SK hynix plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of SK hynix
By Nam Hyun-woo
SK hynix was selected as one of the most ethical companies in the world in a global evaluation of ethical business practices, marking the first time a Korean semiconductor company has received this recognition, the firm said Wednesday.
According to the memory chip giant, it made Ethisphere’s 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies list, recognized as one of 136 companies and organizations in this year’s evaluation.
Ethisphere, a U.S.-based organization dedicated to defining and evaluating the standards of ethical business practices, has published the World’s Most Ethical Companies list since 2007, based on its own standard, the Ethics Quotient.
This year’s honorees span 19 countries and 44 industries, including 11 first-timers. In the semiconductor industry, four companies, including SK hynix, were designated.
SK hynix said in a statement that it has been setting its own ethical management goals and implementing them for years, and such efforts have been recognized globally.
“We will contribute to enhancing the company's and our customers' corporate value based on our globally recognized and trustworthy ethical management system,” an SK hynix official said.
SK hynix said it is fostering a corporate culture that encourages employees to improve ethical practices through annual programs such as an ethical practice survey. Since 2023, the company has implemented a program that shares ethical management systems and experiences with partner companies, in a bid to establish a collaborative ethical management ecosystem.
“I would like to express my appreciation to SK hynix team members for their efforts to make the company’s ethical management principles recognized in the global market,” SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung said.
“Going forward, we will continue to meet the trust given to us by stakeholders and strive to fulfill our ethical responsibilities as a leading artificial intelligence memory company.”
The company was also recognized as the world’s fourth-largest semiconductor firm in brand value in a separate report by brand consultancy firm Brand Finance. Brand Finance said SK hynix has maintained its position for four consecutive years, with its brand value growing 37 percent from a year earlier to $13.7 billion.