Hana Bank said on Feb. 11 it launched a loan product offering up to 2.0 percent preferential interest rates to companies that have received an AI and software ESG management assessment certificate issued by the Korea Artificial Intelligence and Software Industry Association (KOSA).

The loan product was designed to provide practical financial benefits to companies whose ESG management practices have been objectively verified through KOSA’s ESG assessment. It also aims to encourage voluntary adoption of ESG management across AI and software companies and to build a productive financial ecosystem.

The product offers preferential interest rates of up to 2.0 percent with no limit on the loan amount, and applicants can seek either working capital or facility funding.

KOSA’s ESG management assessment was developed in a format tailored to the AI and software industry through i-ESG, which has an AI and big data-based ESG assessment management solution. In addition to general ESG assessment items, it comprehensively evaluates factors required of AI and software companies, including AI ethics, data protection, algorithm transparency, information security and digital responsibility.

Seo Yoo-seok (서유석), executive vice president of Hana Bank’s Corporate Group, said, "We launched this product to support the growth of AI and software companies with strong technological capabilities at a time when the ESG regulatory environment is rapidly expanding." He added, "Hana Bank will continue to provide a range of financial products and services that help venture firms and small, mid-sized and medium-sized enterprises, and will steadily push ahead with productive financial support."