Kia was selected for the 'Institutional sector of the year for sustainable management' at the Newsweek '2025 Great Disruptors of the Global Automotive Industry' awards ceremony held at the World Trade Center in New York on the 15th (local time).
Kia has signed a global partnership with the Dutch non-profit organization Ocean Cleanup, established in 2022 to address marine plastic pollution, and has been recognized for approximately three years of activities.
Kia has been conducting marine waste plastic collection and resource recycling activities in collaboration with Ocean Cleanup. The company also supported the expenses to enable Ocean Cleanup to collect over 450,000 kg of plastic waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Ryu Chang-seung, head of Kia's customer experience division (executive director), noted, "We have recorded an unprecedented amount of marine plastic collection through our partnership with Ocean Cleanup," and added, "We will continue our innovative efforts, including attempts to apply recycled plastic from Ocean Cleanup to vehicle accessories for the first time."
Since 2022, Newsweek has held the 'Great Disruptors of the Global Automotive Industry' awards ceremony annually. This year, individuals, organizations, and products that have led changes in the automotive industry were selected across a total of 10 institutional sectors.