Applied Materials Korea said on the 22nd that it won both the top prize in the ESG category and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister's Award at the 2025 K-ESG Management Awards.
The K-ESG Management Awards, sponsored by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Environment, and the Fair Trade Commission, are given to corporations that practice exemplary ESG (environment, society, governance) management and contribute to spreading a culture of sustainable management. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister's Award, newly established this year, is given to corporations that have achieved outstanding results in the international spread of ESG management and global cooperation, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly selecting the winners. Applied won in two institutional sectors simultaneously.
Since 2020, Applied Korea has been working with the Korea Green Foundation to run the citizen-participation environmental program "Guardians of Our Rivers," continuing efforts to protect the environment in Korea. Together with about 50,000 citizens, it has carried out a variety of activities in managed rivers—making and throwing EM (effective microorganisms) mud balls, planting water-purifying plants, and eradicating ecosystem-disrupting plants—contributing to improvements in river water quality.
It also continues to support education programs and talent development for future generations. It has sponsored the "Science Class with Applied" with the ChildFund Korea for five consecutive years and the "Traditional Culture Class with Applied" for two consecutive years. In addition, since 2012, it has participated every year in the "Semiconductor Scholarship Certificate Award Ceremony" hosted by the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, delivering scholarships to help young people grow into key talents for the future.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister's Award recognizes Applied's sustainable management leadership through its achievements in international cooperation. Based on its "Net Zero 2040 Playbook," a joint cooperation plan to reduce carbon emissions for itself and the semiconductor industry, Applied has achieved significant results in reducing its own carbon footprint and enhancing transparency in sustainability reporting. It achieved a 73% renewable electricity usage rate across its global business sites and has reduced Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 6 million tons since 2022.