. Kakao Bank is the only internet bank in South Korea to receive an MSCI ESG rating.
Kakao Bank attributed its top rating to its strong performance in areas such as personal information protection, financial consumer protection, and corporate governance. A Kakao Bank official commented, “Following the upgrade of our sustainable management system, we have achieved the highest grade in this evaluation. We remain committed to responsible management across the environment, society, and governance.