The Center for Social value Enhancement Studies (CSES), established by SK (034730), is joining forces with SK Telecom (017670) and Japan's SoftBank to develop a global standard for measuring social value in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The move elevates a partnership built on two years of joint research accumulated since their first agreement in 2024.
The CSES signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SK Telecom and SoftBank at SKT Tower in Seoul on the 9th, aimed at "measuring the social value of AI and ICT companies and strengthening mutual cooperation."
The three organizations plan to develop a value measurement methodology that reflects the new economic, environmental, and social impacts emerging from the spread of AI technology. They also intend to create internationally applicable measurement standards through joint research reports and international forums.
Earlier, through their first agreement in 2024, the three organizations carried out a project to apply a social value measurement system based on the "Double Bottom Line (DBL)" to SoftBank. The CSES supported the development of measurement indicators and formulas reflecting SoftBank's business characteristics, while SK Telecom shared its measurement experience in the ICT industry. As a result, SoftBank converted 14 items across the economic, environmental, and social categories into monetary value and disclosed them on its website.
By quantitatively measuring and disclosing corporate value-creation activities such as telecommunications fee discount programs for people with disabilities, the project demonstrated that the social value created by a company can be explained in objective figures.
This second agreement focuses on expanding the scope of measurement into the AI and ICT sectors and establishing a foundation for global expansion.
Na Seok-kwon, CEO of the CSES, said, "Through the cooperation over the past two years, we confirmed the possibility that social value can be measured objectively and used practically in corporate decision-making and sustainable management." He added, "This agreement, based on the achievements so far, will become a new starting point for jointly developing a measurement methodology suited to the AI era and creating global standards."
