Case study: How iM Financial Group identifies and works on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts

Stakeholder identification and consultation

Please describe which stakeholders (or groups/ types of stakeholders) you have identified, consulted, engaged, collaborated or partnered with for the purpose of implementing the Principles and improving your bank’s impacts. This should include a high-level overview of how your bank has identified relevant stakeholders, what issues were addressed/results achieved and how they fed into the action planning process.

[Communication Channels]

iM Financial Group employs a diverse range of communication channels tailored to the specific characteristics and needs of each stakeholder group. These channels enable the Group to identify key concerns and gather feedback, which are then incorporated into its ESG management strategies.

• Customers: Customer satisfaction surveys, Customer Service Center, Customer panels
• Employees: Labor-management meetings and councils, Employee satisfaction surveys, Interviews
• Shareholders and Investors: General shareholder meetings, Investor Relations (IR) activities, Corporate disclosures
• Business Partners: Materiality assessment surveys
• Local Communities and NGOs: Operation of the iM Social Contribution Foundation, Disclosure of the iM Bank’s Social Contribution Activity Report
• Government, Local Authorities, and Related Institutions: Participation in national projects, attendance at public hearings and councils

[Community Engagement]

iM Financial Group actively promotes various external collaboration initiatives to enhance ESG management within local communities. In February 2025, the Group signed a “Public–Private Partnership Agreement for Carbon-Neutral Green Growth Leadership” during a joint ceremony with the Daegu–Gyeongbuk Regional Headquarters of Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH).

A total of 16 organizations participating in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk ESG Council—which has been operated by iM Financial Group and LH since 2022—joined the agreement. This group includes 10 public institutions, 5 private companies, and 1 university.

The main goal of the partnership is to promote employee engagement in the three core areas of the Carbon Neutral Points System: energy, transportation, and green lifestyle practices.

Furthermore, through collaboration with participating organizations, iM Financial Group aims to undertake a variety of initiatives supporting carbon neutrality. These include information sharing and training programs, the production and use of eco-friendly energy at business locations, joint campaigns, the expansion of green finance, and the monitoring and management of greenhouse gas emissions.

How did iM Financial Group identify and work on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts?

In its 2025 PRB Responsible Banking Progress Statement iM Financial Group reports that it identified and worked on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts as follows:

As of the end of 2024, iM Financial Group’s ESG-related corporate lending reached approximately KRW 1.77 trillion, representing 4.89% of its total corporate loan portfolio. ESG household lending amounted to around KRW 1.37 trillion, accounting for 5.74% of its overall household loans. Examples of ESG lending products include:

(1) Preferential Green Loans for Environmentally Responsible Companies

iM Bank continues to expand customized financial support for companies involved in carbon neutrality, energy efficiency projects, and renewable energy initiatives. In February 2025, the bank signed a business agreement with the Korea Technology Finance Corporation to offer benefits such as reduced guarantee fees, higher guarantee limits and ratios, and simplified eligibility assessments for borrowers of the “K-Taxonomy Linked Support Loan” and “Carbon Neutrality Management Support Loan.” Additionally, the bank entered into an agreement with the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund to strengthen its green loan classification framework. As a result, by the end of 2024, iM Bank had achieved a total of KRW 198.3 billion in green lending, including KRW 700 million under the K-Taxonomy Linked Support Loan, KRW 700 million under the Carbon Neutrality Management Support Loan, and KRW 196.9 billion under the ESG Grow-Up Special Loan.

(2) Inclusive Finance Loan Products

iM Financial Group provides inclusive finance products designed to promote fair access to financial services for a diverse range of groups, including microbusiness owners, SMEs, low-income individuals, residents in underserved areas, women, youth, seniors, foreigners, and persons with disabilities. Through offerings such as the “New Hope Loan” and “Sunshine Bank Loan,” iM Bank has extended a total of KRW 662.9 billion in support to financially vulnerable customers, easing their financial burdens by reducing interest rates and waiving early-repayment fees. In the corporate lending sector, the bank also assists SMEs and microbusinesses by alleviating financial constraints through initiatives like the “Low-interest Facility Loan Conversion” and “Special Loans for Small Businesses,” ensuring they maintain stable access to funding.

The progress of the K-Taxonomy implementation is as follows. In 2022, iM Financial Group entered into a business agreement with the Financial Supervisory Service, and in 2023, jointly developed a practical application system for the Korean Green Taxonomy. Utilizing this system, iM Bank commenced green loan screenings in April 2024 through its internally developed platform, while also overseeing the classification of general loan products. The screening outcomes are systematically documented and analysed via a control process that supports digital registration and document scanning, facilitating the development of green finance products and the provision of related services. Additionally, this system has laid a foundation for responding to future green finance policies issued by financial authorities.

UN Principles for Responsible Banking: Accelerating a positive global transition for people and the planet

With over 300 signatory banks representing almost half of the global banking industry, the Principles for Responsible Banking are the world’s foremost sustainable banking framework. Through these Principles, the banking community takes action to align core strategies, decision-making, lending and investment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and international agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement.

FBRH Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) Assurance:

First class PRB assurance services: The result of solid, hands-on ESG/ Sustainability experience

• • • FBRH is a GRI Certified Training Partner (Global), ISEP Training Centre and a member of CPD.
    • FBRH builds trust. Over 200 reviews from top professionals from around the world demonstrate our ability to build strong, trusting business relationships.
    • FBRH possesses a unique skill set that combines ESG/sustainability certified training, experience in advisory services and report preparation, and ESG/sustainability report assurance.

The combination of all the above empowers FBRH to provide first class Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) assurance services.

References:

This case study is based on published information by iM Financial Group, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.imfngroup.com/em040201.fg?putup_writ_seq=4163

Note to iM Financial Group: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.