On October 11, Samsung Canada celebrated its annual Day of Giving as its team members across the country rallied together to support their local communities. This year, Samsung once again collaborated with Ocean Wise, a global conservation organization on a mission to protect and restore the world’s oceans, to coordinate shoreline cleanups in the areas Samsung operates nationally.

Throughout the day, hundreds of Samsung employees dedicated their time to cleaning up pollution and litter from local public spaces and waterways. Collectively, Samsung team members collected 331 kg / 730 pounds of garbage from shorelines across Canada – the equivalent of cleaning up 9.5 km of shoreline.

“We are proud to have once again worked with Ocean Wise. I want to give a special thank you to the hundreds of Samsung team members who volunteered their time to give back to our communities,” said Jihoon Lee, President and CEO, Samsung Canada. “Samsung’s Day of Giving is one of our most important Citizenship initiatives, helping the communities where we live and work strive to be more environmentally conscious.”

Globally, Samsung continues to work towards realizing its Everyday Sustainability vision, with a commitment of zero waste to landfills and reduction of e-waste by 2025.

To learn more, visit here.

Samsung Canada is proud to support the nationwide effort to reduce e-waste through its electronic recycling program. The program, which launched in 2022, invites Canadians across the country to responsibly dispose of electronics at their local Samsung Experience Store. Canadians can find drop off locations at the service counter located in each store.

In its first year of operation, the recycling program has helped to divert e-waste otherwise headed to landfills. Since launching, the program has recycled 101 Kgs of e-waste.

“At Samsung Canada, we are fully committed to our vision of incorporating sustainability into our products and operations, and are incredibly proud of our progress to keep e-waste out of landfills,” said Frank Martino, Vice President, Corporate Service. “We will continue our journey to divert e-waste year-round by providing easy ways for Canadians to responsibly recycle old devices.”

Samsung is proud to partner with the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) for the program, an industry-led not-for-profit organization that operates regulated recycling programs across Canada. For over a decade, EPRA has set the standard for safe, secure electronics recycling. EPRA works to ensure that end-of-life electronics are recycled in a safe and environmentally sound manner and has helped divert over 1.2 million tonnes of electronics from Canadian landfills since its inception. Samsung is proud to have been a steward of EPRA for over 10 years.

“EPRA/Recycle My Electronics is committed to the integrity of the recycling process at every stage, from our network of authorized drop-off locations through to our approved primary processors,” said Pierre Prim, Executive Director, Electronic Products Recycling Association. “We are proud of our success diverting end of life electronics from Canadian landfill and illegal export for residents, business and the environment.”

Samsung is committed to working towards a more sustainable future through its Everyday Sustainability vision, which incorporates sustainability into operations, products, and communities. Examples of Everyday Sustainability initiatives in service centres include an LCD Glass Panel Replacement program to reduce e-waste and Paper-Free Service Centres.

With a global commitment to achieve zero waste to landfills and reduce e-waste by 2025, Samsung has already collected more than 5 million tonnes of e-waste globally since 2009. As well, throughout Earth Month, Samsung has teamed up with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to raise funds in support of FSC Canada’s mission to protect healthy and resilient forests in Canada.

The following Samsung Experience Stores and Service Centres in Canada are accepting e-waste donations. We recommend customers wipe out all data from their devices before donating their device.

Samsung Experience Store – CF Toronto Eaton Centre

220 Yonge St, Toronto, On, M5B 2H9

Samsung Customer Service Centre – Heartland Town Centre

8-5985 Rodeo Dr, Mississauga, On L5R 3X8

Samsung Customer Service Centre – Montreal

10 5395 Rue des Jockeys, Montreal, QC H4P2T7

Samsung Experience Store – Sherway Gardens

25 The West Mall Unit 3020, Etobicoke, ON M9C 1B8

Samsung Experience Store –Yorkdale Mall

3401 Dufferin St, North York, ON M6A 2T9

Samsung Experience Store – Metrotown

4700 Kingsway #1132, Burnaby, BC V5H 4M1

Samsung Experience Store – Montreal Eaton Centre

677 Rue Sainte-Catherine street West Unit #3555, Montreal, QC H3B 5K4

To learn more about how Samsung Canada is giving back to the environment and our local communities, visit our Sustainability page.

As Canadians once again celebrate Earth Month this April, Samsung Canada is collaborating with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Canada to launch a new fundraising campaign in support of FSC Canada’s mission to protect healthy and resilient forests in Canada.

Throughout the month of April, Samsung Canada will donate $1 to FSC Canada, up to a maximum $10,000 CAD[1], for every purchase made in-store and online at Samsung.com. In addition, through June 2023, for each review that Canadians leave on Samsung’s website (whether positive or negative), Samsung will donate an additional $10 to FSC Canada, up to a maximum $6,000 CAD[2].

“At Samsung Canada, we recognize the responsibility we share to help protect our environment and try to create a more sustainable future for all,” said Jennifer Groh, Sr. Director, Corporate Citizenship and Communications, Samsung Canada. “Together with FSC Canada, we are helping to create and preserve healthy and resilient forests.”

Samsung strives to make and distribute products with more eco-conscious resources, with over 220,000 tonnes of recycled plastic used in Samsung products globally since 2009, and progress being made to double that number by 2030[3]. Samsung has also made a global commitment to achieve zero waste to landfills and reduce its e-waste by 2025, as well as achieve net zero direct and indirect carbon emissions by 2050.[4]

As the most recognized, trusted, and rigorous forest certification system, FSC’s labels verify that products have been sourced responsibly and sustainably through all elements of the supply chain, helping brands and consumers work together to help protect the future of forests. FSC labels represent a commitment to supporting zero deforestation, the safeguarding of ancient and endangered forests, a fair wage and work environment, biodiversity preservation, and community land rights, including those of Indigenous Peoples.  

To learn more about Samsung’s commitment to sustainability, please click here.

To learn more about FSC, please click here.

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[1] https://www.samsung.com/ca/offer/fsc/

[2] https://www.samsung.com/ca/campaign/review/

[3] https://www.samsung.com/ca/explore/sustainability/sustainable-materials/

[4] https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-announces-new-environmental-strategy

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today shared its vision for a calmer connected world through cutting-edge technologies that enhance the lives of users by providing smarter and more intuitive experiences. Speaking at a press conference at CES® 2023, Samsung and its key partners came together to outline details about how they plan to build a better-connected world while contributing to a more sustainable future.

Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of the DX (Device eXperience) Division at Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. opened the company’s presence at CES by highlighting Samsung’s strategy to deliver on the promise of the connected experience across the key touchpoints in our lives – in our homes, cars, and at work – while also working to build a more sustainable future. The strategy outlined during the press conference focuses on the company’s aim to bring calm to our connected world so that devices and innovation can enable better, more personal, and more intuitive experiences. To do this, Samsung is focusing on seamlessly connecting devices and designing products to make the everyday use of technology more sustainable.

Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of the DX (Device eXperience) Division at Samsung Electronics, introduces the theme of “Bringing Calm to Our Connected World,” the aim of which is to make life easier by connecting technology seamlessly.

“We recognize our vision is a big one,” said Han. “It’s about solving real challenges today and understanding consumers’ future needs and aspirations. It will take time, innovation, and cooperation with partners worldwide. But we are committed to achieving it, and already getting started.”

Samsung Incorporates Sustainability at Every Level

Inhee Chung, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability Center at Samsung Electronics, outlines the company’s new environmental strategy for everyday sustainability.

To address our planet’s ongoing challenges, Samsung highlighted how it continues to prioritize the environment through a combination of sustainability targets, innovative product design, and strategic partnerships. As a result, by 2050, all of Samsung’s businesses will match their electricity needs with renewable energy and reach net zero carbon emissions.  In the nearer term, the DX Division will transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2027 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

To further the company’s sustainability goals, Samsung outlined how Everyday Sustainability—building sustainability features into the company’s most popular products and services—will contribute to a better environment. This includes creating more sustainable products through innovative design in materials and energy efficiency.

“By building sustainability into the product experience, we, and the many people around the world who use our products, can contribute to a healthier planet,” said Inhee Chung, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability Center at Samsung. “As a result, some of our most popular products are now some of our most sustainable.”

Samsung announced that many of its TVs and smartphones use recycled materials, including recycled plastic from discarded finishing nets, while the company’s home appliances, memory and 5G radio network chipsets are contributing to energy savings for customers. In addition, Samsung’s connected services, such as SmartThings Energy and AI Energy Mode are also helping consumers to save energy and cut costs while lowering the overall climate impact.

Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia, highlights the company’s collaboration with Samsung to create a new wash cycle called Less Microfiber, a groundbreaking function that reduces microplastic release by 54% during a laundry cycle.

Samsung also shared the stage with Patagonia, a global leader in outdoor clothing, to discuss a partnership to combat the issue of microplastics – the tiny particles often found in clothes and released into oceans, lakes, and rivers through the laundry. Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia, spoke at the Samsung press conference about how the two companies have developed a new wash technology called the Less Microfibre Cycle, currently being incorporated into Samsung washing machines, which can reduce microplastic release by 54 percent[1] during a laundry cycle. Like the Less Microfibre Cycle, Samsung and Patagonia recently developed the new Less Microfibre which reduces microplastic discharge by preventing them from escaping into the ocean at the end of a wash cycle.

James Kwon, Product Manager, ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), discusses Samsung’s efforts to increase energy savings throughout its products.

Meanwhile, James Kwon, Product Manager, ENERGY STAR for Consumer Electronics at the U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Samsung’s connected home experience with SmartThings is the first mass-market Smart Home Energy Management System to earn the prestigious ENERGY STAR SHEMS Certification. Samsung also continues to collaborate with diverse stakeholders in its sustainability efforts. For example, Samsung joined with the Carbon Trust and other technology leaders to develop the industry’s first specification for measuring, accounting for, and decarbonizing the emissions associated with connected devices when used by customers.

A Connected Home and Connected Life Built on Convenience

Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings, introduces Samsung’s SmartThings system that provides more efficient and intuitive personalized experiences by maximizing connected devices and home appliances.

Samsung detailed plans to fulfill the connected experience today and in the future. During the company’s press conference, Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings, highlighted how features like SmartThings Home Monitor and SmartThings Pet Care bring convenience to the connected experience by monitoring and sharing alerts for anything out of the ordinary – for people and pets. Prompted by Samsung Smart TV, these services are some of the many ways Samsung and the connected platform SmartThings are creating an even smarter home.

Alana Gomez-Solis, Corporate Communications Specialist at Samsung Electronics America, highlights how the many diverse features of SmartThings shape our daily lives.

A key part of this vision is increased interoperability, enabling consumers to connect more of their devices, whether they are Samsung’s or a partner’s compatible brand. As the industry looks to bring about a new level of compatibility through the Matter smart home standard, Samsung stated its commitment to this partnership philosophy. SmartThings was one of the first brands to adopt Matter, and Samsung is a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA).

Also, at the CES press conference, Samsung announced the latest smart home innovation, with the SmartThings Station – its first product to have Matter support built-in right from the beginning. It is a convenient, new way to kick-start SmartThings experiences at home and make it easier to interact with connected devices. SmartThings Station that can seamlessly transform the state of your home at the touch of a button[2].

Jasper Vervoort, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Philips Hue, presents the concept for a wholistic smart home experience, made possible through a growing technological ecosystem of various partnerships.

The focus on connected experiences also extended to unveiling new partnerships, including announcing an expanded collaboration with Philips Hue. Jasper Vervoort, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Philips Hue discussed a new way to sync the content from Samsung TVs with Philips Hue lighting through the Philips Hue Sync TV app, which can be downloaded from the app store on Samsung TVs. This is the first solution to sync lighting and content from Samsung TVs without additional hardware.

Shin Baik, Principal Engineer of Security Team, Mobile eXperience Business, shares the latest advancements in security and privacy with Knox Matrix, built on Samsung’s defense-grade security platform, to underscore the company’s commitment to keeping users’ data safe and secure.

With more devices connected now, Samsung also detailed how security and privacy innovations will be keys to building connected device ecosystems. The company is taking its device security experiences to the next level with its upcoming solution, Samsung Knox Matrix, which will conveniently and safely sync credentials across devices while at the same time continuing to protect sensitive information via multi-layered mutual monitoring enabled by private blockchain technology.

Marcus Futterlieb of HARMAN presents revamped in-vehicle experiences, including Ready Care that make driving safer and more comfortable using the latest technologies.

The connected experience is also extending to your commute. Marcus Futterlieb from Harman unveiled Samsung and Harman’s plans to inject a new level of intelligence, personalization, and convenience into the in-cabin experience (ICX). Central to this effort is Harman Ready Care which uses a machine learning algorithm to gather and process data from the car’s sensors to measure driver drowsiness and distraction, providing tailored interventions to mitigate risks and help improve the well-being of the driver.

A Vision for the Future

Sebastian Seung, President of Samsung Research, explains the future of SmartThings related to Spatial AI and how it will continue to enrich our interactions with technology in the future.

The company also showcased next-generation innovations and technologies using the latest artificial intelligence (AI). Experiences enabled by Spatial AI – like in the JetBot AI+ – are laying the groundwork for better in-home experiences specific to the dimensions and environment of your space.

Samsung also gave a preview of Relumino Mode, which will come to select 2023 Samsung Neo QLED 8K and 4K TVs this year to make content viewing possible for people with vision impairment. Relumino Mode highlights outlines and improves contrast and color so that content is clearer and easier to enjoy[3]. In addition, Samsung also displayed a new pair of Relumino glasses, which first debuted at CES 2018 as part of its startup acceleration program C-Lab project, as well as its mobile app to make the visual experience more enjoyable and personalized on every screen.

For more information, please visit samsung.com

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[1] Tested with 2kg load of 100% polyester hoodies, comparing Synthetics cycle on Samsung Conventional model of European washer WW4000T and the Less Microfiber cycle on WW7000B. The results may be different depending on the clothes and environment. Tested by the Ocean Wise Plastics Lab. [Can we add the date and name of the report and proper citation?]

[2] Available with SmartThings App on Android or iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection is required.

[3] Relumino Mode targets those who suffer from severe visual acuity loss (Source: WHO, World report on vision, 2019) and symptoms of blurry vision. Some features may be supported at a different time, and service availability may not be available at the time of purchase of this product. Relumino Mode is applied for TV models QN80C, QN90C, QN800C, QN900C and works on sources provided through DTV and HDMI only. The Mode does not work on other sources, OTTs, etc.

In celebration of Earth Day 2022, Samsung is taking action to preserve and protect the environment with an e-waste reduction campaign at select Canadian Samsung Experience Stores and Service Centres in Canada. Beginning today, Canadians can drop off their old electronics at the locations listed below to be responsibly recycled.

As a global leader in technology innovation, Samsung has been working diligently to address e-waste, having collected over 5 million tons of e-waste since 2009 ^[i].  To further this impact, Samsung recently made a global commitment to achieve zero waste to landfills by 2025.

These commitments are all a part of Samsung’s “Everyday Sustainability” vision for the future – a concept that’s inspiring us to put sustainability at the centre of everything we do.

“At Samsung Canada, sustainability is at the core of our business and something we focus on and prioritize every day,” said Frank Martino, Vice President, Corporate Service. “To recognize Earth Day, we are eager to do our part to help address a known issue in Canada, by making it easier for Canadians to responsibly dispose of their old electronics and keep waste out of our landfills.”

The following Samsung Experience Stores and Service Centres in Canada are accepting e-waste donations:

Samsung Experience Store – CF Toronto Eaton Centre
220 Yonge St, Toronto, On, M5B 2H9

Samsung Customer Service Centre – Heartland Town Centre
8-5985 Rodeo Dr, Mississauga, On L5R 3X8

Samsung Customer Service Centre – Montreal
10 5395 Rue des Jockeys, Montreal, QC H4P2T7

Samsung Experience Store – Sherway Gardens
25 The West Mall Unit 3020, Etobicoke, ON M9C 1B8

Samsung Experience Store –Yorkdale Mall
3401 Dufferin St, North York, ON M6A 2T9

Samsung Experience Store – Metrotown
4700 Kingsway #1132, Burnaby, BC V5H 4M1

Samsung Experience Store – Montreal Eaton Centre
677 Rue Sainte-Catherine street West Unit #3555, Montreal, QC H3B 5K4

To learn more about how Samsung Canada is giving back to the environment and our local communities, visit our Sustainability page.

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^[i] https://news.samsung.com/ca/samsung-electronics-unveils-together-for-tomorrow-vision-at-ces-2022