[News Space=Reporter seungwon lee]

SEOUL — South Korea’s Youngone Corporation has once again secured the top spot in workplace diversity among consumer-sector companies, earning the 2025 WIN Award at a ceremony in Seoul on September 9.

The award, presented during the 8th Annual WIN Forum at the EL Tower in Yangjae-dong, recognizes Youngone’s commitment to inclusive leadership and gender balance at the highest levels of corporate management.

The accolade is conferred by Women in Innovation (WIN), a nonprofit association led by executive women across industries. Each year, WIN evaluates the country’s 500 largest companies by revenue and ranks them based on a proprietary diversity index. The group honors a total of 10 companies: eight sector leaders and two firms demonstrating significant year-on-year progress.

For the second consecutive year, Youngone outperformed its peers in the consumer segment, which included 70 companies. Key factors contributing to its ranking included a high proportion of women in top leadership roles, strong female representation on the board of directors, and longer average tenure for women compared with men.

As of 2024, women accounted for 69 percent of the company’s workforce and 61 percent of managerial positions at the department-head level or higher. Female employees also averaged 7 years and 11 months of service — a year and a half longer than their male counterparts.

“Our continued focus on merit-based recruitment and performance evaluation ensures that gender never becomes a barrier to advancement,” said Youngone Group Vice Chairman Sung Rae-eun, emphasizing the firm’s commitment to a culture of fairness and equality.

Beyond gender diversity, Youngone has also invested heavily in family-friendly policies across its group companies. These measures include a monthly childcare allowance of 200,000 won (approximately $150) for employees raising children under age six, flexible work hours for parents with young schoolchildren, a 1 million won stipend for expectant mothers to cover commuting costs, and celebratory cash gifts for employees’ children entering school.

Industry observers note that Youngone’s achievements reflect a broader shift in Korea’s corporate culture, where diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly viewed not just as ethical imperatives but as strategic assets for global competitiveness.