Busan's Our Neighborhood ESG Center Wins International Environmental Award for Second Consecutive Year

[Financial News] Busan Metropolitan City Government announced on the 23rd that its project to establish the Our Neighborhood ESG Center, which combines resource circulation with job creation for older adults, has been selected as a winning entry in the 2026 Green Apple Environment Awards.
The Green Apple Environment Awards is a prestigious global environmental award organized by The Green Organisation, a British nonprofit established in 1994. It recognizes outstanding examples that contribute to environmental improvement and sustainable development.
This year, with more than 700 entries submitted from around the world, Busan's Our Neighborhood ESG Center project was selected as a final winner in recognition of its distinctive policy model and sustainability.
This marks the project's second international environmental award, following its receipt of a Silver Award at the 2025 Green World Awards. The city explained that the recognition is significant because Busan's eco-friendly resource circulation model has delivered results in the international environmental sector for two consecutive years.
The Our Neighborhood ESG Center earned high marks for establishing an eco-friendly resource circulation system that uses senior workers to collect, dismantle, and recycle PET bottles and other materials, while also revitalizing local communities and creating a sustainable environmental protection model.
The center operates through a range of activities. Participants in its senior employment program collect, crush, and recycle PET bottles and other materials, while senior environmental docents provide environmental education and hands-on programs for children. The center also supplies upcycled products, such as LED lighting and safety handles, to households belonging to vulnerable groups. In addition, part of the sales revenue is set aside for a senior employment fund, allowing the center to pursue environmental protection and social value at the same time.
By establishing this resource circulation system and presenting a sustainable, eco-friendly employment model for older adults, the project has become a benchmark for other local governments and overseas organizations.
With this award, the Our Neighborhood ESG Center project will also be included in the Green Book published by the organizing body and shared as an exemplary case with public institutions, governments, and companies around the world.
Meanwhile, the final award category and the ceremony are scheduled to be confirmed and held on November 23 at the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster in London, United Kingdom.

[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter