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Busan Metropolitan City’s “Our Neighborhood ESG Center” Wins Prestigious International Environmental Award for Second Consecutive Year!

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that its “Our Neighborhood Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Center” initiative, a flagship eco-friendly policy combining circular resource use with job creation for senior citizens, has been selected as a winner of the 2026 International Green Apple Environment Awards.

The Green Apple Environment Awards are internationally renowned environmental awards organized by The Green Organisation, a nonprofit organization founded in the United Kingdom in 1994. The awards recognize exemplary initiatives that contribute to environmental improvement and sustainable development.

This year, more than 700 entries were submitted from around the world. Busan’s “Our Neighborhood ESG Center” initiative was selected as a final winner in recognition of its distinctive policy model and sustainability.

This marks the initiative’s second international environmental award following its Silver Award at the 2025 Green World Awards last year, making the achievement particularly significant as Busan’s eco-friendly circular model has received international recognition in the environmental field for two consecutive years.

In 2025, the initiative received the Silver Award in recognition of the creativity of its initial program and achievements in resource collection, carbon reduction and job creation for senior citizens. In 2026, it was once again selected as a winner based on the continued expansion of the initiative and its operational achievements.

The final award level will be confirmed and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 23 at the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster in London, United Kingdom.

The “Our Neighborhood ESG Center” has been highly regarded for establishing an eco-friendly circular system in which local senior citizens collect, dismantle and recycle plastic bottles and other materials, while also revitalizing local communities and creating a sustainable model for environmental protection.

The initiative operates in a variety of ways. Senior employment program participants collect, crush and recycle plastic bottles and other materials, while senior environmental docents provide children with environmental education and hands-on programs. Upcycled products, including LED lighting and safety handrails, are also provided to vulnerable households, while a portion of sales proceeds is allocated to a fund supporting jobs for senior citizens, thereby advancing environmental protection and social value at the same time.

In particular, the initiative has attracted interest from other local governments and overseas organizations as a model to benchmark because it has established a resource-circulation system while presenting a sustainable model for eco-friendly employment for senior citizens.

The City’s award-winning “Our Neighborhood ESG Center” initiative will also be featured in The Green Book, published by the award organizer, and shared as a best practice with public institutions, governments and companies around the world.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “It is especially meaningful that Busan’s eco-friendly policy, which is integrated with employment opportunities for senior citizens, has received strong recognition from the international community and resulted in awards for two consecutive years.”

He added, “We will continue to expand outstanding Busan policies such as the ‘Our Neighborhood ESG Center,’ which improve citizens’ quality of life while protecting the environment, and actively share them with the international community. Through these efforts, we will further strengthen Busan’s standing as a leading city at the center of future transformation.”