Lotte Mart Launches ESG Campaign in Vietnam, Facilitates 21.4 Billion Won in Exports

Lotte Mart has launched an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) campaign in Vietnam that combines community contributions with support for domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in export activities. The initiative resulted in export consultations worth 21.4 billion won and included efforts to improve children's educational environments and promote citizen participation in environmental cleanup activities.
 
From June 17 to 20, Lotte Mart held a comprehensive ESG campaign in Hanoi and surrounding areas, focusing on social contributions, co-prosperity, and environmental protection, the company announced on June 23.
 
The 'Global Bridge in Vietnam' program, aimed at supporting domestic SMEs entering the Vietnamese market, took place from June 18 for three days at the L7 Hotel and Convention Center in Hanoi. Twenty domestic food and beauty SMEs participated in conjunction with the local beauty expo 'Beauty Summit 2026.'
 
Product planners from Lotte Mart's Vietnam branch and local retail buyers conducted one-on-one consultations with participating companies. They assessed product competitiveness, local consumer responses, and export strategies based on product demonstrations and evaluations, with total consultation amounts reaching 21.4 billion won during the event.
 
Promotional events for general consumers were also held. The venue was transformed into a K-lifestyle experiential pop-up store, allowing visitors to use and purchase products from domestic SMEs in food and beauty.
 
In addition, activities aimed at improving educational environments for local children were conducted. Lotte Mart employees visited Hien Bun Elementary School in Bac Ninh Province to create flower beds, repair aging facilities, and paint murals. They also donated 17 computers to support digital education.
 
Over 200 underprivileged children participated in traditional Korean fan-making and coding classes. Lotte Mart also provided 200 servings of its own brand 'Cooking' beef bulgogi lunch boxes and Lotte's chicken sets.
 
On the final day of the campaign, a citizen-participation plogging event was held around Hanoi's West Lake. Vietnamese citizens, local government officials, representatives from the World Wildlife Fund, and Lotte Mart employees collected approximately 4,000 liters, or about 300 kilograms, of trash over a distance of 6.5 kilometers.
 
The event also included waste separation education, an eco-friendly bicycle parade, and a campaign to reduce plastic use.
 
Lotte Mart's overseas discount store business reported sales of 485 billion won and operating profit of 25 billion won in the first quarter of this year, marking increases of 3.4% and 16.8%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. The Vietnamese branch has also seen five consecutive years of operating profit growth, indicating that this campaign is part of a strategy to expand local operations while contributing to the community.
 
Lotte Mart aims to enhance the competitiveness of its stores in Vietnam and Indonesia, focusing on K-food and fresh products, while utilizing local distribution networks to verify the marketability of domestic SME products and expand export opportunities.
 
Currently, Lotte Mart operates a total of 63 stores overseas, including 15 in Vietnam and 48 in Indonesia. After conducting its first integrated ESG campaign in Indonesia last year, the company has expanded its efforts to Vietnam this year.
 
Kim Beom-chang, head of HR Innovation at Lotte Mart, stated, "We will actively utilize Lotte Mart's global infrastructure and overseas business capabilities to consistently showcase sustainable management activities."