By Minjeong Seo, Student Reporter (SNSJTV / Daily Union)| As South Korean companies stall on ESG progress, students at SALT International School are taking matters into their own hands.

ESG has become a fixture in corporate boardrooms, yet the gap between promises and practice continues to wide— especially in South Korea. But while corporations hesitate, A group of teenagers calling themselves ACTizens is proving that real change doesn’t always require big budgets or corporate mandates. Through hands-on projects, they are turning ESG from a buzzword into a daily routine.

This article takes a two-part look at Korea’s ESG landscape:
First, the systemic issues are holding back corporate ESG efforts.
Second, how teenagers are stepping in — not to criticize, but to act.

Empty Promises Behind South Korea’s ESG

As climate change accelerates and inequality grows, ESG is increasingly seen as vital for corporate survival. Yet South Korea continues to lag behind advanced economies in both ESG investment and outcomes. Among the three pillars, governance is the weakest, often cited as a cause of the “Korea discount” that suppresses company valuations.

Greenwashing has only depend the problem. Many firms stage superficial campaigns to polish their image, eroding public trust and raising doubts about genuine corporate commitments.

Despite bold pledges to cut carbon emissions, industry still produces nearly 30% of national greenhouse gases. Critics argue that meaningful reductions remain rare. On the social side, workplace fatalities remain among the highest in the OECD, and Korea’s gender pay gap is nearly double the OECD average. Corporate governance is equally fraught, with opaque, family-run conglomerates and tangled cross-shareholding structures that discourage accountability.

Youth Initiative Puts ESG into Practice

Against this backdrop, ACTizens was founded in April 2025 their conviction ESG is not the preserve of corporations but a responsibility everyone shares. 

Their approach has been simple but powerful - start small, act steadily. The team launched a Zero Food Waste Challenge, gamifying the effort to reduce food waste and publishing a report on their results. 

They also joined forces with Mongolian Student to design anti-bullying campaigns, produced a video to make fire drills more engaging, and conducted surveys during their school’s Family Day festival to propose governance improvements.

Offering a Practical ESG Guide

While corporations spend heavily on ESG with restructuring, the projects are often delayed by high costs and immediate profit. ACTizens responded with a different message, casting change can come from small, low-cost actions. 

The team creates an ESG Action Guidebook outlining steps companies can adopt immediately. Such as community food waste initiatives, safety training sessions, and employee satisfaction surveys. Their argument is simple:  consistent small actions, when accumulated, can shape workplace culture and wider society.

“An Unfinished Journey”

The students emphasize that their work is far from over. They describe setbacks as opportunities that led to stronger outcomes, say the challenges of ESG have built resilience rather than discouragement. They now plan to share their experience directly with companies and explore possibilities new collaboration.

Minjeong Seo, a 17-year-old member of the group, explained their philosophy, saying ESG is not optional but essential, and that both companies and individuals must act now. For ACTizens, ESG is not a corporate slogan but a daily practice - and they believe their small act can inspire others to act before it’s too late. While korean’s conglomerates remain tangled in promises and reports, teenagers like Minjeong are showing what ESG looks like in procedure - resilient, concrete, and human.