For a Positive and Sustainable Change: Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship Program

At the heart of Samsung’s philosophy lies a strong commitment to Corporate Citizenship, the idea that companies have a responsibility to create positive change and help people live better lives. True success goes hand-in-hand with creating prosperity and opportunities for the community. That is why we have dedicated ourselves to being socially and environmentally responsible in every community in which we operate, all across the world.

Today, we are carrying out projects in 85 countries, making sure that each project fits the needs and circumstances of the respective community. In 2013, we employed five primary strategies around the world to help improve education, increase employment, and provide greater access to better medical services.

Samsung’s Five Main Corporate Citizenship Program Strategies

Samsung Tech Institute focuses on helping young adults gain employment through training and education in the IT and service industries. In developed areas, we focus on training youths in software development, while in developing countries we teach them how to excel in the field of product services. In 2013, we implemented 23 programs across broad regions Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe and thanks to these programs, we have been able to employ extraordinary talent from around the globe. In Africa, we first launched an engineering academy in South Africa in March 2011. The following year, Samsung Electronics established academies in Kenya and Nigeria. The academies offer one-year courses teaching practical skills to help its graduates start their career as engineers at IT companies.

Samsung Smart School uses advanced technology to create better learning environments and aid in the development of smarter and more creative individuals. With over 380 Smart Schools around the world, we are working to find high-level solutions that meet specific local educational needs. Samsung seeks to reduce the digital divide by providing basic educational materials, such as books and lesson plans, and even school buildings in underprivileged areas. In more developed regions, we are bringing IT into the classrooms and putting technology – Samsung Galaxy Notes, e-boards, and other smart devices – into the hands of the students. 187 Smart Schools were launched in Europe last year. Libraries and basic education institutes were set up in countries like Ecuador and Nicaragua, while in Brazil and Argentina, Smart School solutions, tablet PCs and electronic boards were provided to support advanced training in IT.

Samsung Care Drive was established to help provide medical services to communities that lack access to basic infrastructure such as hospitals. Mobile medical centers and medical volunteers offer developing communities in areas of Africa and parts of Asia access to medical care. For example, Samsung Mobile Health Center provides mobile medical services to help reduce health issues such as maternal and fetal mortality rate.

Solve for Tomorrow was created in 2010 to provide opportunities for talented individuals from across the globe who are passionate about building a better community. Participants submit proposals and present their ideas for a project. Selected winners then receive funding to carry out those projects and bring them to life. The Solve for Tomorrow project has been successful in promoting social entrepreneurship and proven how technology can improve our environment and our communities. The competition for 2013 involved high school and university students from a number of countries, including China, who developed solutions for energy efficiency, environmental protection and health. More than 10,000 students on 2,703 teams have offered their ideas for tomorrow.

Samsung Nanum Village involves building essential infrastructure in isolated communities in developing countries. Starting in Vietnam and India, Samsung has worked on building better infrastructures such as medical centers, schools and community centers in different regions. We are currently working with four villages around the world, with facilities scheduled for completion in 2014.

At Samsung, we realize that our products and actions can have a tremendous impact on a number of social challenges across the world and that is why we are focusing on becoming a responsible global citizen. We strive to help people connect to more possibilities both through our products and by ensuring that everything we do has a positive impact on the future. Stay tuned for more stories on how we are working to bring positive changes for better lives full of possibilities.