In 2023, international speakers were invited to a forum highlighting the importance of social value measurement.(Photo by Milly)  In the previous post, I talked about why social economy organizations in Korea — such as social enterprises, cooperatives, village enterprises, self-support enterprises, and social ventures — need to measure their impact. In this post, I’ll look at how these organizations are actually measuring the impact they create.   Korea’s representative approaches to impact measurement include the Social Value Index (SVI) and the Social Progress Credit (SPC) .   👀Social Value Index (SVI)   One of the government-led methods for measuring impact is the Social Value Index (SVI). The Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, a public institution, has developed this index to assess the impact created by various social economy organizations.   In 2023, the Korean government officially announced the introduction of the SVI system. The...

The scattered plastic waste emphasizes the urgent need for systematic changes in environmental and climate policies.(Photo by Milly)  On June 3, 2025, Lee Jae-myung was elected as the 21st President of South Korea. Throughout his campaign, he laid out a wide range of pledges to actively respond to the climate crisis. If implemented during his term, these policies could mark a major turning point in South Korea’s climate strategy. Unlike conventional approaches that focus on individual actions like recycling or reducing waste, President Lee's climate policies emphasize structural transformation—linking industry, economy, and governance. Here's an overview of some of his key climate commitments. Transitioning Industries for Carbon Neutrality President Lee has promised to strengthen the institutional foundation to meet South Korea’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets, and to prepare a science-based roadmap for 2035 and beyond. One notable proposal is to evaluate carbon reductio...

 As Korea’s social economy has grown rapidly, its role in broader society has also expanded. This article explores how social economy enterprises have been established under government-led policies and what recent developments are shaping the sector. 1. Government Support as a Foundation for Rapid Growth In Korea, government-led policies enabled the swift establishment of social economy organizations. Financial and institutional support for sustainable startups helped various organizations minimize risks and successfully pursue their social missions. This support became a solid foundation for the rapid expansion of social economy enterprises. One of the key systems is government certification for organizations that meet certain standards. Regardless of size, businesses such as social enterprises, cooperatives, community enterprises, self-sufficiency enterprises, and social ventures can be officially recognized as “social economy enterprises.” This certification provided a level of ...