Jang Cheol-ho, CEO of Manmanhan Yeoseokdeul, assessed the current state of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry in this way. He pointed out that after events end, booths and structures are left behind as is, invariably resulting in “piles of trash” at the venues. CEO Jang noted that the reason the situation remains unchanged is because the perception that “throwing things away is the most efficient” is still widespread.
“Based on our own calculations, the amount of waste generated at MICE event sites exceeds 81.08 million metric tons,” Jang explained. “In terms of volume, that’s a staggering amount—enough to fill approximately 32,400 international-standard swimming pools.”
“Manmanhan Yeoseokdeul,” founded by CEO Jang in 2018, is a company that supplies modular systems designed to address ESG issues in the MICE industry. It all began when he and a business partner rented a sink factory to build 100 flea market booths—a process that took 40 hours of sawing.
CEO Jang recalled being deeply shocked at the time by the mountains of trash spilling out from event dismantling sites. “I immediately redesigned the modular system so it could be reused more than 70 times,” he explained. “I replaced the metal screws with modular joints we developed in-house, and for the frame material, I used eco-friendly compressed reclaimed wood—even though it was more expensive.”
Currently, Mannaman Nyeoseok operates through two main pillars—the eco-friendly furniture rental brand “Table Times” and the event planning brand “MMH”—handling around 300 events annually. As demand for ESG grows, the company’s revenue has been steadily increasing by more than 20% each year.
CEO Jang observed that, alongside policy changes, ESG is evolving beyond mere “environmental protection” to become a tangible source of “revenue.” He cited the “eco-friendly report”—which calculates carbon reduction based on the materials and weight of the provided furnishings and shares the results with clients—as evidence of this trend. “Starting in 2028, KOSPI-listed companies with a market capitalization of 30 trillion won or more will be required to disclose ESG information,” he said, emphasizing that “given the MICE industry’s heavy reliance on corporate clients, ESG deliverables such as the ‘eco-friendly report’ are now essential.”
CEO Jang assessed that South Korea is leading the ESG market within the Asian MICE sector. He explained that while the volume of waste generated at events remains high, the situation is relatively better compared to other countries. “Singapore still tends to prioritize efficiency over eco-friendliness due to tight event schedules,” he noted, “but in Korea, awareness is rapidly improving, as evidenced by the recent increase in the use of eco-friendly equipment and the phasing out of paper brochures and plastic name tags.”
He explained that this was the reason they chose Singapore as their first destination for overseas expansion. He described it as a niche strategy, noting that while demand for ESG is growing in the Asian MICE market, there are still no companies providing significant solutions in this area. In fact, although the Singaporean government is putting considerable effort into fostering an ESG industry environment—through initiatives such as “Green Plan 2030” and mandatory climate disclosure for listed companies—it is understood that there are currently no local MICE ESG solution providers.
This is why “Manmanhan Yeoseok,” which established its Singapore branch in December 2024, was able to provide its system for as many as 384 events last year—just two years later. CEO Jang emphasized, “Since no one has yet secured a leading position in ESG MICE technology, Korea can seize this market,” adding, “From an industrial perspective, we must utilize ESG issues not as risks, but as opportunities to advance the industry and the sector.”
