An employee of BAT Rothmans speaks during an orientation program with college students at the company's headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, on July 8. Courtesy of BAT Rothmans

By Kim Jae-heun

British American Tobacco (BAT) Rothmans, the Korean subsidiary of BAT Group, has selected the final teams that will join the University Eco Club League, the company said Monday.

The University Eco Club League is an environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) campaign run by BAT Rothmans that invites college clubs to compete with ideas to make a better tomorrow. The company aims to foster future talent for the eco-friendly sector as part of its green campaign.

Since May, the company ran an idea-generating contest to reduce waste and promote recycling and upcycling practices. A total of 10 teams have been selected through an expert evaluation process and a vote by BAT Rothmans' employees.

They participated in the orientation held at the company's headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, on July 8, where college students were introduced to educational programs they will go through together with mentors in the next five months.

Mentors in various sectors, including green technology, the environmental sector and eco-business, will help students refine their ideas on the project. BAT Rothmans will also provide 1 million won ($768) in support funding to each of the teams.

In November, the company plans to host a University Eco Club League forum to announce the final results of the campaign and discuss the topics selected by each team. The top five winners will be given trophies and a cash prize of 10 million won total.

"Thank you to all the college students who came up with creative ideas for the University Eco Club League. BAT Rothmans will continue to support future talented individuals who want to protect the environment by starting with small changes while laying the foundation for them to move further with their ideas," a BAT Rothmans official said.

Meanwhile, the company has been carrying out various ESG activities since 2017. Its mentors include Social Cooperative SE Baram Director Kwon Se-jin, Shine Impact CEO Jung Seung-ae, SDT CEO Park Sumi, Ideananumso Director Son Jung-hwan and Point Up Assistant Manager Jung Hye-min.