Kolmar BNH (KRX: 200130), a leading Korean health functional food Original Development Manufacturing (ODM) firm, is at the forefront of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management through eco-conscious research and development (R&D).
The company is dedicated to investing in eco-friendly products using green technologies, as well as fostering a virtuous cycle of resources through upcycling. Notably, Kolmar BNH is working towards carbon neutrality by applying eco-friendly technologies to its flagship health supplement, HemoHIM, while also making social contributions through the dissemination of cultivation technologies.
The company is committed to sustainable research and development, investing over 2% of its annual sales to R&D efforts. It has also expedited its eco-friendly research by dedicating more than 30% of its workforce to R&D. In recognition of these efforts, Kolmar BNH became the first company in Korea’s health functional food industry to earn the ‘Green Technology Certification’ and ‘Green Technology Product Certification’ for two consecutive times. These certifications, granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, recognize technologies that promote efficient energy use and resource conservation.
HemoHIM is a health functional food that enhances immune function and has earned certification as a green technology product. Kolmar BNH has upgraded the alcohol (ethanol) recovery system to extract key ingredients from domestic natural products such as angelica gigas, cnidium officinale, and paeonia japonica, earning certification as an eco-friendly technology. This advanced system reduces carbon emissions by over 94% by recovering and reusing ethanol in the production of HemoHIM or repurposing it for other products.
Kolmar BNH further operates a smart farm to ensure the stable supply for raw materials for HemoHIM and to achieve sustainable R&D. The farm employs a hydroponic cultivation method, dissolving nutrients in water to grow natural crops in an environmentally friendly manner.
Kolmar BNH’s smart farm-developed cultivation technology is also fostering coexistence with the local community. The company is enhancing farm competitiveness by developing mass production technology of virus-free plants and distributing the technology to neighboring farms.
These comprehensive ESG activities have earned Kolmar BNH an integrated A grade in the 2024 ESG Rating Evaluation conducted by the Korea Institute of Corporate Governance and Sustainability (KCGS). This distinction is unparalleled in Korea’s health functional food ODM sector. KCGS annually assesses the sustainable management practices of listed companies across the environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) domains.
Kolmar BNH has also achieved remarkable success in the social and governance sectors. It has fortified workplace safety by maintaining ISO 45001 certification for its occupational health and safety management systems across all manufacturing facilities. Furthermore, the company has demonstrated a commitment to a secure work environment, recording ‘zero’ serious accidents for three consecutive years. In governance, Kolmar BNH has consolidated a transparent management framework by integrating the anti-corruption management system (ISO 37001) and the compliance management system (ISO 37301).
A Kolmar BNH official said, “Developing eco-friendly technologies is an essential mandate for ODM companies. We will continue to expand our R&D-centered ESG management and make comprehensive efforts to establish ourselves as a sustainable global health food company.”
