April 10, 2008 - Korean telecom giant KT plans to make green business one of the its key strategies for growth by 2012, Korea Times reports. The company says its decision was inspired by the success of General Electric's Ecomagination program, which is currently on track to post $20 billion in revenues from environmental technologies by 2010.

"We are considering selling energy saving products and services, and recycling network equipment," says Shon Yil-kweon, manager of KT's asset planning department. "We can also use our properties for the power generation business."

In fact, KT's four-year plan for green-business growth begins with adopting new clean-energy technologies. "Korea will be included in the Kyoto Protocol in 2009, so if we are not ready for it, we will be in a very difficult situation," says Lee Woo-moon, director of KT's assets planning department.

KT currently operates a combined heat and power (or cogeneration) plant at its R&D facility in Seoul that has helped the company net $1 billion in government tax credits. It is also targeting energy efficiencies in its office buildings and datacenters.

By 2012, KT aims to develop profitable green business models and introduce a corporate finance system based on sustainability. The company hopes to be included in Dow Jones Sustainability Index by the end of this year.

"We have a social responsibility of adopting environment-friendly policies," says Lee. "But we are also preparing for it as a business opportunity."