“Zero Waste to Landfill” is a claim validation program administered by UL Solutions, a global safety science company. Designations are determined by the percentage of waste diverted from landfills, serving as a key indicator of a company’s resource circularity efforts. Platinum represents a 100% landfill diversion rate, while Gold and Silver represent 95% to 99% and 90% to 94% respectively.

Since announcing its Environmental Strategy in 2022, focused on climate action and resource circularity, Samsung has steadily advanced sustainable management practices — repurposing waste generated at its sites into valuable resources and expanding other recycling initiatives worldwide.

Last year, all 10 business sites of the Device Solutions (DS) Division earned Platinum designation through integrated validation. This year in July, the Device eXperience (DX) Division’s Hungarian subsidiary, SEH-P, also achieved Platinum, marking the final step in securing Platinum status across all 22 domestic and overseas DX manufacturing sites.

▲ “Zero Waste to Landfill” Platinum designation for Samsung’s headquarters in Suwon, issued by UL Solutions

Samsung Electronics has established key directions for waste management — strengthening sorting systems, expanding reuse and increasing resource recovery — and has been implementing them through concrete initiatives.

Examples include introducing more refined waste separation systems within worksites and strengthening employee training to ensure thorough sorting.¹ Food waste and used paper are composted,² while general and construction waste is recycled into alternative fuels³ or basic raw materials.⁴ In addition, e-waste and battery residues are repurposed for solid fuel production.⁵ Through these efforts, Samsung has made steady progress toward its goal of achieving Zero Waste to Landfill.

▲ Plastic waste reduction training at Samsung Electronics’ SEHC subsidiary in Vietnam

Samsung is continuously developing technologies to recycle waste generated from semiconductor production processes into materials that can be reused in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, waste liquids are reused as a cleaning agent in scrubbers that reduce air pollutants and as water treatment agents in wastewater treatment facilities. In addition, adsorbents, activated carbon and catalysts used to control air pollutants undergo regeneration and are reused as raw materials for the same applications.

▲ Waste adsorbent regeneration process

Samsung recycled approximately 1.32 million tonnes of waste in 2024 — equivalent to 260,000 five-tonne waste trucks.

In addition to reducing waste at its worksites, Samsung has also repurposed by-products and discarded materials into new resources. The Galaxy S25, launched this year, has incorporated recycled cobalt extracted from previously used Galaxy smartphones and batteries discarded during the manufacturing process through Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain. Discarded wafer trays from semiconductor manufacturing were recycled and applied to the Galaxy S25 series’ components as well.

Looking ahead, Samsung Electronics plans to further enhance systematic waste sorting and material-specific management to secure high-quality recycled resources and expand their application in products, strengthening its commitment to resource circularity.

Junhwa Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Global EHS Office, DX Division at Samsung Electronics, highlighted the significance of the achievement as “a major milestone” in the company’s environmental management strategy, adding that the company will continue to apply innovation across all areas of its business to put sustainable management into practice.

More information on Samsung Electronics’ sustainability initiatives can be found on the Samsung Electronics Sustainability website.

¹ Subsidiaries in Hungary (SEH-P), Malaysia (SEMA), Brazil (SEDA-P(M)), Türkiye (SETK-P), etc.
² Subsidiaries in Thailand (TSE-P), India (SIEL-P(C)), Malaysia (SEMA), Mexico (SEM-P), etc.
³ Subsidiaries in Vietnam (SEHC), Malaysia (SEMA), the United States (SEHA), etc.
⁴ Subsidiaries in Vietnam (SEV, SEVT), etc.
⁵ Subsidiary in Indonesia (SEIN-P)

He couldn’t unsee it. And he refused to accept it.

So, he founded Enaleia, an organization that began with a simple idea: collect what doesn’t belong in the sea, and give it a second life.

What started small has grown into a Mediterranean-wide movement. Today, more than 3,000 fishermen are working with Enaleia to remove plastic from the ocean and transform it into something new: raw material, usable products and hope.

Lefteris is doing more than cleaning the ocean. He’s reimagining our relationship with it, turning waste into resources, and skeptics into believers. With a Galaxy device in hand, he documents the fishermen’s progress and opens the story to the wider world — because change, like the sea, belongs to everyone.

The vision Lefteris is pursuing — a cleaner, more sustainable planet — aligns with Samsung’s own commitment to environmental responsibility. That shared purpose is why his story is featured in our Voices of Galaxy series.

He believes the ocean can heal. And he’s showing us how.

Launched this year, Samsung Electronics’ Color E-Paper (EMDX model) is a next-generation signage solution that significantly reduces power consumption in digital content advertising. NONO SHOP, a zero-waste store and café in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood, has introduced Color E-Paper displays into its space — taking a proactive step toward more sustainable operations.

▲ Julian Quintart, founder and owner of NONO SHOP

Samsung Newsroom visited NONO SHOP to explore how the space has become even more eco-conscious with the integration of Color E-Paper.

Less Waste, More Flexibility

NONO SHOP is a zero-waste store and vegan café offering plant-based beverages, desserts and groceries, along with a refill station to reduce single-use packaging. The shop promotes sustainability through customer engagement programs such as recycling campaigns and Climate Fresk workshops, where participants learn about climate change.

Even with ongoing efforts to minimize waste, operating a store inevitably generates some trash. One example is printed promotional materials — including seasonal menus, event posters and schedule announcements — which must be updated frequently. As a result, a significant amount of paper-based signage was being discarded each month.

▲ Quintart shares the many advantages of Color E-Paper including reduced waste, power consumption and flexible installation options.

By adopting Color E-Paper, NONO SHOP has significantly reduced waste from printed promotional materials. Images and text can be easily updated through a dedicated mobile app, eliminating the need to print and mount posters. The displays now allow for real-time content updates while delivering more impactful visuals.

“Samsung Color E-Paper doesn’t feel like a digital screen,” said Julian Quintart, a Belgian entertainer and founder of NONO SHOP. “It looks so much like real printed material that, unless you look very closely, you’d think it was just an ordinary paper poster.”

“The ability to instantly update images through the mobile app makes daily operations much more efficient,” added Juwon Shim, a manager at NONO SHOP. “It helps us save not only the resources and energy required for printing, but also time.”

▲ Color E-Paper offers simple hanging installation options thanks to its lightweight 2.5-kilogram body and slim 17.9-millimeter profile.

Sustainably Crafted From Packaging to Product

Color E-Paper is highly effective in reducing the energy typically required to operate and maintain commercial spaces. By applying ink technology to digital paper and using ambient light to render images, the displays eliminate the need for a backlight unit — the component in traditional screens that consumes energy to emit light. As a result, power consumption drops to 0.00 watts¹ when content remains static. Even during updates, Color E-Paper uses significantly less energy than conventional digital signage.

“When introducing new devices into the store, it’s important to consider not just their power consumption, but also their overall environmental impact,” said Quintart. “Color E-Paper is especially appealing because its energy use is significantly lower than that of traditional digital displays.”

▲ The packaging of Color E-Paper also reflects a strong commitment to sustainability.

The product’s design and packaging also reflect a strong commitment to sustainability. Color E-Paper features 100% paper-based packaging and incorporates recycled plastic in more than half of its cover.

“Even the packaging was thoughtfully designed,” he emphasized. “All these small efforts add up and represent a meaningful step toward resource circulation.”

▲ Zoe McTackett, a regular customer at NONO SHOP, appreciates that the cover of Color E-Paper is made from recycled plastic.

Reactions to the Color E-Paper signage have been positive.

“I was really surprised to learn that recycled plastic was used in Color E-Paper,” said Zoe McTackett, a regular customer at NONO SHOP. “Knowing that Samsung values not just technology, but also the environment, makes me trust the brand even more.”

Built To Fit Anywhere

Color E-Paper effortlessly integrates into any space, preserving the aesthetic of existing interiors and resembling framed artwork. Equipped with a patent pending color imaging algorithm, the display optimizes content for enhanced visibility — delivering smooth edge rendering, seamless gradients and rich color expression for a look and feel strikingly similar to printed posters.

▲ NONO SHOP not only uses Color E-Paper for in-store displays but also uses it as versatile screens during workshops.

“Even though it’s a digital screen, it doesn’t feel too sharp — it has a natural, paper-like quality,” said McTackett. She noted how comfortable it was to view, even in bright daylight or well-lit environments, thanks to its non-reflective surface.

“I hope customers see the display not just as a digital device, but as a framed piece,” Quintart added. “Once they realize it’s actually digital paper, they focus more on the content and respond to the product more organically.”

Weighing just 2.5 kilograms with the battery and measuring only 17.9 millimeters thick, Color E-Paper features an ultra-lightweight design with exceptional installation flexibility — easily mounted on walls, ceiling rails or stands without the need for additional structures.

▲ Color E-Paper can be installed almost anywhere thanks to its ultra-lightweight and ultra-slim design.

“Depending on the setting, Color E-Paper can be used in various formats — on a stand, wall-mounted or hanging,” Shim explained. “One of its biggest advantages is that it can transform the store’s atmosphere without requiring major interior changes.”

“When mounted on a movable stand, Color E-Paper is easy to reposition and can be set up near the entrance or beside the checkout counter,” she continued. “Hanging the display with wires is especially space-efficient since it takes up virtually no space.”

Samsung’s Color E-Paper eliminates the trade-offs once associated with sustainable practices. Just as a single small action can spark meaningful change, Samsung remains committed to creating positive environmental impact — a mission now shared with NONO SHOP through Color E-Paper.

¹ According to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62301 standards, power consumption under 0.005 watts is displayed as 0.00 watts.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the company’s strategies, initiatives and performance in environmental, social and governance — highlighting ongoing efforts to achieve sustainable growth amid rapidly evolving industry dynamics and geopolitical uncertainty.

[Environment]

Building on its New Environmental Strategy announced in September 2022, Samsung remains committed to reaching net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions, maximizing resource circularity and addressing complex environmental challenges through technological innovation. Notably, the company is expanding its use of renewable energy to meet rising demand and reduce carbon emissions against the backdrop of rapid growth in AI technologies and related industries.

In pursuit of its 2030 net zero target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division recorded a renewable energy transition rate of 93.4% as of the end of 2024. By applying high-efficiency energy technologies across seven product categories, it reduced average power consumption by 31.5% compared to 2019. Additionally, the DX Division signed new solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) at its Gumi and Gwangju sites to diversify renewable energy sourcing.

As part of its goal to apply recycled materials to all plastic components by 2050, Samsung incorporated recycled content into 31% of the plastic parts used in its products as of 2024.

The company also operates a range of e-waste collection programs in approximately 80 countries, including Korea, to strengthen global recycling and recovery systems.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s Device Solutions (DS) Division aims to reach net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050 through continued investment in large-scale regenerative catalytic systems (RCS) for integrated process gas treatment and expanded use of renewable energy.

All global DS Division sites received the highest Platinum “Zero Waste-to-Landfill” certification from UL Solutions, a leading environmental and safety certifier. In addition, all Korean manufacturing sites earned top-tier certification from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) for excellence in water resource management.

[Social and Governance]

Samsung is strengthening its health and safety management systems with the goal of achieving zero major industrial accidents and a top-tier global lost time injury rate (LTIR) by 2030, ensuring a safe, healthy workplace for all employees.

In 2024, the company conducted human rights risk assessments across Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and the Middle East to identify and address key concerns. Based on stakeholder input from international organizations, NGOs and academia, Samsung developed and implemented a human rights risk management plan.

Within the supply chain, Samsung expanded the scope of third-party audits to 33 second-tier suppliers. Beginning in 2025, the company will implement a more advanced, integrated Supplier Code of Conduct to respond proactively to evolving global regulations.

Through the Samsung Software‧AI Academy for Youth (SSAFY) — one of the company’s flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs — Samsung invested 37.5 billion won in 2024 to train approximately 2,200 young software professionals. This year, the program will introduce eight new AI training courses and upgrade infrastructure to support hands-on use of AI models. The Samsung Hope Stepping Stone program assisted 14,362 youth preparing to transition from protective care, opening new centers in North Chungcheong Province and Daejeon. Another center is scheduled to open in Incheon in 2025 to support more young people in need.

Furthermore, Samsung upholds privacy protection, information security, compliance and ethical management as core business priorities. A company-wide governance framework is in place to ensure effective oversight.

This year’s report aligns with global disclosure standards and is integrated with Samsung’s Sustainability website to improve accessibility.

The full 2025 Samsung Electronics Sustainability Report can be downloaded here.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Quentin van den Bossche, “Coral in Focus” follows scientists, engineers and local conservationists as they confront the urgent threats facing coral reefs — ecosystems that support up to a billion people and a quarter of all marine life. This work is part of a broader effort announced at Galaxy Unpacked in January 2025, where Samsung unveiled its partnership with Seatrees to support the restoration of coastal ecosystems with communities in Fiji, Indonesia and the United States, leveraging Galaxy camera technology to document and aid in the recovery of marine environments.

The documentary spotlights the urgent threats facing coral reefs and showcases how innovative technology and global collaboration can drive meaningful impact for marine ecosystems.

A Crisis Hidden Beneath the Surface

As ocean temperatures shattered records, more than 80% of the world’s reefs have suffered from mass bleaching. When corals bleach, they lose not just their color but their lifeblood — the algae that feed them. This crisis, largely invisible to the public, threatens biodiversity, food security and coastal resilience. Long-term climate action is crucial to safeguarding coral reefs, while short-term restoration efforts — informed and supported by innovative technology — can help them withstand rising ocean temperatures.

A Galaxy Smartphone That Sees Beneath the Waves

Samsung collaborated with Seatrees, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring marine ecosystems, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, a global leader in reef research, to pioneer a new frontier in coral restoration by exploring new, innovative solutions. Ocean Mode,² a specialized camera feature created specifically for this partnership, was developed, introduced and validated in real-world conditions in Indonesia and Fiji. This process has created a credible foundation for broader scientific use while improving the overall accessibility of this new technology.

By enabling more scientists, conservationists and even citizen scientists with the ability to photograph, map and monitor reefs, Ocean Mode can help restoration efforts scale, and make it possible for anyone to protect more reefs, in more places, with greater impact.

Innovation With Measurable Impact

Ocean Mode transforms the Galaxy S24 Ultra into a mobile marine research tool, enabling vivid, high-resolution image capture even in challenging underwater conditions. It corrects the excessive blue and green hues typical of underwater photography, allowing for a more accurate representation of coral health and diversity.

The camera adjusts shutter speed and leverages multi-frame image processing to reduce motion blur caused by water movement or diver activity, ensuring sharp, detailed images. With its interval shooting capability, the device can automatically capture thousands of images in a single dive, dramatically improving both efficiency and consistency. These images can then be used to generate 3D models of coral reefs using technology known as photogrammetry, giving researchers a powerful way to visualize and study the drivers of the structure and health of reefs over time.

Over the past year, the project has delivered extraordinary results. With these coral restoration initiatives, 17 3D models of coral reefs have been made with the help of scientists and Samsung to analyze the impact of coral restoration efforts and validate the precision of Galaxy devices for photogrammetry. In total, Seatrees project partners planted more than 14,046 coral fragments to restore 10,705 square meters of coral reef habitat.

A Premiere With Purpose

The “Coral in Focus” premiere at Ocean House, in partnership with Project Everyone, brought together scientists, storytellers and sustainability leaders for a powerful conversation on the role that technology and global collaboration play in the future of coral reefs.

▲ (From left) Alex Heath, Cassie Smith, Dr. Daniel Wangpraseurt, Michael Stewart and Quentin van den Bossche

▲ “Ocean Mode became its own character in the documentary,” said Quentin van den Bossche, director of “Coral in Focus.” “This helped us illustrate some of the complex, specific challenges that reef conservationists encounter. And showing the difference between photos taken with and without Ocean Mode helped ground the technology in something visual and even emotional. This is where the impact of partnerships among companies, research institutes and nonprofits truly comes to life.”

▲ Michael Stewart, co-founder of Seatrees, holds a Galaxy S24 Ultra to show Ocean Mode Year 1 impact metrics — about 14,046 coral fragments planted across three restoration sites.

“A key focus of the coral restoration efforts is being able to monitor what’s working and what’s not. And that starts with capturing high-quality images of our supported reefs,” said Michael Stewart, co-founder of Seatrees. “Our local partners have really appreciated Ocean Mode because it has improved their ability to capture higher-quality images with Galaxy phones to make the 3D models created by the scientists at Scripps more accurate.”

“Mobile technology is a powerful way to connect communities with ecosystems they may never physically encounter but are deeply tied to through climate, biodiversity and cultural heritage,” said Daniel Wangpraseurt, Ph.D., associate research scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “Smartphones are now capable of taking high-resolution imagery to help generate more accurate 3D models. They also hold unique potential to increase the pace at which we share this information with people around the world who may never get to experience a coral reef themselves.”

▲ “Through our partnership with Seatrees, we saw how Galaxy technology could play a role not just in responsible sourcing but in supporting coral reef restoration,” said Cassie Smith, Senior Manager, Corporate Sustainability and U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics America. “The documentary tells that story beautifully — showing what happens when like-minded partners, engineers, scientists and local communities come together with shared purpose and the right tools.”

▲ Attendees of the “Coral in Focus” documentary premiere included Swati Thiyagarajan, award-winning documentary filmmaker, environmental journalist with the Sea Change Project and associate producer and production manager of the Academy Award-winning “My Octopus Teacher”; Titouan Bernicot, founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners and National Geographic Explorer; and Beverly Camhe, writer, producer and entertainment executive.

“It’s essential for the private sector to be involved and help get impactful solutions off the ground,” said Lefteris Arapakis, co-founder of Enaleia. “We need all parties working together to protect and scale ocean conservation efforts. I’m especially excited about Ocean Mode — tools like this make our work more efficient and help us create greater impact.”

“It was a beautiful film, and I love how it left us with a sense of hope and something we could do about the problem,” said Dana Habib, associate at the Institute for Integrated Transitions.

▲ Panelists and attendees discuss the “Coral in Focus” film and project.

The discussion was moderated by Alex Heath, Managing Director, U.S. Head of Social Impact & Sustainability at Edelman. The event also featured 3D reef models generated from photogrammetry data created with Galaxy S24 Ultras used in the field.

Exploring Ocean Conservation at UNOC

In addition to the premiere of “Coral in Focus,” Samsung representatives spoke on two panels hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO-IOC) at the UNESCO-IOC “Beyond Borders: Ocean Futures” pavilion. First, Generation17 Young Leader José Francisco Ochoa spoke about the importance of digital technology and community partnership during the panel “Showcasing the Diversity of Ocean Literacy Practices Around the World,” where he shared insights on how Generation17 elevates his work to advance ocean literacy.

Samsung also participated in a panel discussion titled “The Role of Corals in Unlocking the Secrets of Biodiversity,” highlighting its commitment to marine conservation. Cassie Smith, Senior Manager of Corporate Sustainability and U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics, presented how Galaxy technology, including Ocean Mode, serves as a tool to support marine ecosystem protection through environmental monitoring, data collection and community engagement. The panel was part of a full day of programming held during UNOC that promotes ocean literacy and awareness of ocean preservation.

A Continued Commitment to Ocean Health

The collaboration with Seatrees builds on Samsung’s broader commitment to ocean health. Since 2022, the company has incorporated over 150 tonnes of recycled fishing nets into Galaxy devices. Now, with Ocean Mode, Samsung is redefining the role of mobile technology in climate action — expanding research capabilities, raising awareness and making the invisible visible.

To watch the full documentary and access more information about the initiative, visit the Samsung x Seatrees partnership landing page.

¹ Held every three to five years, UNOC serves as a global platform uniting governments, scientists, businesses and civil society to promote ocean action and implement Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. The 2025 conference in Nice emphasizes scaling science-based solutions to protect marine ecosystems and ensure a sustainable future for the world’s oceans.
² Ocean Mode was exclusively developed for this project and is only available to participating partners.

Samsung Electronics today announced that Galaxy S25 has been honored with the 2025 Design for Recycling® Award, the highest recognition for leadership in sustainable product design presented by the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), a leading industry organization dedicated to promoting recycling and circular innovation.

This award recognizes Samsung’s innovative efforts to scale its use of recycled materials and do more with less of the planet’s natural resources. Galaxy S25 is the first Galaxy device to incorporate recycled cobalt — a critical material used in batteries — sourced through Samsung’s new Circular Battery Supply Chain.¹ This system recovers cobalt from previously used Galaxy devices and batteries discarded during the manufacturing process,² helping to reuse valuable materials and reduce the need for newly-mined cobalt.

“Samsung is committed to embedding sustainability throughout our products’ life cycle from design, to usage and disposal,” said Daniel Araujo, VP and Head of the Sustainability Management Office, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Galaxy S25 represents an important milestone in our journey to enhance circularity in our products and operations, combining cutting-edge innovation with responsibility for the planet. We will continue expanding our efforts to create a more sustainable future for future generations.”

“Samsung has demonstrated true leadership by incorporating design for recycling principles into every phase of Galaxy S25,” said Robin Wiener, President of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA). “Their use of various recycled materials shows a clear commitment to designing the products we rely on every day with innovation and environmental responsibility.”

Building on its progress in battery recycling, the Galaxy S25 features eight different recycled materials³ across its components, including aluminum, rare earth elements like neodymium and steel. For the first time, recycled material has been integrated into armor aluminum frame,⁴ ensuring that every external component of Galaxy S25 contains at least one recycled material. The Galaxy S25 series packaging box is also made with 100% recycled paper, eliminating single-use plastics.

Samsung also supports consumer repairability with its Self-Repair program,⁵ empowering users to extend product life and reduce e-waste.

These initiatives support Samsung’s broader environmental goals, including working toward transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy across global DX operations by 2027 and incorporating at least one recycled material in every module of every mobile product⁶ by 2030 investing in innovative eco-conscious materials without compromising strength, aesthetics or durability.

The award ceremony will be held on May 14 at the ReMA Convention in San Diego, California.

¹ Uses a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt for batteries — a minimum of 25% of the Galaxy S25 battery is cobalt by weight, 50% of which is recycled cobalt.
² Inclusion may differ by markets.
³ The percentage of each recycled material differs per component. Please visit Samsung Sustainability Website for more information.
⁴ The Metal Frame (Case Front) of S25 contains a minimum of 20% recycled aluminum by weight.
⁵ Samsung’s Self-Repair program is available in select markets. Self-Repair program details including model availability, components, kit cost may differ by region. For more details, please visit Samsung.com Self-Repair website.
⁶ Based on our announcement during Samsung Galaxy Unpacked January 2024. Samsung defines a module of a smartphone as the Antenna, Battery, Camera, Display, Mechanical Components, Motor, PBA/FPCB, Speaker, Wireless Charger Module and Packaging.

Supporting Marine Ecosystems Through Global Collaboration

Introduced at Galaxy Unpacked in January 2025, Coral in Focus is an initiative launched last year that supports local communities, including Fiji, Indonesia and the United States, to restore coastal ecosystems.

Samsung has partnered with Seatrees, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring marine ecosystems, to explore new, innovative solutions for coral reef restoration. The company has introduced Ocean Mode¹ on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, an exclusive camera feature that enables vivid image capture even underwater. These images provide accurate visual data for marine researchers who create 3D photogrammetry models to continuously monitor and analyze coral reefs. Local partner organizations then use these findings to guide their on-site coral restoration efforts.

Ocean Mode: How Galaxy Camera Innovation Is Helping Restore Coral Reefs

Partners and local field teams use Ocean Mode to reduce the excessive blue tones common in underwater photography, allowing for a more accurate representation of coral colors. The feature also helps minimize motion blur through optimized shutter speed and multi-frame image processing. Additionally, the interval shooting function enables thousands of high-resolution coral images to be captured in a single session — improving both efficiency and image clarity.

With these coral restoration initiatives, photos taken with Ocean Mode have been used to produce 17 3D models of coral reefs to analyze the health and growth of reefs. In total, 11,046 coral fragments were planted to restore 10,705 square meters of coral reef habitat — roughly the size of 25 basketball courts.

Since unveiling its “Galaxy for the Planet” environmental vision in 2021, Samsung has continued its efforts toward a more sustainable future — not only by incorporating ocean-bound plastics from discarded fishing nets into its products but also by expanding into marine ecosystem restoration. These actions reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental impact across the entire product life cycle and beyond.

¹ Ocean Mode was exclusively developed for this project and is only available to participating partners.

Previously confined to the imagination, this idea is now a reality with Samsung Electronics’ Circular Battery Supply Chain — an initiative that recovers and reuses key materials from the batteries of used Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy S25 marks the first time this closed-loop battery recycling system has been applied to Samsung’s flagship lineup.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Youngmin Kim from the Circular Economy Lab in the Global Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Office and Sangcheul Lee from the Battery Group in the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics to learn more about the development and impact of this project.

▲ (From left) Sangcheul Lee and Youngmin Kim

Used Galaxy Devices Reborn as Valuable Resources

Each year, approximately 200 tons of waste battery material were collected at Samsung’s production facilities in Vietnam. Countries with proper recycling infrastructure can repurpose used batteries for applications like electric vehicle batteries. Vietnam, however, lacked the means to do so. Recognizing the need for a sustainable solution, the company decided to address the issue.

“Samsung’s Vietnam facilities are among those that generate the highest volume of waste batteries, including defective units from the manufacturing process and batteries recovered from a factory that repairs Galaxy phones traded in from the United States,” said Youngmin Kim. “Our goal was to create a system that would allow us to recycle these resources and reintegrate them into our products.”

▲ Youngmin Kim explains the Circular Battery Supply Chain while showcasing cobalt and cathode materials.

To develop an efficient recycling process for Vietnam’s waste batteries, Samsung partnered with multiple companies to build an optimized resource circularity system that connected cobalt extraction plants with battery production lines in neighboring countries.

“For the Galaxy S24 series, we sourced recycled cobalt externally,” he explained. “However, with the Galaxy S25, we implemented a fully closed-loop recycling system that extracts cobalt directly from discarded Galaxy batteries.”

The collected waste batteries are processed into high-purity cobalt, then shipped to the battery production line where it is integrated into Galaxy S25 batteries. This process transforms electronic waste from used Galaxy devices into a valuable resource, supporting Samsung’s vision for a sustainable circular economy.

▲ Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain in action

More specifically, the Circular Battery Supply Chain begins with collecting used Galaxy smartphones, followed by dismantling and discharging their batteries. These batteries are then shredded and processed into a fine powder known as “black mass.” This material is subsequently refined to extract cobalt — which is used to produce cathode materials, a key component of the Galaxy S25 battery.

The Endless Recyclability of Cobalt

Cobalt is essential for maintaining the stability and performance of lithium-ion batteries in smartphones. While lithium carries electrons within the battery, cobalt facilitates lithium’s movement to ensure optimal battery operation.

▲ Cobalt ore samples

“Cobalt does not degrade with battery use, meaning it can theoretically be recycled indefinitely,” said Lee. “Recycled cobalt and newly mined cobalt are virtually identical — so much so that the difference is indistinguishable in the manufacturing process.”

In essence, Galaxy devices containing cobalt can be recycled and repurposed regardless of their manufacturing date.

▲ Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain on display at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona

“The key to extracting high-purity cobalt lies in technology,” said Kim. “Through our Circular Battery Supply Chain, we have successfully recovered and utilized over 90% of the cobalt from the discarded batteries that have been collected.”

Half of the cobalt used in the Galaxy S25 batteries comes from recycled sources — a strong testament to Samsung’s environmental strategy and commitment to reducing its environmental impact while maintaining premium product quality.

The Road to a Reliable and Efficient Circular Supply Chain

Nonetheless, establishing the Circular Battery Supply Chain was no easy feat as the batteries were required to meet stringent global safety and environmental regulations.

▲ Sangcheul Lee explains the certification management process.

“We had to engage with numerous partner companies, navigating complex and rigorous procedures,” recalled Lee. “To prevent fire hazards during transport, the batteries had to be crushed and obtaining the necessary certifications to comply with relevant environmental regulations took considerable time.”

“With constantly evolving regulations and Samsung’s exceptionally high internal standards, we underwent multiple rounds of reviews and certifications,” he added. “Despite the challenges, we persisted as a team and successfully implemented the system in the Galaxy S25.”

Samsung’s Evolving Vision for a Circular Economy

“I felt a great sense of pride when our Circular Battery Supply Chain was showcased at the recent Galaxy Unpacked event,” said Lee, reflecting on the achievement. “I hope to continue developing sustainable batteries by expanding our recycling efforts to include lithium and other materials.”

“With the Galaxy S25, we’ve also reached another significant milestone in resource circularity — wafer trays discarded after semiconductor manufacturing have been repurposed into a plastic used in the side and volume keys,” shared Kim. “We are working on various projects to expand resource circularity across other product lines as well, and we hope our users will continue to join us on our journey.”

Samsung has successfully established a closed-loop battery recycling system through the Circular Battery Supply Chain — turning a vision launched under its 2022 environmental strategy into reality with the Galaxy S25. This milestone has sparked growing anticipation for the next innovations that will emerge from Samsung’s pursuit of a more sustainable future.

Global Participation by Samsung Electronics Employees in Water Conservation Efforts

Each year, Samsung Electronics collaborates with employees and local communities on a variety of initiatives, including stream clean-ups near its facilities and water-saving campaigns across its operations. This year, the company aligned these activities with its environmental strategies, including water replenishment projects. These efforts included upgrading reservoirs and pumping facilities in drought-affected regions near its worksites, as well as supporting clean drinking water initiatives for neighboring villages.

▲ Employees at Samsung Electronics Vietnam participated in a cleanup at Cau River

To raise awareness about the importance of clean water, Samsung Electronics employees around the world participated in a variety of initiatives. Here are some highlights of their efforts, captured in photos.

① River Cleanup Activities With Employees, Local Governments, NGOs and Community Members

* Regions of participation: Korea, Vietnam, U.S, Mexico, Brazil, Hungary, Indonesia, South Africa

▲ Employees at Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America took part in cleanup activities along nearby rivers and streams.

▲ At the Cheonan and Onyang worksites in Korea, employees visited streams such as Jangjaecheon, Cheonancheon and Gokgyocheon as part of the One Company, One Stream initiative, contributing to local ecological preservation efforts. In addition, the Hwaseong worksite in Korea is planning stream cleanup activities along Woncheonricheon stream in collaboration with local civic groups and residents, in celebration of World Water Day.

② Returning Clean Water – Water Replenishment Projects

* Regions of participation: Samsung Electronics is currently implementing water replenishment projects in Korea, Vietnam, India, Mexico, the United States and Indonesia. The company also plans to launch water replenishment projects in Malaysia, Brazil, China, Thailand, Hungary, Türkiye, Slovakia, Poland and Egypt, starting this year.

▲ Samsung Electronics Malaysia held an opening ceremony to launch its water replenishment project.

③ ‘Join Us in Saving Water!’ – Water Conservation Campaign

* Regions of participation: Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand

▲ Samsung Electronics Thailand aired a water-saving campaign video in the company cafeteria.

④ Protecting Aquatic Ecosystems Near Worksites

* Regions of participation: Korea and Vietnam

▲ As part of efforts to protect aquatic ecosystems, employees at Samsung Electronics Vietnam monitored water quality in nearby streams and carried out environmental awareness surveys in collaboration with local government offices, residents and NGOs.

Partnering With Stakeholders To Drive Water Conservation and Reduce Usage

Samsung Electronics recognizes water as a vital resource for a sustainable future and is committed to reducing water intake and promoting water reuse across its operations.

The DX Division has set a goal of achieving 100% water replenishment by 2030, returning to local communities an amount of water equivalent to what is used in its production processes, thereby helping to prevent the depletion of water resources. To achieve this, Samsung is actively implementing water replenishment projects across multiple regions worldwide.

In 2023, Samsung Electronics partnered with the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC) to support the construction of water redistribution facilities, enabling the reuse of agricultural water by channeling it from downstream to upstream areas in farmland regions. In collaboration with the Korea Ecological & Environmental Institute (KEEI), Samsung also carried out reservoir dredging in the Haman region in Korea to expand aquatic ecosystems and secure agricultural water supplies, contributing to water reuse and mitigating the risks of drought and water scarcity.

* Regions where agricultural water reuse facilities have been established (Five locations in Korea): Wando, Shinan, Pyeongtaek, Andong, Changnyeong

▲ Samsung Electronics, in collaboration with the KRC Andong held a completion ceremony in July 2024 to mark the construction of an agricultural water redistribution facility in Andong, Korea. In April 2024, Samsung Electronics Vietnam signed an agreement with the local People’s Committee to support water replenishment projects.

Building on these efforts, Samsung implemented 23 water replenishment projects across six countries in 2024, returning a total of 1.35 million tonnes of water annually to local communities and achieving 100% water replenishment by Korean facilities’ water usage standards. The company is committed to expanding this achievement globally by 2030, helping to mitigate local water risks and advance water resource conservation across all its international operations.

Meanwhile, the DS Division is promoting various initiatives to protect water resources through partnerships with public, private and governmental organizations.

In March 2024, Samsung signed a public-private-governmental memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Environment, K-water and other stakeholders to advance water-related initiatives. This collaboration was further strengthened in November 2024 through an additional MOU for the Jangheung Dam Artificial Wetland Creation Project, jointly developed with the Ministry of Environment and K-water. This marks the first project in Korea jointly led by public, private and governmental partners. The project aims to enhance riparian ecological belts and artificial wetlands through forest restoration, planting and waterway rehabilitation. In addition, it will create cultural and recreational spaces, including an ecological art museum and walking trails, contributing to the well-being of local communities.

The DS Division has also set a target to keep water intake to 2021 levels by 2030. To that end, Samsung signed another MOU in December 2024 with the Ministry of Environment, Gyeonggi Province, the cities of Hwaseong and Osan, K-water and the Korea Environment Corporation for the Gyeonggido Region Semiconductor Site Reclaimed Water Project (Phase 1). This project will recycle treated wastewater from Hwaseong and Osan to supply 120,000 tonnes of reclaimed water per day to Samsung’s Giheung and Hwaseong semiconductor facilities. The project will proceed with feasibility studies for private investment, basic and detailed phases, and then installation and operation of reuse facilities, with water supply to the DS Division’s Giheung and Hwaseong worksites scheduled to begin in 2029.

Expanding Platinum Certifications From the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)

In March 2023, Samsung Electronics’ Hwaseong worksite became the first facility in Korea to achieve the Platinum certification, the highest level from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS).* Since then, Samsung has continued to expand the number of AWS-certified worksites across its global operations. AWS is a global water stewardship initiative jointly established by international organizations to assess companies’ comprehensive water management systems.

* The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is a global water management initiative jointly established by organizations such as the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). AWS evaluates a company’s water stewardship performance across 100 criteria, including ▲ sustainable water management, ▲ pollution control, ▲ water sanitation, ▲impact on aquatic ecosystems within the watershed, and ▲ governance. Based on these assessments, certifications are awarded at three levels, including ‘Platinum,’ ‘Gold,’ and ‘Core.’

The DS Division has achieved Platinum certification for its Giheung/Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek worksites in Korea, followed by its Xi’an worksite in China and most recently its Cheonan/Onyang worksites in Korea in November 2024. The DX Division has also expanded its certifications, securing Platinum certifications for its Suwon, Gumi and Gwangju worksites in 2023, as well as for its Vietnam worksites in 2024. Samsung Electronics also plans to extend AWS certifications to its India operations by 2025.

Water is a vital resource, and ensuring the availability of clean and safe water for future generations is a critical responsibility. Samsung Electronics is fully committed to this mission and will continue to promote water stewardship and the importance of sustainable water management among its employees. The company will also actively collaborate with stakeholders to advance water-related initiatives and take a leading role in the conservation of global water resources.

Following Galaxy Unpacked 2025, Samsung Electronics held its Galaxy Tech Forum event on January 23 in San Jose, California. Tech leaders and experts from around the world discussed the future of AI at Blanco, an Urban Venue, a three-story space located in the heart of Silicon Valley that blends historic architecture with a modern white design.

▲ Blanco, an Urban Venue

The forum was organized into four sessions — Sustainability, Health AI, Galaxy AI and Home AI — each addressing the transformative changes and challenges innovation will bring to these areas. With around 100 media representatives and industry professionals in attendance, the panels centered on the disruptive potential of AI and offered blueprints for future technologies across various sectors.

Samsung Newsroom visited the first Galaxy Tech Forum session, titled “How Mobile Technology Can Accelerate a Sustainable Future,” to learn about Samsung’s mobile innovations and partnerships that are contributing to a brighter tomorrow.

Driving Mobile Innovation and Sustainability

Samsung is committed to accelerating a sustainable future for both people and the planet.

▲ (From left) Tamara Gondo, Michael Stewart, Dr. Stuart Sandin, Daniel Araujo and moderator Cassie Smith

Despite the numerous benefits offered to modern society, the rapid growth of the mobile industry has also brought significant environmental challenges. To address those challenges, Samsung has made the actualization of a sustainable future a cornerstone of the company’s vision for mobile devices.

▲ Daniel Araujo from Samsung Electronics

“We’ve made significant progress in fostering sustainable practices throughout our product lifecycle and this is only possible through open collaboration with like-minded partners. And there is even more to come,” said Daniel Araujo, Head of Sustainability Management Office, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics.

“Each device of the S25 series will include at least 50% recycled cobalt, and for the first time in Galaxy history, the battery of the S25 model will be made with recycled cobalt sourced from previously used Galaxy smartphones,” he continued, highlighting Samsung’s advancements in product circularity.

Leveraging Galaxy Camera Technology To Restore Vital Marine Ecosystems

Since the launch of the Galaxy S22 series in 2022, Samsung has incorporated over 150 tonnes of discarded fishing nets — equivalent to the weight of 15 million plastic water bottles — into Galaxy products. Along the way, the company has recognized the critical threat ocean-bound plastic poses to coral reefs and has taken a leading role in restoration efforts through strategic partnerships.

Dr. Stuart Sandin, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego said coral reefs are home to a quarter of all marine life, and over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income and protection from storms and erosion. He added that with more than 50% of the world’s coral reefs already lost and ocean-bound plastic threatening the remaining marine ecosystems, new restoration methods using mobile technology are gaining traction.

▲ Dr. Stuart Sandin from the University of California San Diego, Scripps Institute of Oceanography

“We partnered with Samsung because of our shared commitment to innovation and collaboration. Our optimistic and technology-forward approach is contributing to new solutions for coral reef restoration,” said Michael Stewart, co-founder of Seatrees — a nonprofit dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems. His announcement of the organization’s partnership with Samsung was followed by a trailer for an upcoming documentary about the collaborative efforts between the companies.

▲ Michael Stewart from Seatrees

▲ Trailer for the documentary ‘Coral in Focus’

Araujo explained that to support Seatrees’ efforts, Samsung developed Ocean Mode¹ — a new camera setting that optimizes underwater photography on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. He discussed how the feature will provide valuable visual data that can be used to 3D map coral reefs to aid efforts for their restoration. The panelists acknowledged that mobile technology is making environmental conservation more accessible since high-quality data can now be collected with lightweight, user-friendly smartphones.

Empowering Young Leaders Through Technology

“Beyond environmental efforts, Samsung has collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to empower future generations in achieving the Global Goals,” explained moderator Cassie Smith, Senior Manager of Corporate Sustainability and U.S. Public Affairs at Samsung Electronics America. The success of Samsung’s five-year partnership with the UNDP led to the launch of the Samsung Global Goals app and Generation17 initiative.

▲ Cassie Smith from Samsung Electronics America

“Being part of Generation17 gave me confidence, access to resources and a global platform, which opened up a world of possibilities that inspired me to grow my business, Liberty Society, and its impact,” said Tamara Gondo, CEO of Liberty Society — a social enterprise that funds upskilling for marginalized women. “Participating in global events such as Mobile World Congress and the United Nations General Assembly gave me a seat at the decision-making table.”

▲ Tamara Gondo, CEO of Liberty Society and a Generation17 Young Leader

Araujo underscored Tamara’s remarks and stressed the importance of young leaders in achieving the Global Goals, encouraging ongoing efforts and inviting attendees to look forward to the new group of Young Leaders later this year.

The Sustainability session provided an in-depth exploration of how mobile technology can address environmental and social challenges. Samsung’s unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability is paving the way for meaningful change on a global scale.

¹ Exclusively developed for this project and only available to Seatrees and its partners.

Delivering Meaningful Progress for the World’s Oceans

Samsung is dedicated to protecting the environment for future generations, a commitment that drives the company’s innovation and positive impact for both people and the planet. This dedication has led Samsung to focus on enhancing ocean health with its innovative technology.

Starting with the Galaxy S22 series in 2022, Samsung incorporated recycled discarded fishing nets — also known as ghost nets — in Galaxy devices. Since then, Samsung has continued to scale its use of this recycled material across all Galaxy mobile products,¹ aiming to mitigate the damage that ocean-bound plastic² inflicts on fragile marine ecosystems.³

Now, Samsung is taking these actions one step further by joining forces the U.S.-based nonprofit organization Seatrees and the University of California San Diego to explore new, innovative solutions for reef restoration. The Galaxy camera technology provided to local coral reef restoration activists and researchers in coastal communities will aid their efforts to restore reefs impacted by climate change and pollution through improved monitoring of restoration success.

“We initiated our commitment to the world’s oceans when we transformed discarded fishing nets into key components of the Galaxy S22 series, which to date, has incorporated more than 150 tonnes of discarded fishing nets into key components of Galaxy devices,” said Stephanie Choi, EVP & Head of Marketing of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “This year, we are furthering our commitment to the oceans by creating purposeful technology that helps protect and restore damaged marine ecosystems around the world.”

Together, with Seatrees, Samsung is giving new purpose to Galaxy technology to further innovative solutions that improve the health of the world’s oceans. The company is supporting non-profits and local community members working in Fiji, Indonesia and the United States with Galaxy technology to help restore coastal ecosystems. By leveraging mobile technology, these organizations aim to democratize and to create a more efficient process for coral restoration in reefs damaged by climate change, overfishing and ocean pollution, such as discarded fishing nets.

An Innovative Approach to Reef Monitoring and Restoration

Despite covering less than 1 percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs support approximately 25 percent of all marine life, making them one of Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystems.⁴ Millions of people around the world also rely on reefs as a source of food, income and coastal protection. At the current pace of decline, reefs are at risk of disappearing by 2050.⁵ To support the rapid development of coral reef stewardship projects globally, this initiative will provide advanced monitoring technology that leverages mobile devices as a readily-accessible technology platform.

While efforts to revive coral reefs have existed for decades, researchers are seeking new ways to improve this process. Scientists from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and local communities use photogrammetry⁶ to collect a variety of data — including photographs of coral — to analyze the health and growth of reefs. This allows them to then develop 3D models of the reef, helping researchers identify appropriate interventions that mitigate the effects of climate change on the corals.

▲ 3D model of coral reefs from photos taken by Galaxy

Accurate data is essential to researchers gaining a deeper understanding of how coral restoration efforts are affecting the reefs, and therefore help protect a greater number of reefs around the world. However, capturing accurate and vivid photos of coral reefs is not a simple task. Images can suffer from motion blur as divers swim over reefs capturing thousands of photographs, leading to less accurate data. Similarly, water absorbs warm colors like reds and oranges, also known as long wavelength light, distorting the accuracy of the captured images and resulting in photos that are darker and bluer than they appear to the naked eye.

Knowing that an accurate underwater camera is crucial to improving coral restoration efforts globally, Samsung collaborated to overcome these challenges by advancing Galaxy technology as a purposeful tool for coral restoration. Samsung developed a customized camera mode, called Ocean Mode,⁷ made exclusively for this partnership. Ocean Mode optimizes the native Galaxy camera to ensure efficient and high-quality image capture of coral reefs while underwater. It reduces motion blur and optimizes the camera’s white balance to enhance underwater content capture, ensuring accurate photos are sent to researchers. This, in turn, improves coral restoration efforts through improved analysis of restoration success.

“Design and implementation of coral reef restoration need to be informed by reliable information about what works and what doesn’t,” said Dr. Stuart Sandin, Marine Ecologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. “Mobile technologies offer an exciting opportunity to expand access to this information.”

“By building on technology that is both innovative and accessible, this collaboration has the potential to help bridge barriers and simplify the process for research and restoration, enabling more effective science-based stewardship at scale,” added Dr Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, Human-Centered Technologist and Director for UC San Diego’s Center for Health Design.

▲ Photos captured with Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones equipped with Ocean Mode⁸

“This partnership represents a collective effort of people and organizations coming together to rebuild hope by restoring ocean ecosystems,” said Michael Stewart, Co-Founder and Director of Seatrees. “By collaborating with Samsung and UC San Diego, we can share their innovative tools to help local communities efficiently restore reefs at scale.”

Throughout 2024, Samsung supported coral restoration projects in regions that have suffered coral reef declines, including Bali, Indonesia; Viti Levu Island, Fiji; and Florida, USA and over 11,000 coral fragments having already been planted at these project sites. Committed to using technology for good, Samsung and its collaborators are united around a shared goal of restoring marine ecosystems and preserving the world’s oceans for future generations. Grounded in the spirit of open collaboration and by leveraging Samsung’s expansive scale, the organizations will continue to expand the initiative to more regions in the months ahead.

For more information about Samsung’s broader sustainability efforts, please visit our Sustainability Website.

About Seatrees
Seatrees restores and protects coastal ecosystems around the world to reverse climate change, enhance biodiversity, and support local communities. Seatrees uses a science-based approach to regenerate coral reefs, kelp forests, mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and coastal watersheds. Seatrees projects support local community restoration efforts and provide tangible ways for individuals and brands to create a more resilient planet for future generations.

¹ Recycled materials can be found in all Galaxy devices released in and after 2022.
² Ocean-bound plastic is abandoned plastic waste of all sizes (micro-plastics, mezzo-plastics and macro-plastics) that are located within 50km of shores in communities or areas.
³ The amount of ocean-bound plastic used is different for each device. Please visit Samsung Sustainability website for more information.
⁴ Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
⁵ United Nations Environment Program
⁶ Photogrammetry is the science of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images
⁷ Ocean Mode is exclusively supported for this project and is not available in products for general consumers.
⁸ Galaxy S24 Ultra used underwater were placed in a waterproof underwater housing. Galaxy smartphones are not designed to be waterproof against seawater.

The process starts by collecting previously used Galaxy smartphones, such as those from trade-in programs. The batteries are carefully dismantled, discharged and shredded to safely recover cobalt. Then, the shredded fragments are processed into “black mass,” a powder mixture containing cobalt and other metals. The black mass undergoes further processing to extract cobalt, which is then used to produce cathode material — an essential component of smartphone batteries. The remaining cobalt goes through the final stage of the battery manufacturing process, becoming an integral part of the new Galaxy S25 batteries, with each Galaxy S25 battery featuring 50% recycled cobalt.²

Samsung will continue to expand the use of our new recycled cobalt batteries into our ecosystem to accelerate circularity.

Check out the video below to learn more about how Samsung’s innovative Circular Battery Supply Chain is paving the way for a more sustainable future.

¹ Inclusion may differ by markets.
² A minimum of 25% of the Galaxy S25 battery is cobalt by weight, 50% of which is recycled cobalt.

Samsung continues to disclose the results of materiality assessments focused on sustainable management that consider both the impacts of corporate activities on the external environment and external factors on the company. This report contains Samsung’s strategies and major achievements related to the environment, social and governance.

[Environment]
Climate Change and Energy │ Resource Circularity and Waste │ Water

In September 2022, Samsung announced its New Environmental Strategy which includes the company’s goals to achieve net zero Scope 1,2 emissions by 2050, maximize resource circularity to contribute to a circular economy and tackle environmental challenges through technological innovation.

Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) division aims to reach net zero Scope 1,2 emissions by 2030. The DX division achieved 93.4% renewable energy conversion as of the end of 2023 — which includes 100% renewable energy used at major global manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, Korea, China, Brazil, India and Vietnam.

In line with the company’s Resource Circularity Roadmap, recycled resin was incorporated in 25% of procured plastic parts purchased last year. Moreover, the DX division expanded its electronic waste (e-waste) recovery and recycling programs to more than 70 countries as of the end of 2023.

Samsung’s Device Solutions (DS) division installed new process gas treatment facilities (regenerative catalytic systems, RCS) and expanded the use of liquid natural gas (LNG) waste heat recovery systems in 2023 to help reach net zero Scope 1,2 emissions by 2050. As a result of various reduction activities, the DS division’s Scope 1,2 emissions decreased by 11.6% in 2023 compared to 2022. Additionally, the DS Division has expanded its renewable energy use by signing power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Korea to supply renewable energy from a 60-megawatt solar power plant.

Proving the excellence of its water management systems, Samsung obtained Platinum certification — the highest level — from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) for its Giheung, Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek facilities in Korea and its Xi’an facility in China. Furthermore, the company is reducing waste generation by expanding the number of resource circularity certifications obtained from Korea’s Ministry of Environment to include certifications for nine new items as of March 2024. 

[Social and Governance] 
Employees │ Supply Chain │ Information Security and Protection │ Product Quality and Safety │ Business Conduct

Samsung is upholding human rights and improving working environments while striving to create a strong corporate culture for executives and employees. The Global Grievance Resolution Policy was enacted in April 2024 to ensure grievances received are fairly and consistently handled per the company’s Global Human Rights Principles. With a goal of increasing the number of women in the workforce, Samsung plans to more than double the baseline number of women executives by 2030 as compared to 2022.  

Continuing its support for employees with disabilities, Samsung opened a subsidiary standard workplace in 2023 called “Stellar Forest” to create sustainable jobs for people with developmental disabilities. Starting with a confectionary manufacturer that supplies baked goods to Samsung employees, Stellar Forest plans to diversify into additional industries to create more job opportunities fit for those with disabilities. 

Samsung is gradually expanding its supply chain management scope to include second-tier and non-manufacturing suppliers. Third-party audits were introduced to select second-tier suppliers in 2023, extending the Supplier Code of Conduct from manufacturing suppliers to all suppliers that provide products and services to Samsung. 

Furthermore, the company expanded its security platform Samsung Knox to cover not only smartphones but also smart TVs and smart home appliances. With regular security updates of Galaxy mobile devices, Samsung extended the support period for security updates up to seven years starting from January 2024. 

Samsung prioritizes personal information protection, product quality, customer safety, compliance and ethical management across the company. 

Samsung transparently and efficiently discloses related information through the Sustainability website. In addition, the company actively communicates with stakeholders through forums, surveys and on-site visits. 

Following the spread of non-financial information disclosures and other global trends, this year’s report faithfully communicates Samsung’s strategies, implementation activities and the current status of major sustainable management issues. 

The full text of the 2024 Samsung Electronics Sustainability Report can be downloaded here. 

Creating a Global Platform for Change

Preserving the future of our planet is not a solo job. We teamed up with UNDP to support young changemakers on the frontlines of climate change who are delivering meaningful progress for our collective future. Through Generation17,¹ Samsung elevates their platforms to a global scale and inspires them through mentorship, peer learning and networking.

Today, we want to spotlight some of our incredible Generation17 Young Leaders and their work to address environmental challenges.

▲ Máximo Mazzocco speaks about the role of youth in climate activism at a Goals House event

Máximo Mazzocco, a leading climate activist from Argentina, is the founder of Eco House² — a non-governmental organization that specializes in educational and ecological restoration programs. Recently, he advocated for the approval of more than 40 socio-environmental laws and organized digital communications campaigns for the environment that reached more than 150 million users. In 2023, Eco House conducted workshops with other organizations to educate more than 60,000 state workers on environmental laws for the public sector. These trainings were the result of the Mandatory Ecological Education for State Workers Law,³ a piece of legislation that Eco House advocated for. The organization also launched Eco News to cover and distribute socio-environmental information.

▲ Tamara Gondo works at her sustainability-focused organization, Liberty Society.

Tamara Gondo, a Young Leader from Indonesia, started Liberty Society — a social enterprise that empowers and trains marginalized Indonesian women on how to upcycle materials and turn them into sustainable goods. By extending the lifespan of materials, upcycling minimizes waste and reduces CO2 emissions. In 2023 alone, Liberty Society upcycled 2.5 tons of waste to create more than 40,000 individual goods, set up four training-to-employment centers and upskilled 225 women from marginalized communities.⁴

▲ AY Young edits music in his home studio.

AY Young, a performer from the United States, created the Battery Tour⁵ to raise awareness around the importance of sustainable electricity and provide solar-powered batteries to communities in need. Since kicking off his tour, AY has donated over 100 solar boxes that power medical devices, fans and lights in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Honduras and six African countries.⁶ He is currently producing an album, titled Project 17, to support organizations working towards each of the 17 Global Goals.

Looking to the Future

While we are proud of these accomplishments, Samsung’s work is ongoing and always evolving. We will continue to join forces with like-minded organizations and accelerate our efforts to build sustainable innovations that deliver a more positive impact on the planet.

For more information about Samsung’s sustainability efforts, please visit our Sustainability website.

¹ Beginning in 2020, Generation17 is a partnership between Samsung and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that harnesses mobile technology to empower young people around the world who are taking concrete action towards the 17 Global Goals.
² Eco House operates 40 environmental programs globally and educates more than 100,000 youth on environmental topics in Argentina every year.
³ Eco House Impact Report: 7 Years of Action for Sustainability (2016-2023)
⁴ Liberty Society Annual Impact Report 2023
⁵ Shows are powered by 100% renewable energy.
⁶ Battery Tour

Finding the Balance Between Innovation and the Environment

Samsung is reimagining how Galaxy technology is designed and packaged to do more with less when it comes to our planet’s natural resources. For the last decade, we have worked to innovate high-performance components that are made with recycled materials.

We took an important step in 2022 when we incorporated recycled discarded fishing nets, also known as ghost nets, in the Galaxy S22 series. Recycled materials can now be found in all Galaxy mobile products, including smartphones, tablets, PCs and wearables.¹ At the same time, we have expanded our use to a greater variety of materials, from several different types of plastics to metals and glass.

▲ Visualizing how the Galaxy S24 series is designed and packaged to do more with less for people and the planet.

The Galaxy S24 series² takes these actions one step further. For the first time in any Galaxy device, we developed key device components with recycled cobalt, rare earth elements and steel. The battery³ in the Galaxy S24 Ultra contains a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt, and 100% recycled rare earth elements⁴ and a minimum of 40% recycled steel⁵ were used in the speakers.

Samsung has a long history of addressing the pervasive challenge of plastic waste through our recycled material innovations, and recycled plastics continue to play an important role in the Galaxy S24 series. The Galaxy S24 series maintains our use of recycled plastics sourced from discarded fishing nets, water barrels and PET bottles.

The recycled ocean-bound plastic⁶ material was created in partnership with global organizations who collected discarded fishing nets abandoned near the oceans. The nets’ properties were separated, cleaned and extruded before optimizing them into high-performance, recycled polyamide pellets. Similarly, the recycled polycarbonate and PET materials are sourced from discarded water barrels and PET bottles that were ground, filtered and melted down with other additives. This process helps us transform these fragile resources into high-performance optimized materials that uphold Samsung’s state-of-the-art design and high-quality standards. We also teamed up with other organizations to upcycle discarded Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) that was generated from shoe manufacturing.

This is a culmination of our continued efforts with our partners to transform fragile plastic wastes into high performance material used in Galaxy devices. With the Galaxy S24 series, our goal by end of 2024 is to help recover nearly 100 metric tons of recycled plastics⁷, which is equivalent to 10 million empty plastic bottles.⁸

When it comes to recycled metal, the Galaxy S24 series incorporates recycled aluminum⁹ that originates from scrap metal generated during manufacturing. The aluminum scrap is re-melted, filtered for impurities and then recycled to make components within Samsung’s product development process. With the Galaxy S24 series, our goal by end of 2024 is to recover about 110 metric tons of recycled aluminum, which is the equivalent of 9 million soda cans.¹⁰

Additionally, the Galaxy S24 series comes in a packaging box made using 100% recycled paper material. By the end of 2024, we hope to recover nearly 2,760 metric tons of recycled paper with Galaxy S24 series, which is equivalent of 552 million pieces of A4 paper.¹¹ If stacked on top of one another, that would be approximately the same height as 71 Burj Khalifas,¹² which is the tallest building in the world.

From the smallest components to the newest, most premium features, the Galaxy S24 series represents a significant stride in Samsung’s sustainability journey, and we remain committed to scaling these innovations in years to come. This work will help us shift to more circular designs and build technology that supports a more sustainable future.

For more information about Samsung’s sustainability efforts, please visit our Sustainability website.

¹ Recycled materials can be found in all Galaxy devices released in and after 2022.
² The Galaxy S24 series features a variety of recycled materials including pre- or post-consumer recycled plastics, including Polyamide (PA), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) in both internal and external components. It also includes components made with pre-consumer recycled aluminum and glass, as well as pre- and post-consumer recycled cobalt, rare earth elements (neodymium), and steel. For more information about the recycled materials in the Galaxy S24 series, please review Samsung’s product environmental reports on the Sustainability website.
³ The batteries of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S24+ include a minimum of 50% pre- and post-consumer recycled cobalt. The battery of the Galaxy S24 includes a minimum of 10% pre- and post-consumer recycled cobalt. The above measurements are based on weight.
⁴The speakers of the Galaxy S24 series include 100% pre- and post-consumer recycled neodymium. The above measurements are based on weight.
⁵ The speakers of the Galaxy S24 series include a minimum of 40% pre- and post-consumer recycled steel. The above measurements are based on weight.
⁶ Ocean-bound plastic is abandoned plastic waste of all sizes (micro-plastics, mezzo-plastics and macro-plastics) that are located within 50km of shores in communities or areas.
⁷ Calculated tons of recycled materials in this article are based on internal estimates.
⁸ Assuming the weight of 500ml PET bottles is 10g, which is the average weight of PET bottles from manufacturers across the market.
⁹ A minimum of 28% pre-consumer recycled aluminum is used in both internal and external aluminum components of Galaxy S24 series. For more information about the recycled materials in the Galaxy S24 series, please review Samsung’s product environmental reports on the Sustainability website.
¹⁰ Average weight of 330ml soda can is calculated from Metal Packaging Europe article.
¹¹ Average weight of A4 paper is calculated based on ISO 536:2019.
¹² At 828 meters high, the Burj Khalifa holds the record as the tallest building in the world.

Samsung Global Goals App Helps Raise Awareness and Donations

The Samsung Global Goals app, serviced in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is available in 89 languages, with nearly 300 million Galaxy users engaging with the app worldwide.¹ Through the app, Samsung invites the Galaxy community to learn about the Global Goals and contribute to the Goals of their choosing by donating directly or watching in-app advertisements to generate donations. Only four years after launching, the Galaxy community has raised over USD 17 million to support the Global Goals and promote resiliency around the world.

Despite our collective efforts to help the world achieve the Global Goals by 2030, we stand at a critical moment. The United Nations recently reported that global events have exacerbated systemic challenges and that, in some areas, our progress has either stalled or gone into reverse. Now more than ever, calls to demonstrate commitment to the Global Goals ring louder and Samsung believes that the Galaxy community can help make a difference.

Thank-You Gifts, a New Feature To Encourage the Galaxy Community To Take More Action

Thank-you gifts, following the announcement of the Samsung Global Goals app Donation Leaderboard last year, are the latest in Samsung’s ongoing efforts to encourage the Galaxy community to take action. Through this new feature, Samsung Global Goals app users will be the first to redeem limited-edition wallpapers to showcase on their Samsung Galaxy smartphones and watch faces. Samsung will initially offer three collections of wallpaper and watch face options, highlighting different endangered species and habitats, including black rhinos, sea turtles, sea otters, whale sharks, coral reefs and grasslands among others. These designs will be offered in cool black-and-white and chrome styles.

▲ Three collections of wallpaper and watch face options will be available on the Samsung Global Goals app, highlighting different endangered species and habitats

Each user who engages with the app will be offered a free wallpaper or watch face to download — giving them a chance to help progress the Global Goals and earn prizes along the way. By donating through the app, users can unlock access to other special wallpaper and watch face designs to celebrate their contributions.² Users can also look forward to even more Thank-you gift options as new collections continue to roll out throughout the year.

▲ Samsung Global Goals app users can unlock special wallpaper and watch face designs to celebrate their contributions

Samsung believes that technology can open opportunities for people to make a positive impact in their everyday lives. Join us in our pursuit of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development by visiting the Samsung Global Goals app.

¹ The Samsung Global Goals app is pre-installed on Galaxy smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.
² The number of free gifts and donation gifts may be limited, depending on the style and type.

Samsung Electronics today announced that eight product series¹ in its 2024 Neo QLED 4K and 8K, OLED, and The Frame lineups have received the “Product Carbon Reduction” certification from TÜV Rheinland, the international independent third-party testing, inspection, and certification organization. The certification demonstrates the carbon footprint reduction ratio of these products compared to the previous year’s model, serving as a testament to the company’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions year-over-year.

“As the world’s leading TV manufacturer, it is our responsibility to create products that both redefine TV capabilities while advancing sustainability efforts,” said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.

“Congratulations to Samsung Electronics. The issuance of Product Carbon Reduction certification demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its actual implementation efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change,” said Frank Holzmann, Global Vice President of TÜV Rheinland Business Field Electrical, “This recognition will undoubtedly enhance the brand’s reputation and customer trust, further solidifying its position as a leading player in the global electronics market.”

TÜV Rheinland evaluated greenhouse gas emissions for Samsung’s TV products throughout their life cycle- “from Cradle to Grave” — ranging from manufacturing, transportation, use to disposal, in accordance with the internationally recognized standards such as ISO 14067 and ISO 14064-4 as well as TÜV Rheinland’s self-developed standard 2 PfG Q2880/09.23. It verifies and certifies that all of eight TV product series meet the carbon reduction standard requirement set by TÜV Rheinland. The newly certified products include two Neo QLED 8K series, three Neo QLED 4K series, two OLED series and one series of The Frame.

In addition to product certification, Samsung’s Visual Display Business obtained the display and consumer electronics industry’s first “Product Carbon Footprint Calculation Method” certification from TÜV Rheinland. This certification measures and manages greenhouse gas emissions throughout the complete life cycle of a product, collecting and analyzing data in accordance with management regulations and stipulated execution manuals to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and ensure transparent and reproducible results.

As Samsung continues its work to reduce the environmental impact of its products, it aims to achieve TÜV Rheinland’s “Product Carbon Footprint” and “Product Carbon Reduction” certifications for over 60 models in 2024, including newly introduced soundbars. With these eight product series’ carbon reduction result and analysis report, Samsung has more confidence and clear direction in the development and design of the next generation decarbonized TV product.

This recognition builds on previous acknowledgements of Samsung’s sustainability efforts. It obtained its first “Reducing CO2” certification from the Carbon Trust in 2021 for Neo QLED 4K and higher resolution TVs. In 2022, 11 TV models and five monitor and signage products achieved the “Reducing CO2” certification, and most recently, 24 models across Samsung’s 2023 lineup were certified by the Carbon Trust and TÜV Rheinland.

For more information on Samsung’s 2024 TV lineup, please visit www.samsung.com.

¹ Neo QLED 8K (QN900D, QN800D), Neo QLED 4K (QN95D, QN90D, QN85DA), OLED (S95D, S90D), and The Frame (LS03D)

▲ Samsung Electronics receives the AA rating in the 2023 MSCI ESG Ratings.

The AA rating is based on the 2023 MSCI ESG Ratings by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), ranking Samsung as one of the global leaders in managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities.

Samsung improved its overall rating in 2023 by one notch, building on its consistent A rating since 2020. This upgrade was due to large improvements in its social and governance scores.

The MSCI ESG assessment, conducted by MSCI — a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, a leading global investment bank — has been a key global evaluation of ESG practices since 2009.

The assessment holds considerable influence over investors worldwide. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of the ESG management of more than 8,500 listed companies globally. The companies are categorized into seven grades — from the highest rank, AAA, to the lowest, CCC.

Samsung’s improvement in the rating last year is due to its global sustainability management activities. In particular, the company’s score increased in areas such as human capital development, controversial sourcing and corporate governance.

Internally, Samsung has implemented initiatives to improve the working environment for its employees. This includes the introduction of the Free Agent (FA) initiative and Samsung Talent Exchange Program (STEP), allowing employees more opportunities to explore different roles and gain cross-cultural work experience between domestic and overseas offices. Additionally, the company also runs The University of Samsung Electronics (The UniverSE), an educational program for integrated job and leadership training to support the continued growth of Samsung executives and employees.

In terms of responsible mineral sourcing, Samsung conducts regular surveys and inspections of all suppliers. The company publishes a dedicated Responsible Minerals Report in an effort to resolve and prevent any issues related to the mineral procurement process.

In the report, MSCI stated, “The company’s robust mineral sourcing policy leads that of industry peers and extends beyond 3TG minerals. We note improvements in Samsung Electronics’ corporate governance practices.”

Samsung incorporates sustainability management criteria in the Environmental and Social categories when evaluating organizational and executive performance. The Sustainability Committee of the Board of Directors, composed entirely of independent directors, plays a crucial role in discussing major ESG issues.

Samsung remains committed to sustainability management. The company will continue strengthening its ESG management system by investing and expanding its product line with eco-conscious technology and supporting human rights management in the supply chain.

The Sustainability Zone at Samsung’s booth ushered in visitors to discover how the company is promoting resource circularity and collaboration in addition to providing various accessibility services.

Samsung Newsroom explored the zone to learn more about the company’s multi-faceted commitment to tackling climate change. Read on to discover how Samsung is working toward creating a better future.

▲ The Sustainability Zone in the Samsung booth at CES 2024

The Journey Toward a Sustainable Future

In 2022, Samsung announced its new environmental strategy in response to climate change and the need for increased resource circularity. As part of this, Samsung outlined a timeline of sustainability milestones the company aims to hit over the next two decades — beginning with the announcement of its strategy to its company-wide net zero carbon emission target for 2050.

▲ The Sustainability Zone displayed Samsung’s goals for climate action and resource circularity.

Attendees viewed in-depth explanations of how Samsung is pursuing resource circularity through encased models of the company’s eco-conscious innovations that repurpose or incorporate recycled materials.

▲ Visitors were impressed with Samsung’s innovative approach to sustainability as displayed by the r-ABS and r-PP walls.

The Sustainability Zone featured recycled plastic walls that were built using r-ABS and r-PP, materials developed by Samsung’s Circular Economy Lab. r-ABS is made using recycled Styrofoam that comes from inside Samsung product packaging while r-PP is made by recycling various by-products generated during the production of household goods.

▲ A version of the r-ABS and r-PP walls was first showcased at IFA 2023.

▲ Attendees enjoyed the interactive Circular Workshop.

The Circular Workshop provided a closer look at the entire product lifecycle of the Galaxy Book4, Neo QLED 8K and BESPOKE AI Washer. “It was so interesting to see how sustainability was implemented at every stage of the product lifecycle,” said one visitor.

SmartThings Energy, Now Even Smarter

Samsung unveiled an even more advanced version of SmartThings Energy. Through AI Energy Mode, users can comprehensively manage their energy usage and cut down on electricity bills —reducing carbon emissions in the process.

▲ Visitors learned about the functions of Samsung’s energy solution, SmartThings Energy.

▲ Visitors were eager to hear about Samsung’s recent partnership with Tesla.

To further its pursuit of the Net Zero Home, Samsung expanded upon its recent collaboration with electric vehicle brand Tesla through SmartThings Energy. Tesla’s Powerwall 3, Solar Inverter and Universal Wall Connector were showcased — which have all been seamlessly integrated into the SmartThings Energy ecosystem. In addition, attendees viewed demonstrations of how notifications from the Storm Watch feature on Tesla’s app appear on Samsung TVs.

More Accessibility for All

▲ The Sustainability Zone featured Samsung’s diverse accessibility products that aim to increase usability for everyone.

Attendees were given a glimpse at a new remote function with condensed key functionalities and more accessible design, allowing users to control their TVs with the SmartThings app on their smartphones. Other accessibility features include Live caption in call that provides real-time transcription on Galaxy devices and Audio subtitles that automatically recognize and read on-screen subtitles, making it helpful especially when watching foreign content.

Joining Hands With Startups To Tackle Environmental Challenges

The zone highlighted Samsung’s open collaborations with startups that aim to better society by developing for the future.

▲ The Sustainability Zone displayed the company’s open collaborations with startups.

Samsung supports innovative startups to address environmental challenges through C-Lab Outside, the company’s external startup acceleration program. In addition, the company has also joined hands with organizations such as Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) — a global startup competition and ecosystem for entrepreneurs addressing global challenges.

Recognizing the need for sustainable action, Samsung hopes to inspire the larger tech community to take steps and create a better tomorrow. Learn more in the video below.

One of the company’s most recent projects¹ includes the Brobyholm smart city near Stockholm, Sweden — in which Samsung is joining hands with industry leaders to create a smart, energy-efficient residential community based on energy independence.

▲ Samsung is providing Net Zero Home solutions to the Brobyholm smart city in Sweden. The goal is to build a 2,000-home smart city near the Stockholm area, with approximately 500 homes set to be available in 2025 and sold sequentially until 2028.

Generating and Storing Energy From Dawn to Dusk

As soon as the sun rises in the morning, an energy-efficient home begins producing and storing energy using advanced solar panels and storage batteries. On clear, sunny days, the smart home system switches on the air conditioning or heating in advance — to save energy later on in the day, once the sun sets or the weather becomes overcast.

Using Samsung’s integrated and expansive multi-device ecosystem SmartThings, users can seamlessly control their home appliances and smart home devices. AI Energy Mode on SmartThings Energy helps users effortlessly save energy throughout their home by automatically optimizing energy usage of appliances.

▲ SmartThings Energy gives users the ability to easily monitor their home’s energy production, storage and usage.

Smart Energy Management Away From Home

Homeowners no longer have to worry about leaving their pets home alone on hot summer days. SmartThings will automatically turn on the air conditioner and lower the blinds to keep indoor temperatures cool and prevent strong sunlight from entering the house — allowing furry friends to stay comfortable inside. Additionally, home sensors can detect if a window is left open and alert users accordingly to avoid unnecessary energy waste.

Before leaving their home, users can preload their laundry into the washer and set it to run later. After the start button is pressed, SmartThings will determine when energy usage is lowest² in the day and automatically start the cycle. As such, users can manage their energy usage even when they’re not at home.

▲ SmartThings Energy enables smarter, more efficient energy usage by taking into account various factors such as energy production, outside temperatures, peak energy usage times and more.

Wind Down With SmartThings

After returning home from a long day, SmartThings Cooking allows users to easily prepare meals by sending a recipe’s cooking settings straight to the oven. When tidying up after dinner, SmartThings will automatically start the dishwashing cycle at off-peak hours² to help cut costs. Before settling down for the night, users can enjoy a warm shower using pre-heated water from the morning’s surplus energy while SmartThings’ Bedtime Routine automatically adjusts the lights and home appliance settings to create an optimal environment for a restful night of sleep.

▲ SmartThings allows users to control their home appliance and smart home devices while SmartThings Energy provides users with insights into their home’s energy production and consumption.

With SmartThings Energy, users can view how much energy their home produces and uses as well as other in-depth energy analytics. From laundry to cooking, SmartThings encourages users to complete their household chores using the energy produced by their homes. Samsung is making homes smarter with SmartThings and empowering users to take steps to create their own Net Zero Home.

¹ Some of the features depicted in the video will be implemented in 2024.
² The function to run appliances at off-peak times will be supported through an update in the first half of 2024 for the U.S. and major European countries including the U.K., France and Germany.

Samsung Electronics today announced that its Self-Repair program is now available for the latest smartphones, tablets and PCs in South Korea and even more European countries.

For the first time, Samsung is expanding the program to Galaxy foldables, including the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5. This offers Galaxy users extra convenience and choice to get more out of their devices by extending the life of their products. Through December, more Galaxy products¹ will be added — including the Galaxy S23 series, Tab S9 series and the Galaxy Book2 Pro series.

Samsung first launched its Self-Repair program in the U.S. in 2022 and expanded to South Korea, Brazil, Mexico and select European countries² earlier this year. Now, Samsung is extending the program’s coverage to 30 additional countries³ in Europe, including Denmark, Greece, Hungary and Portugal. This move represents one more way for users to join Samsung’s journey of doing more with less with the planet’s resources.

The program provides⁴ Galaxy users access to genuine parts — enabling them to replace the screen, back glass, charging ports, speaker, SIM tray and side key and volume key in their Galaxy smartphones. Similarly, Galaxy Book series users will be able to repair the front and rear case, display, battery, touchpad, power key with fingerprint reader, rubber feet, fan and speakers.

As part of Samsung’s commitment to empowering the Galaxy community with more repair choices, users will be able to keep all the repair tools — providing a convenient, hassle-free method to fix their Galaxy devices at any time.

Galaxy users can visit Samsung.com to learn more about Samsung’s Self-Repair program.

Available Products (Products, region, date may vary by market)

¹ Products may differ by market.
² Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and U.K.
³ Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland
⁴ Samsung collaborates with various distributors. Self-Repair program details may vary by market and distributor.

Hailing from different corners of the United States, designers Abi Lambert, Cade Thurlby, Karl Wagner and Tyler Boshard claimed the top prize of £10,000 with their project.

Participants in the Re:Create Design Challenge developed creative ideas to repurpose old Samsung devices or materials and transform them into new products or services.

The competition aimed to discover creative ideas that could potentially help people’s lives and the planet in meaningful ways.

Solar Lookout proposal would see Samsung smartphone repurposed into wildfire detection devices, powered by renewable energy. The proposal was designed with the ambition to reduce the time elapsed between the start of a fire and when it is first reported.

Envisioned to be positioned 10 feet above ground in areas prone to wildfires, these devices would utilize smartphone cameras to spot abnormalies like fires or smoke — harnessing an AI system for precise identification.

To blend in with its natural surroundings, the Samsung smartphone would be encased within a metal container that includes a strategically placed opening to allow the phone’s camera to capture its environment.

According to the designers, the phone would communicate via a mesh network and would be developed to report geospatial data including weather patterns and air quality.

The designers proposed that the device would be equipped with a 50W solar panel mounted atop the pole, serving a dual purpose of generating power for the phone and offering shade to prevent overheating.

Each device would also have space for a Samsung power bank to ensure usability overnight and during limited lighting conditions.

“So many great designs were shortlisted for Samsung and Dezeen’s Re:Create Design Challenge,” said Cajsa Carlson, Deputy Editor of Dezeen. “It was a joy to see how people across the world envisioned creative ideas that could have a positive impact.”

“Solar Lookout stood out for its proposed utility and well-executed design. The thought and attention to detail that the designers put into the project, and the intention to help communities, makes it a very worthy winner,” she continued.

The runners-up of the competition were London design studio Landor & Fitch and Korean designer Eunsu Lee.

Landor & Fitch’s project, known as “Robin,” proposed a modular kit that empowers children to build their own equipment to explore the outdoors. The concept was designed to foster education and curiosity about how products are made and, hopefully instill positive recycling practices from a young age.

Robin would be an interactive toolkit that utilizes parts from old Samsung devices like cameras, speakers and LEDs.

The interchangeable components of such devices would be repurposed into multiple products that can be easily assembled such as a camera, fan and flashlight.

Lee’s proposal, “Memory Capsule,” introduced a concept for a recycling campaign that would transform discarded smartphones into USB devices that would serve as symbolic storage devices preserving memories in the form of images, videos and other data from old phones.

As a playful nod to its name, the design of the device mirrors the shape of a medical capsule and would feature a transparent cap which, according to the designer, would be made from “recycled polycarbonate sourced from discarded fishing nets.”

The device’s packaging would be crafted from recycled pulp, while the metals and plastics within the USB would be repurposed from discarded smartphones.

“The entrants really showcased the power of design through a meaningful and sustainable approach to innovation,” Samsung said.

“The implementation and actual impact on planet remains untested. However, with consistent effort and creativity in mind, we hope brainstorming such small changes could possibly help create our vision for the future together.”

Finalists were selected from over 45 countries worldwide, with Solar Lookout emerging as the winner of the Re:Create Design Challenge.

The initial entries were narrowed down to a shortlist of 11 designs, from which the jury selected the top three prize winners. Each design was evaluated based on its innovative ideas and consideration for use of old Samsung devices and recycled materials.

The total prize pool for the top three finalists amounted to £18,000 with £10,000 going to the designers of Solar Lookout for their winning concept.

*The proposed designs above by the entrants are conceptual and have not been implemented. No assessment was made regarding implementation feasibility and actual or potential social and environmental impact of the designs, which were judged purely on the strength and creativity of the ideas presented.

Please find more stories of the winners in Dezeen Website.

To energize the concept of a carbon-neutral home, Samsung Electronics built a one-person household outside the IFA 2023 venue, held from September 1 to 5 in Berlin, Germany. Demonstrating how a home can generate and store its own energy, the Net Zero Home project highlighted features of SmartThings Energy and sparked enthusiasm for a more attainable eco-conscious lifestyle.

▲ Samsung built the Net Zero Home project near CityCube, the IFA 2023 venue in Berlin, Germany.

Building the Future of Smart Home Technology Together

To create a home that generates and stores energy using solar panels and batteries, Samsung partnered with global experts in energy, utilities and IT — including solar panel and battery manufacturers Hanwha Qcells, SMA and Maxeon, and smart home innovator ABB.

Through these collaborations, SmartThings Energy can efficiently monitor and manage everything from solar energy production to the energy consumption of home appliances or electric vehicle chargers.

▲ Energy is produced via Hanwha Qcells’ solar panels that have been installed on the roof of the Net Zero Home project.

▲ Various partner solutions — such as Hanwha Qcells’ solar panels; SMA’s home-use photovoltaic inverter, battery and electric vehicle charger; and ABB’s smart meter — have been seamlessly integrated into the SmartThings system. In addition, visitors can take note of Samsung’s Air to Water Heating Systems (EHS), highly efficient integrated heat pump solutions for heating and cooling currently available in the European market.

Energy Monitoring and Efficiency at Your Fingertips

With AI Energy Mode, SmartThings Energy makes it easy to save energy by reducing the energy consumption of users’ home appliances and predicting their monthly energy usage. Before reaching target energy limits, SmartThings Energy will automatically activate AI Energy Mode to run appliances on power-efficient algorithms.

▲ The smart TV, dishwasher, oven, air conditioner and Family Hub refrigerator installed in the Net Zero Home project can be monitored through SmartThings Energy. Energy usage can be significantly reduced with AI Energy Mode.

Using SmartThings’ Routines, users can effortlessly reduce energy waste in their daily lives. With a single press of a button, home appliances and lights can be turned off when leaving the house — so there’s no need to worry about forgetting about the lights in the bedroom or the air conditioner.

Users can also use Routines to create a Sunshine Mode for example, activating the air conditioner to keep the home cool on hot, sunny days when solar panels are generating plenty of power. Compatible blinds can also be set to be automatically lowered to prevent excess sunlight from coming through the windows and heating up the house, ensuring the air conditioner works more efficiently.

▲ Demonstration of ‘Sunshine Mode’ made with SmartThings Routines, where the solar panel, air conditioner, and blind automatically work together to efficiently keep the house cool on hot sunny days

Connecting People and Technology in Everyday Life

SmartThings offers homeowners peace of mind — allowing them to see who’s at the door in real time via their smart TV, manage food inventory through the Family Hub refrigerator touchscreen or view and control all their connected devices from the SmartThings app.

The Net Zero Home project, powered by SmartThings, is becoming a reality around the world. Samsung is collaborating with partners on several Net Zero Home projects — including the S. Property Group’s smart urban infrastructure development in Brobyholm, Sweden; the Eco Delta City in Busan, Korea; and the Smart City Project in Sterling Ranch, Colorado, U.S.

SmartThings Energy’s device connectivity is bridging the gap between the present and future, making sustainability possible for everyone. Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom to learn more about how the features in the Net Zero Home project, highlighted at IFA 2023, will become a part of everyday lives.

Samsung’s partnership with SMA enables users to access SMA’s various products and Home Energy solutions with SmartThings Energy. Samsung’s heat pumps can also now talk to SMA’s solutions. With the ABB partnership, users can leverage ABB’s various home automation solutions with SmartThings. Samsung’s various connected products will also be available for ABBs Smart Buildings.

With SMA’s Jan Van Laethem and ABB’s Lucy Han both participating in IFA as Net Zero Home project spokespersons, Samsung sat down with them to discuss their work on the project, their companies’ respective partnerships with Samsung and their visions for the future of sustainable smart home solutions.

▲ SMA’s Jan Van Laethem and ABB’s Lucy Han both spoke at Samsung Electronics’ Press Conference at IFA 2023

Q. Could you please give us a brief introduction to yourself and your work?

Van Laethem: As EVP of Segment Home Solutions, I’m responsible for all global residential solutions, systems and devices. SMA is the leading specialist in photovoltaic (PV) and storage system technology and we endeavor to set the standards for tomorrow’s renewable energy supply. Our portfolio scope ranges from efficient PV and battery inverters up to holistic system solutions for PV, battery storage, EV charging and HVAC systems of all power classes. With over 40 years of experience – which began at our center in Germany — the teams at SMA are working to shape the path to a climate friendly future.

Han: I am Executive Vice President for Building and Home Automation Solutions at ABB. Our ABB Smart Buildings enhance people’s quality of life by equipping the buildings of the future with products, solutions and services that drive energy efficiency and sustainability. We leverage innovation and digital technologies to enable safe and reliable energy distribution and smarter, more sustainable buildings. Whether it’s new or existing single-family homes, multi-dwellings or commercial and industrial buildings, we are driven by a spirit of partnership and collaboration, supported by a reputation for open and scalable digital solutions and intelligent technologies.

▲ SMA’s Jan Van Laethem and ABB’s Lucy Han pose at Samsung Electronics’ booth at IFA 2023

Q. Why did you choose to partner with Samsung for the Net Zero Home project? How does the partnership align with your company goals?

Van Laethem: Both SMA and Samsung share the same mission: To make people the focus of our business goals. SMA wants to empower its customers to create a sustainable future in their own lives, and partnerships with companies like Samsung are crucial in realizing this, because device compatibility is essential in making it happen.

Han: Teaming up with a major tech innovator like Samsung Electronics strengthens ABB’s mission to connect entire buildings with open and adaptable solutions. Partnerships like this also provide insights into total energy consumption, including in areas like electric vehicle (EV) charging.

Homeowners want smart home solutions that link all the devices of the home, whether they are from Samsung, ABB or other brands. Importantly, they also want to be able to access them via one user interface. The Net Zero Home project is an important milestone because it demonstrates this user-friendly approach in action. Our work with Samsung is helping make concepts like home automation and energy optimization more tangible to customers by showing them working seamlessly in familiar environments. Once fully realized, these concepts will constitute a significant step towards a more sustainable world.

Q. How would you describe the Net Zero Home project for customers? Does it let them participate in energy management themselves?

Han: Imagine homes where devices and appliances are all connected through one centralized system, a system that saves you money, time and energy. By connecting the Samsung SmartThings app with ABB home automation solutions, for instance, you can monitor and control everything — from washing machines to energy and security systems — using just one app across your devices. Through the energy they save and the carbon emissions they cut, smarter homes are a win-win for both you and the planet.

Van Laethem: The Net Zero Home project can take care of customers’ energy management for them, but it also lets them customize the system to meet their individual needs. The project offers different solutions for different individuals, from solar beginners to advanced users who want to participate more directly in managing their energy.

▲ At IFA 2023, Samsung invited attendees to explore its Net Zero Home project at Tiny House, just outside City Cube Berlin. The exhibition showcased how, with the SmartThings Energy service at its core, Samsung is developing this new holistic, efficient and intelligent household energy experience.

Q. What are your hopes and expectations for Net Zero Home use around the world? What are the factors that play into its wider adoption?

Van Laethem: SMA’s goal is to supply as many households as possible with clean energy and thus reduce CO2 emissions worldwide, and the Net Zero Home project is a great opportunity to make our energy solutions more widely available.

All around the world, energy costs are rising. Customers are starting to realize the value of independence from fossil energy imports and want to cut down their personal CO2 emissions. These factors are laying the groundwork for broader Net Zero Home adoption, and its success would mean more energy security, more freedom and a healthier planet.

Han: Global Net Zero Home adoption would mean more homes that don’t mess with the planet. That’s what this project is all about. Net Zero Homes are like climate superheroes, fighting carbon and climate change day in, day out. My personal vision for Net Zero Homes is for them to make a real difference in addressing the climate crisis.

Our overarching goal is to lead the way with today’s technologies to fix tomorrow’s issues. To make Net Zero Homes successful, however, we also need to keep things simple. That means open communication protocols, interoperable devices and creating a common language for the household ecosystem.

Q. To what extent is the Net Zero Home project responding to the current state of home energy?

Han: When it comes to the future of connected living and city planning, the pandemic condensed decades of social and behavioral change into the space of just a few months.

Now, we’re looking at a whole new landscape. Concepts like “smart cities” are evolving into a focus on “smart communities.” We used to think of smart technology in terms of individual homes, but now adoption among multi-dwelling, multi-villa and tower developments is gathering pace too.

To accelerate the transition to Net Zero we need to consider issues like industry standardization and regulatory certainty, the accessibility of technology, innovation, financing and industry skills. These are all areas that efforts like the Net Zero Home project help flesh out in real time.

▲ SMA’s Jan Van Laethem and ABB’s Lucy Han at Samsung Electronics’ Press Conference at IFA 2023. Samsung is working with various partners, including SMA and ABB, to help make the home of the future a reality

Q. What does the future hold for SMA and ABB’s work with Samsung?

Van Laethem: SMA and Samsung are continuing to work together on holistic solutions that bring together the worlds of smart homes and home energy management. We look forward to sharing more plans and projects down the line.

Han: ABB and Samsung are currently working on the next iteration of products and solutions that tackle modern energy demands. Able to integrate with third party companies and domestic appliances, this solution will harmonize smart home systems, energy management processes and EV charging controls. Built into our existing smart home ecosystem, it interacts with heat pumps, rooftop solar PV systems and EVs.

This kind of visualized intelligence at users’ fingertips was, until now, the preserve of commercial buildings. Not only do our new solutions empower homeowners to better manage their immediate energy bills, but they will also help them to optimize their consumption habits over the long term. We are proud of our achievements alongside Samsung in the Net Zero Home project, and I am hopeful of further successes to come.

From September 1 to 5, visitors to Samsung’s booth can discover brand-new connected experiences powered by SmartThings and explore how the company combines innovation with eco-conscious initiatives to build a brighter future for all.

Samsung Newsroom invites those who can’t attend in person to take a virtual tour of the company’s booth through the photos below.

▲ Using the 787-inch The Wall as a media facade, Samsung unveiled innovative products and sustainable smart home solutions.

1. Sustainability Today for a Brighter Tomorrow

At the Sustainability Zone, visitors can discover Net Zero Home, an eco-conscious future residence, and learn about Samsung’s environmental efforts and technologies for future generations — including company-developed recyclable materials such as “r-ABS” and the environmental impact of energy usage at home through Carbon Intensity Insight.

In September 2022, Samsung announced its new environmental strategy and committed to achieving company-wide carbon neutrality by 2050 and joining efforts to tackle climate change. To that end, the company has reduced carbon emissions by more than 900,000 tons and increased the use of renewable plastics by threefold compared to 2021.

▲ Following the announcement of Samsung’s new environmental strategy, the Circular Economy Lab was established to foster a resource circulation ecosystem and develop recyclable materials, such as “r-ABS.” Samsung introduces a roadmap for its plans to use recycled materials in its products.

▲ Visitors immerse themselves in Samsung’s sustainability initiatives, such as the use of discarded fishing nets and eco-conscious packaging.

2. Streamline Your Daily Routine With SmartThings

Samsung showcases SmartThings, the company’s expansive and fully integrated home ecosystem. In particular, this section of the booth highlights how third-party devices with Matter or HCA support can be seamlessly connected to the advanced multi-device connectivity platform.

▲ SmartThings continues to expand service and usability for third-party devices that support the Matter protocol and HCA standards. Samsung has recently collaborated with 26 European companies to deliver better connected experiences to users.

3. Enriching Your Daily Life With Bespoke Home

At the Bespoke Life booth, Samsung showcases sustainable and intelligent home appliances with unique personalization options. What’s more, visitors can get hands-on experience with Samsung’s latest home appliances such as the BESPOKE AI Washer & Dryer, Bespoke Jet AI and Bespoke Oven.

▲ Visitors learn about Samsung Food at Samsung’s booth.

▲ Booth visitors experience Samsung’s latest All-in-One Washer & Dryer.

▲ Visitors test Bespoke Jet AI, the world’s first UL-verified AI cordless stick vacuum cleaner.

4. Vivid and Bright Experiences on Display

Samsung’s booth features the Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor and 98-inch ultra-large TV lineup — highlighting cutting-edge MICRO LED technology that offers lifelike picture quality. In addition, Samsung Gaming Hub opens the door to cloud gaming while the Freestyle 2^nd Gen portable projector demonstrates new ways to entertain with a 21:9 screen ratio for a full cinematic experience.

▲ (From left) The 98″ Big Screen Zone showcases three 98-inch TV models that deliver high-quality resolution through ultra-large screens. Visitors try out Samsung’s latest gaming monitor, the Odyssey Neo G9.

▲ Visitors explore The Frame-Disney100 Edition which includes 100 pieces of Disney artwork.

▲ (From left) The Freestyle 2nd Gen portable projector supports Smart Edge Blending where two devices can be paired to offer users a 160” panoramic viewing experience and now also enables access to Samsung Gaming Hub.

5. Unfold the Latest Mobile Innovations With the Galaxy Z Series

Visitors at Samsung’s booth can experience the flip side with the latest mobile device lineup unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked this past July — the Galaxy Z Flip5, Z Fold5, Watch6 series and Tab S9 series.

▲ The recently released Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 on display

Beyond leading technological innovation, Samsung aims to connect people with each other and the world around them through its products. The company looks forward to the future — eager to reduce its environmental impact,  enhance the lives of consumers and discover new possibilities for a better world.

Samsung Eco-Friends are accessories such as product cases and wearable straps that contain a minimum of 40% Post Consumer Material (PCM). The Samsung Eco-Friends lineup was planned by Samsung’s Future Generation Lab, which comprises global employees in their 20s and reflects the values and tastes of the younger generation. Future Generation Lab also helps partners expand their sales through the Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program (SMAPP).

The new Samsung Eco-Friends products feature 11 characters and designs² popular across the globe. The collaboration brings the works of TOILETPAPER, Smiley and Keith Haring, as well as Disney, Marvel, Minions, Pokémon and Kakao Friends. The lineup also includes designs of famous K-pop artists, such as Stray Kids, SKZOO and BTS Dynamite.

In particular, the accessories with TOILETPAPER design are noteworthy. TOILETPAPER is an influential creative studio in Italy, known for its disruptive and experimental creative work. The studio’s designs have been applied to “Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator” panels, and now extending to mobile accessories. A rose graphic unveiled earlier this year, as well as its popular lipstick graphic, is applied to Samsung Eco-Friends.

The Samsung Eco-Friends lineup includes accessories for mobile products such as the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5, Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Watch6 and Galaxy Buds2 Pro, as well as The Freestyle portable projector. A total of 64 products³ offer appealing characters and designs for customers to choose from to personalize their device.

Also available with this launch is the ability for customers to coordinate their foldable phone screens with Samsung Eco-Friends accessories through near-field communication (NFC) technology and QR codes. This allows users to express themselves with a design that is cohesive from case to screen.

With the introduction of the Galaxy Z Flip5, the exclusive Flipsuit case features an NFC-based Flipsuit card that enables a new experience by automatically playing screen themes when it is inserted into the product. By simply replacing the Flipsuit card provided by Samsung Eco-Friends, customers can easily set the screen theme depending on their preferences.

Samsung plans to continue to expand the use of recycled materials in Samsung Eco-Friends to deliver eco-conscious values, and update its lineup and design to enrich customers’ experiences.

¹ Samsung Eco-Friends is the name of a collection of accessories where each accessory of the Eco-Friends collection is made using at least 40% recycled materials for select Samsung devices. (Measured by total volume of each accessory.)
² The types and designs of accessories available for purchase may vary by countries.
³ The types and designs of accessories available for purchase may vary by countries.

A Wider Variety of Recycled Materials in More Components

Earlier this year, Samsung expanded its innovative use of recycled materials in product design with the Galaxy S23 series, introducing new materials to more components. The Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 advance these efforts, featuring a wider variety of recycled materials¹ in more internal and external components than previous Galaxy Z series smartphones. The newest foldable smartphones incorporate pre-consumer recycled aluminum and post-consumer recycled plastic sourced from discarded fishing nets, water barrels and PET bottles. They also scale the use of Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass Victus^® 2, which contains an average of 22% pre-consumer recycled glass content.

Not only did Samsung add more types of recycled materials used in each device, but the company also more than doubled the amount of device components that use a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled plastic or pre-consumer recycled glass, or an average of 22% pre-consumer recycled glass. Both the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5² use recycled materials in 15 device components, an increase from six internal components in the Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4.

When it comes to packaging, Samsung continue to advance its efforts to reduce the presence of single-use plastic. That’s why the paper for the packaging box³ is made using 100% recycled material.⁴ The company also switched to recycled paper material for the front and back cover protector.

A Device Lifecycle That Lasts Longer

The Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 continue Samsung’s work to optimize the longevity and improve the upgradability of its smartphones. Each device comes with five years of security updates and four generations of OS upgrades, helping to extend the product lifecycle.

As a result, the Galaxy community can reliably enjoy their devices for a longer period of time, enabling them to make eco-conscious choices in their daily lives.

Check out the infographic below to see how small actions can add up to a big, positive impact on the planet through the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5.

¹ Types of recycled materials include post-consumer recycled PA sourced from discarded fishing nets, post-consumer recycled PBT sourced from discarded PET bottles, post-consumer recycled PC sourced from water barrels and pre-consumer recycled aluminum sourced from discarded scrap material generated as a by-product during manufacturing. The scrap metal is re-melted, filtered for impurities and then recycled to make parts within Samsung’s manufacturing process. There is also pre-consumer recycled glass sourced from discarded glass waste generated as a byproduct of glass manufacturing. This glass waste is crushed into cullet and then used as a component in the Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass Victus^® 2 manufacturing process.
² Galaxy Z Flip5: 15 device components that feature a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled material plastic or pre-consumer recycled aluminum, or an average of 22% pre-consumer recycled glass. These components include Volume Key Bracket, Speaker Module (Upper & Lower), Rear Top, Display Connector Cap, FPCB RF Cable Bracket, Rear Mid, Case Front (Main), Case Front (Sub), Volume Key, Finger Key Bracket, Receiver Deco, Connector to Connector Holder, SIM Tray, Sub Window and Back Glass. (Galaxy Z Flip4: six device components). The above measurements are based on weight.
Galaxy Z Fold5: 15 device components that feature a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled material plastic or pre-consumer recycled aluminum, or an average of 22% pre-consumer recycled glass. These components include Volume Key FPCB Bracket, Top Speaker Module (Upper & Lower), Bottom Speaker Module (Upper & Lower), Cover Display Connector, Case Front (Main), Case Front (Sub), Antenna (Sub), Antenna (Main), Volume Key, Finger Key Bracket, SIM Tray, Connector to Connector Holder, Camera Deco (Top & Bottom), Sub Window and Back Glass. (Galaxy Z Fold4: six device components). The above measurements are based on weight.
³ 100% recycled paper is used in the following packaging components: the Product Packaging Unit Box, Cover Protector, Manual Box, Manual Pad and DLC Band.
⁴ The 100% recycled paper material has received Environmental Claim Validation (ECV).

Challenging Innovators To Ideate for a Better Future

Following the announcement of its New Environmental Strategy in September 2022, Samsung has been working closely with startups to invest in and develop innovative technologies capable of helping the planet.

To further these efforts, Samsung and XTC have announced the Samsung Climate & Circularity Tech Challenge. This competition, focused on circular economy and climate change, seeks to identify new leading solutions that are in line with the values of Samsung’s New Environmental Strategy.

Participants are encouraged to submit ideas that address resource circularity as related to not only the processing, sorting and extraction phases but also climate change innovation as related to carbon emission measurement and management and carbon emission reduction and offsetting. Selected entries may be considered for implementation into Samsung’s wide range of products and associated manufacturing processes.

The Samsung Climate & Circularity Tech Challenge is open to tech-for-good founders and innovators. Besides having the opportunity to see their ideas form the next generation of home electronics, successful participants will receive exposure on the global stage as well as the potential for investment and corporate strategic partnerships. Winning entries will also be allocated a presence within Samsung’s exhibition at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, U.S.

Those interested in the challenge are able to apply before applications close on August 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.¹ Finalists will be announced on August 28, ahead of a live final event on September 18.

For more information on the challenge, please visit the official website.

¹ The content has been revised as of July 31, 2023 to provide more accurate information.

Through this report, Samsung discloses its sustainability strategy and performance in the areas of People, Planet and Principle.

The report highlights major activities over the past year, including progress in implementing the New Environmental Strategy announced in September 2022 and the launch of the company’s Global Human Rights Principles.

The New Environmental Strategy specifies the company’s roadmap to achieve net zero at the Device eXperience (DX) Division by 2030 and at the company level including the Device Solutions (DS) Division by 2050, as well as its efforts to contribute to climate action and a circular economy.

In 2022, Samsung completed its transition to renewable energy use in Vietnam, India and Brazil — in line with the company’s goal to fully transition to renewable energy use at DX and all operational sites outside Korea by 2027.

In addition, the company increased the amount of recycled resin used in its plastic parts — on track towards its goal to use recycled resin in 50% of plastic parts by 2030 and in all plastic components by 2050.

In 2022, Samsung’s DS Division expanded installations of Regenerative Catalytic Systems (RCSs) in its facilities to treat process gas more efficiently and reduce direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Moreover, through its efforts to restore water to its natural state prior to discharge by 2040, Hwaseong Campus attained the highest Platinum rating issued by the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS).

Samsung continues to expand collaboration with various stakeholders. The company joined global initiatives such as RE100, the Asian Clean Energy Coalition (ACEC) and Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE). Samsung also collaborated with Patagonia to launch a filter that reduces microplastics released from washing machines.

This year’s Sustainability Report delves into the company’s approach to respecting human rights and fostering talent. In February 2023, Samsung announced its Global Human Rights Principles that highlight the company’s commitment to respect human rights in line with international standards, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

In terms of talent development, the company introduced the Free Agent (FA) initiative and Samsung Talent Exchange Program (STEP) in 2022 — expanding opportunities for employees to experience different functions within the company. Samsung also launched The University of Samsung Electronics (The UniverSE), a comprehensive training platform that supports employees’ professional development.

Furthermore, Samsung has included sustainability-related indicators in performance evaluations of organizational units and executives since 2021. Depending on the area or function, these performance metrics include indicators on GHG emissions reduction, renewable energy transition, energy efficient product development, compliance and accessibility.

Lastly, in February 2023, Samsung launched its Sustainability Website, a comprehensive platform that offers detailed information on the company’s sustainability-related activities. The website covers a wide range of topics including strategy and goals, ongoing efforts and progress, environmentally responsible products, policies, quantitative performance data, news and featured stories, as well as recognitions and awards.

The full text of the 2023 Samsung Electronics Sustainability Report can be downloaded here.

For more stories about Samsung’s sustainability initiatives, visit here.

Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of the new Less Microfiber Filter, an external washing machine filter designed to significantly reduce plastic microfiber emissions during laundry cycles. Designed with inspiration from apparel maker Patagonia and expertise from the global ocean conservation organization Ocean Wise, the filter builds on the success of last year’s Less Microfiber Cycle to substantially cut microplastics and enable sustainable laundry washing that is both effective and effortless. The new filter is now available in Korea and the U.K. and will roll out to other countries in the third quarter.

“With microplastics emissions to our oceans continuing to increase and regulations being strengthened in many countries, as well as microplastics becoming a growing health concern for people everywhere, Samsung worked with Ocean Wise and Patagonia to engineer technology to prevent the release of microplastics from our daily life,” said Moohyung Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D Team of Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “With innovations like the Less Microfiber Filter and Cycle, Samsung is enabling Everyday Sustainability in a wider array of products and making eco-conscious daily practices second nature in the home.”

From the Less Microfiber Cycle to the Less Microfiber Filter: Stopping Microplastics Before They Enter the Ocean

To enable customers to cut microplastic emissions from their laundry, Samsung first developed the Less Microfiber Cycle, a wash course that reduces microplastic shedding by 54%¹ in part by leveraging Samsung’s proprietary Ecobubble technology. By using bubbles to help dissolve and absorb detergent, less heat and energy is required to wash clothes, resulting in reduced abrasion which in turn prevents microplastic emissions.

The Less Microfiber Filter takes this a step further, preventing up to 98%² of microplastics released during laundry from escaping into the ocean, equivalent to eight 500ml plastic bottles per year³ when used four times a week. In addition, to help more customers get involved in cutting microplastic emissions, the Less Microfiber Filter has a mountable design style that allows it to be used with standard washing machine models, demonstrating the company’s dedication to long-term sustainability and helping customers embrace sustainability at home.

Sustainable Convenience Every Day and at Every Stage of the Product Lifecycle

Samsung is committed to developing new products and technologies for a sustainable future. As we strive to enable Everyday Sustainability, not only should these products be highly effective, they should also be simple, accessible and convenient to use while considering eco-conscious practices in each aspect of product development.

With this in mind, the Less Microfiber Filter is made using recycled plastics — to help incorporate sustainability at every stage of its lifecycle — and was designed to be long-lasting and easy to maintain. The filter’s blades capture the microplastics with a 65-70 micrometer wide mesh, then redirect and compress these microplastics to one side, meaning the filter only needs to be cleaned roughly once a month.

By connecting with Samsung’s intelligent connectivity platform SmartThings, the filter tracks how full it is from 0 to 100%, alerting users when cleaning or other troubleshooting is required via the SmartThings app. The Less Microfiber Cycle, meanwhile, is available as a preset option on select Samsung washing machines from 2022 and can be activated with just the press of a button. It will be expanded to users of previous Wi-Fi enabled Samsung washing machine models through an over the network update this year.

Innovation for a Brighter Future

The development and launch of the Less Microfiber Cycle and Filter are just the latest steps in Samsung’s sustainability journey.

“Samsung Electronics and Patagonia’s efforts to reduce the harmful microplastics emissions being released into our oceans do not end here,” said Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia. “We look forward to bringing this collaborative, sustainable spirit to further projects with industry partners to create even more solutions that combat marine pollution.”

Beyond the launch of the Less Microfiber Cycle and Filter, Samsung will continue developing new technologies and products that make Everyday Sustainability an effortless part of daily life for customers everywhere and continue to work with partners like Patagonia to deliver tomorrow’s eco-conscious household solutions.

¹ Tested with 2kg load of 100% polyester hoodies, comparing Synthetics cycle on Samsung Conventional model WW4000T and the Less Microfiber Cycleon WW9400B. The results may be different depending on the clothes and environment. Tested at the Ocean Wise Plastics Lab.
² Tested at Ocean Wise Plastics Lab on the WW90T734DWH model (using Synthetic cycle, approximately 2kg load of synthetic textile laundry) comparing the amount of microfiber released with and without the Less Microfiber Filter installed. The amount is calculated by filtering drain water through a 50um filter. Results may vary depending on clothes and environment.
³ Tested at Ocean Wise Plastics Lab on the WW90T734DWH model (using Synthetic cycle, approximately 2kg load of synthetic textile laundry) comparing the amount of microfiber released with and without the Less Microfiber Filter installed. The amount is calculated by filtering drain water through a 50um filter. One wash cycle’s reduction amount of 0.627g is based on a 5kg load (0.125g/kg x 5kg). Annual reduction amount (132g) is calculated based on 210 cycles (4 times a week, 52 weeks) and 5kg load on each cycle. 500㎖ bottle weight (15.4g) is based on the Korea Ministry of Environment’s guideline on plastic bottles.

Samsung Electronics will mark the beginning of a new chapter for home appliances today at Bespoke Life 2023, the company’s third annual showcase of the latest updates to its Bespoke lineup. Streaming at 10:00 EDT (16:00 CEST, 23:00 KST) on Samsung’s official website, newsroom and YouTube channel, the event will offer an opportunity to discover how the company’s expanded “Bespoke Life” vision is transforming users’ lives through sustainability, connectivity and design.

“Bespoke Life embodies Samsung’s commitment to making our homes and future more sustainable by reimagining the appliances we rely on every day,” said Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of the DX (Device eXperience) Division at Samsung Electronics. “By introducing new and creative ways for users to ‘Bespoke’ their life, our latest products and solutions empower anyone to enjoy a more sustainable, connected and stylish lifestyle.”

Sustainable Life — Technologies That Make a Positive Impact

Samsung’s Bespoke Life concept was born out of the belief that home appliances are key to creating a more sustainable tomorrow. Accordingly, this year’s Bespoke event will highlight Samsung’s efforts to further reduce carbon emissions across the entire product lifecycle. It will also announce the launch of the new Less Microfiber Filter: a simple solution for minimizing microplastic emissions during laundry cycles.

From sourcing and production to distribution, usage and recycling, Samsung is redesigning each stage of the product lifecycle to help reduce energy usage and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Examples of the company’s efforts to recycle more resources include operating a recycling center, incorporating bioplastic material from waste oil into Bespoke refrigerators’ storage baskets and expanding its use of recycled fishing nets. Once products have been manufactured, they are shipped to users in Samsung’s eco-packaging, which began replacing plastic tape and coil with paper earlier this year.

To encourage a more sustainable living during the product use phase, Samsung continues to expand services that make saving energy effortless. Which is why, this year, five new Bespoke appliances, including refrigerators, washers and dryers, dishwashers and air conditioners, as well as Samsung’s Eco Heating System, will feature an upgraded version of SmartThings AI Energy Mode that will soon be available in 65 countries.¹

In addition to promoting reductions in carbon emissions and energy usage, Samsung continues to take an active role in tackling microplastic pollution. After developing a laundry cycle that reduces microfiber discharge by up to 54%,² Samsung and Patagonia have teamed up once again to launch the Less Microfiber Filter. The Less Microfiber Filter is capable of capturing up to 98%³ of microfibers shed during laundry cycles. When used to wash two kilograms of laundry four times a week, the filter can help reduce up to 132 grams of microplastic discharge per person per year — an amount equivalent to approximately eight 500ml plastic bottles. The Less Microfiber Filter is now available in Korea and the U.K., and will roll out to other countries in Q3 of this year.

Connected Life — Paving the Way for Hyper-Connected Homes

To “Bespoke” one’s life is to optimize devices in ways that streamline and empower your routine. By strengthening connectivity across the lineup and expanding AI to more product categories, Samsung is paving the way for a new era of hyper-connected homes.

Combining Samsung’s latest SmartThings enhancements and AI technology, Bespoke products offer a seamlessly automated home experience — one in which devices learn users’ usage patterns and provide personalized automation based on their smart home configuration and lifestyle. To make it easy for consumers to enjoy those experiences, Samsung has announced that it is integrating Wi-Fi support into all new Bespoke appliances and will make connectivity a standard in all Samsung appliance lineups in the coming years.

Samsung has also announced the launch of the Bespoke Jet AI — the company’s most powerful⁴ cordless stick vacuum cleaner, and the world’s first to be verified by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Solutions, a leading independent safety science organization, for AI. Combining up to 280W⁵ of suction power with a run time of up to 100 minutes⁶ per charge, the Bespoke Jet AI offers the performance required to give one’s entire home a thorough clean. Its AI Cleaning Mode⁷ intelligently monitors brush load and vacuuming air pressure to distinguish different cleaning environments,⁸ including the floor type, and automatically optimizes settings such as suction power and brush speed⁹ to maximize cleaning performance, usage time and maneuverability. The vacuum also features a new All-in-One Clean Station that produces a powerful spinning cyclone to instantly and effectively¹⁰ empty the dustbin.

Stylish Life — Taking Personalized Design to the Next Level

The three million Bespoke refrigerators that have been sold worldwide since the lineup’s launch underline consumers’ resounding interest in appliances that offer more options and functionality than the old standards. Today, this rethinking of what appliances should offer users continues to define Bespoke design — a design approach that grows more dynamic and distinct each time it expands to a new product category.

As of this year, the Bespoke lineup now includes a total of 15 product categories available to consumers in 52 countries. Each expansion of the lineup presents an opportunity to cater to more lifestyles and needs. With this in mind, Samsung is expanding its Bespoke refrigerator lineup with the launches of the Bespoke 4-Door Flex with Family Hub+, as well as new side-by-side and top-mounted models. The Bespoke 4-Door Flex with Family Hub+ features a bezel-less, 32-inch touchscreen that is nearly twice the size of the previous model and includes even more convenient and entertaining multitasking functions. The new side-by-side and top-mounted models combine some of Samsung’s most advanced food storage technology with sleek and minimalist front panels available in a variety of colors and finishes.

In addition to launching the Bespoke AI Washer and Dryer in the U.S. and Southeast Asia this year, Samsung continues to expand its personalization options to empower more people to customize their home. Currently available to all consumers in the U.S. since last year, Samsung’s MyBespoke customization service makes it easy for users to cultivate a kitchen look that truly reflects your way of life by using photos or artwork to create one-of-a-kind refrigerator panels. To further elevate Bespoke’s bold design ethos, the company has announced that the limited-edition Bespoke panels designed by Italian creative studio TOILETPAPER and first unveiled at Fuorisalone 2023 are now available for purchase on Samsung.com and can also be found at Samsung flagship stores in the U.K., U.S. and Korea.

To learn more about the next evolution of Bespoke, tune into Bespoke Life 2023 on June 7 at 10:00 EDT (16:00 CEST, 23:00 KST). The event will be streamed on Samsung’s global YouTube channel, Samsung Newsroom and Samsung.com.

* The word “closed-loop” in the previous release was deleted as of June 13, 2023 due to difficulties in supporting it on specific grounds.

¹ AI Energy Mode is currently available in 40 countries including the U.S. AI Energy Mode is planned for expansion in the following countries in June: Greece, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Argentina, Ireland, Estonia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Puerto Rico, Finland. Further expansion is planned for the following countries in September: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Kuwait, Turkey, Tunisia.
² Tested with 2kg load of 100% polyester hoodies, comparing Synthetics cycle on Samsung Conventional model WW4000T and the Less Microfiber cycle on WW9400B. The results may be different depending on the clothes and environment. Tested by the Ocean Wise Plastics Lab.
³ Tested at Ocean Wise Plastics Lab on the WW90T734DWH model (using Synthetic cycle, approximately 2kg load of synthetic textile laundry) comparing the amount of microfiber released with and without the Less Microfiber Filter installed. The amount is calculated by filtering drain water through a 50um filter. Results may vary depending on clothes and environment.
⁴ Based on testing by the Korea Testing Laboratory, in accordance with the IEC62885-4: 2020 standard, using a handheld type vacuum cleaner (with no brush) in Jet mode. The results were compared to the stated suction power of cordless stick vacuum cleaners with 200W suction power available in the market (based on sales data between January and December 2022, as compiled by an independent market research institute).
⁵ Based on testing by the Korea Testing Laboratory, in accordance with the IEC62885-4: 2020 standard. Measured at the inlet of the non-motorized tool when the dustbin is empty, using Jet Mode and a large capacity battery that is fully charged. The results were compared to the stated suction power of cordless stick vacuum cleaners with 200W suction power available in the market (based on sales data between January and December 2022, as compiled by an independent market research institute). Results may vary depending on actual usage.
⁶ The stated run time is based on using a large capacity battery at the minimum power level with a non-motorized tool attached. Results may vary depending on actual usage.
⁷ AI Cleaning mode related functions/performance will be continuously updated and upgraded through SmartThings.
⁸ The ability to identify different cleaning environments can be affected by environmental conditions.
⁹ The brush rotation speed (rpm) can only be adjusted when using the Active Dual Brush.
¹⁰ Based on internal testing using various types of dusts. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions.

▲ CEO and Head of DX (Device eXperience), Samsung Electronics

Just like how we are always on the move, the lifestyles and the values of consumers are also constantly changing.

With growing demand for smart homes and a sustainable future, consumers have shown that they no longer see functionality alone as the main priority when considering their appliance needs. Now, how an appliance makes life more sustainable, connected and stylish is just as important.

Across the electronics industry, companies are exploring more fulfilling customer experiences on these terms. Among them, Samsung is uniquely positioned to provide it. Thanks to our wide array of products from smartphones and TVs to household appliances brought together under our exclusive SmartThings connectivity platform, Samsung can provide an experience of the home that is not just innovative but also truly holistic.

This year, through Sustainable, Connected and Stylish Life, we are taking the foundation of Bespoke in the home and elevating it further, making eco-consciousness more intrinsic, harmonizing our diverse services and offering greater freedom in visual expression than ever.

Now, living a Bespoke Life allows you to create a home that not only caters to your unique needs but your values as well, empowering you to enjoy a more sustainable, connected and stylish life. This is the vision of Bespoke that I am excited to share with you today.

Sustainable Life — Make Sustainable Life Easy

How we live involves how we affect our environment. As more people pursue greener lifestyles and values and the importance of energy saving increases, there is a growing interest in how to realize sustainability in our daily lives. To make this possible, sustainability is more central to Bespoke than ever in 2023 with the vision to provide the most energy-efficient products and solutions.

The technologies we are showcasing at Bespoke Life 2023 are built on the idea that the simplest but most important step is making a change to how things work in everyday life. As well as reducing carbon emissions across the entire lifecycle of our products, SmartThings’ AI Energy Mode, can save energy up to 70% in various product categories, soon to be available in 65 countries this year. To help reduce microplastics — which have become a major contributor to marine pollution — we built upon our “Easy for Everyone” concept to develop the Less Microfiber Cycle and Less Microfiber Filter in collaboration with Patagonia.

Connected Life — Simplify Connected Life

With social distancing coming to an end, we are all getting back to normal life. Three years of restrictions, however, have reminded us all of the value of connection. In our fast-changing world, the era of hyper-connectivity has truly arrived.

With nearly 270 million people around the world using SmartThings to make household life easier and simpler, hyper-connectivity is made possible by appliances that work together to provide a unified customer experience in the home. Last year, we launched SmartThings Home with six services, and this year we announced a whole new world of connectivity under the theme of “Bringing Calm to Our Connected World.”

100% of our new Bespoke products support Wi-Fi connectivity. With these appliances that automatically adjust to more than twenty pre-set actions based on users’ daily routines, as well as enhanced security, we want to ensure that the Bespoke experience is seamless and adaptable to changes in users’ lives.

Stylish Life — Create Stylish Life

A more expressive, customizable home and a focus on choice has always been core to Bespoke, creating a stylish life by allowing individuals to customize their surroundings and belongings to reflect their unique tastes and preferences. Since its launch, over 3 million Bespoke refrigerators have been sold worldwide, which really shows how much people have been waiting for appliance to change.

To make our Bespoke products more personal, adaptable and long-lasting, Bespoke Life features easily changeable panel colors and textures for appliances, to keep pace with customers’ changing lifestyles and tastes without the need for full replacement.

Also, we are always pursuing collaborations that show just how creative and stylish interior design can be. Our new, limited-edition Bespoke refrigerator panels, designed in partnership with Italian creative studio TOILETPAPER, are an excellent example of the breadth of Bespoke style, finding new, unexpected ways to make daily life vibrant and engaging.

With demand for deeper personalization growing all the time, we want to empower individuals to personalize their homes through appliances that harmonize with everything else in the living space, and we will continue to launch collaborations with new artists.

On June 7 at Bespoke Life 2023, we’ll announce more details about our expanding vision. Through Sustainable, Connected and Stylish Life, Bespoke Life is adding more convenience and value to every task and routine. We can’t wait to show you how Bespoke weaves these values into the things you do every day.

Samsung Electronics and global design and architecture magazine Dezeen today announced the launch of their latest global design competition to recognize the value of sustainability. Offering a total of £18,000 in prize money, the Re:Create Design Challenge invites entrants around the world to dream up their own creative ideas for reusing, recycling and upcycling old Samsung devices or their materials.

What Is the Re:Create Design Challenge?

The Re:Create Design Challenge reflects Samsung’s ongoing efforts to make its products and services more sustainable. The competition advances those efforts by encouraging entrants to come up with innovative ways to repurpose old devices or waste materials by transforming them into new products or services that can benefit both people and the planet.

Examples include Samsung’s EYELIKE project, which sees old smartphones repurposed into medical diagnosis cameras, as well as the latest Galaxy devices, which feature a design that incorporates recycled plastic from discarded fishing nets, and the SolarCell Remote, which incorporates recycled materials for 24% of its plastic component and is powered by light rather than conventional disposable batteries.

“We live in an era of uncertainty and unlimited opportunity, especially for design creatives,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Corporate Design Center at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung believes in the power of creativity, and our future needs to be protected and transformed through meaningful and sustainable innovations. We hope this competition provides a spark that leads to impactful change for all of us.”

How To Enter

The challenge is free to enter for anyone over the age of 18 in any country, regardless of whether they are a professional designer, a student or someone with no formal design training.

Entering the challenge is easy and may be done by visiting Dezeen’s official website, which provides full details on the competition, including submission instructions and prize information. Those interested in participating should submit their idea to Dezeen’s website by July 19 at 23:59 GMT.

How Will Winners Be Selected?

Submissions will be subject to several rounds of evaluation, with four criteria.

• Innovation: How original is the idea?
• Problem-solving: Does the idea propose meaningful solutions to improve peoples’ lives?
• Social and Environmental impact: How will the idea positively impact people and the planet?
• Human-centered design: How well does the idea fit with Samsung’s design philosophy and resonate with its products or the lifestyles of Samsung consumers?

Once the initial rounds are completed, shortlist will be selected and announced in August. And an expert panel of Dezeen editors and design professionals will select the first-place winner and the two runners-up.

The first-place winning individual or team will take home the competition’s £10,000 grand prize. The two runners-up will receive cash prizes of £4,000 each.

For more information, please visit Dezeen’s official website.

As part of these sustainability efforts, Samsung has expanded the use of recycled materials in plastic parts for its products. By 2030, Samsung aims to incorporate 50% recycled materials into its plastic parts and by 2050, aims to use 100% recycled materials for all of its plastic parts.

Samsung’s SolarCell Remote exemplifies Samsung’s commitment to the environment, and as it celebrates its third anniversary, Samsung Newsroom is exploring how this eco-conscious product has progressed since its initial release in 2021, with perspectives from JongKeun Lee of H/W Platform Lab and HyunJoo Kim of Mecha Solution Lab.

▲ (From left) JongKeun Lee from H/W Platform Lab and HyunJoo Kim from Mecha Solution Lab

Eliminating the Need for Disposable Batteries

Samsung Electronics developed the SolarCell Remote to combat the environmental impact of discarding used batteries. It is the industry’s first rechargeable remote control, with a solar panel (solar cell) that can be charged by sunlight or indoor lighting. The remote can also be charged with a USB-C cable so consumers have many ways to charge their remote.

“The level of carbon emissions from the SolarCell Remote, from production to disposal, is roughly one-third of that of the manufacturing of disposable batteries¹,” said JongKeun Lee from H/W Platform Lab. “By eliminating the need for disposable batteries, not only are fewer resources consumed but carbon emissions are lowered by manufacturing fewer batteries over time.”

Another remarkable feature is its low power consumption. The SolarCell Remote was designed to run on about 10% of the power that typical remote controls use. “Samsung made significant progress by drastically eliminating unnecessary outputs and operations, contributing to great energy savings,” Lee added.

The SolarCell Remote Recycles More Than 55 Tonnes of Waste

Twenty-four percent of the plastics used in the SolarCell Remote come from recycled materials. This means more than 55 tonnes of waste are recycled for the annual production of 10 million SolarCell Remotes. This equates to about an 18% decrease in carbon emissions compared to production using conventional materials.

This was no simple undertaking. It takes time and effort to develop and apply alternative materials made from recycled waste in a meaningful way.

“With growing concerns about ocean waste, we looked carefully into many solutions. We chose to use recycled plastics from discarded fishing nets for 20% of brackets of the 2023 SolarCell Remote,” said HyunJoo Kim from Mecha Solution Lab. “Going forward, we aim to foster the use of these resources and utilize recycled plastics more aggressively.”

“This year, we started using recycled plastics from discarded fishing nets. While they are costly and difficult to process, the end result is a higher quality of materials which contribute to our mission of everyday sustainability,” Kim added. “The process is quite extensive, from sorting out the waste to cleaning, removing toxic substances and improving material properties.”

In recognition of this product’s environmentally friendly design, Time Magazine selected the SolarCell Remote as one of Time Magazine’s “The Best Inventions of 2022.”

All of Samsung’s 2023 Lifestyle TVs are equipped with the 2023 SolarCell Remote. Samsung’s goal is to integrate more eco-conscious products and processes into a wider range of models across regions and empower consumers to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

In addition, Samsung decreased the size of the SolarCell Remote by 22% in its latest iteration. This means that the remote control uses less plastic while enhancing the product’s usability.

“As the SolarCell Remote became smaller, manufacturing uses less plastic and it became an ideal size for consumers’ hands, making it a better product all around,” Lee explained.

Pursuing an Eco-Conscious Strategy With a Streamlined Approach

So, what are Samsung’s next steps to enhance sustainability of the SolarCell Remote?

“We are continuing to move in the direction of light, thin and small to keep the use of plastic low,” Kim said.

“We are dedicated to creating a user-friendly remote control that consumes fewer resources and less energy,” Lee said. “Samsung’s ultimate goal is to empower users to control products with minimal effort while reducing the use of materials and energy. This could mean one day we get rid of the remote control entirely. The SolarCell Remote is a bold step in the direction of everyday sustainability and we can’t wait to show everyone what’s next.”

The ambitious journey of the SolarCell Remote to contribute to a more eco-conscious lifestyle is just beginning.

* Content has been revised as of May 3, 2023 to provide more accurate information.

¹ Considering most TVs are used for seven years and an AA battery for their remote controls are replaced once in a year, the number of discarded batteries for a TV will be 14 every seven years. This means charging and using SolarCell Remote for seven years reduces carbon emissions by one third compared to using AA batteries.

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions in the U.S.

Each year, the ENERGY STAR program honors a select group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the transition to a clean energy economy. ENERGY STAR award winners lead their industries in the production, sale and adoption of energy-efficient products, homes, buildings, services and strategies. These efforts are essential to fighting the climate crisis, protecting public health and creating a clean energy future for everyone.

“Not only does Samsung’s comprehensive environmental strategy include enterprise-wide net zero and 100% renewable energy goals, but we’re also raising the industry bar even higher on energy efficiency. Samsung is committed to implementing innovative, energy saving technologies in its home appliance, mobile and consumer electronics products — with the goal of lowering power consumption levels by an average of 30 percent by 2030 compared to like products released in 2019,” said Mark Newton, Head of Corporate Sustainability for Samsung Electronics America. “As a long-time ENERGY STAR partner and recipient of the rare Corporate Commitment Award, Samsung is proud to receive these tremendous recognitions from the EPA and DOE. We believe our ENERGY STAR collaboration to be paramount for our company, our customers, and — of course — our planet.”

“As we accelerate historic efforts to address climate change, public-private partnerships will be essential to realizing the scale of our ambition,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I applaud this year’s ENERGY STAR award winners for working with EPA to deliver a clean energy future that saves American consumers and businesses money and creates jobs.”

The Sustained Excellence Award is the highest honor among ENERGY STAR Awards — and EPA presents the award to partners that have earned successive Partner of the Year awards and display continued leadership by demonstrating long-term commitments to climate action through energy efficiency. This marks the tenth year that Samsung has been named an ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence partner in the Product Brand Owner category.

Beyond the efforts we’re making to minimize our environmental footprint, Samsung is empowering our consumers to make a meaningful impact on the environment through everyday changes with our eco-conscious products. In 2022, Samsung had 474 ENERGY STAR certified base models in the U.S., which is an increase compared to 2021. As of 2022, that includes 100% of Samsung dishwashers, notebooks, air purifiers, front-load washers and most of our refrigerators, as well as many of our top-load washers and dryers. Samsung’s investment in America is also tied to ENERGY STAR: all our front load and top load washers from our South Carolina facility are ENERGY STAR certified. Moreover, Samsung is the first major brand to certify many of its new Ultra HD 4K televisions to the latest ENERGY STAR criteria. As of 2022, Samsung global product efficiency improvements, as exemplified by our commitment to ENERGY STAR certified products, have helped our customers avoid an estimated 334 million metric tons of CO2 emissions through the use of our products since 2009 — the equivalent of taking over 71 million cars off the road for a year, nearly three quarters of all passenger cars registered in the U.S.

Moreover, Samsung’s efforts to enrich and expand SmartThings Energy, the first-of-its-kind solution designed to help people better understand and manage their energy use so that they can make smarter, more environmentally conscious decisions about consumption and reduce their carbon footprint, have led the U.S. EPA to award Samsung the industry’s first mass-market Smart Home Energy Management Systems (SHEMS) certification. The certification recognizes smart home appliances and services that manage and automate connected devices to help consumers gain insights into their energy use, thereby inspiring energy-saving behavior, reducing costs and helping to facilitate demand response measures that minimize stress on the grid.

The Sustained Excellence award for Energy Management is bestowed on ENERGY STAR partners that demonstrate year over year excellence in improving the energy performance of commercial buildings through a corporate-wide, portfolio-based energy program. Samsung Electronics America has a diverse portfolio of 45 owned and leased buildings located across the U.S. In addition to varying climates, the many buildings are also home to one or more distinct corporate activities from offices to warehouses and distributions centers to electronic and appliance labs. In 2022, Samsung doubled down on our commitment to ENERGY STAR and continued to retrofit major systems in some of our facilities with ENERGY STAR certified equipment and technologies related to HVAC and lighting controls. These continued investments reduce the impact on the climate by our facility operations and have led to an 8.6% reduction in energy use since 2019.

Another testament to our efforts was demonstrated by doubling the number of ENERGY STAR Tenant Space Recognitions in 2022 from six to twelve. This number ranks second nationally for most recognized Tenant Space properties with Samsung representing 17.39% of the total properties recognized nationally.

Samsung is humbled and honored by these recognitions from the ENERGY STAR program and is committed to advanced energy efficiency in our products and operations as part of our key environmental goals and a shared journey to helping mitigate our consumers’ impact on the planet.

For more information on the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Awards, head to www.energystar.gov/awardwinners. To learn more about Samsung’s commitment to sustainability, visit www.samsung.com/global/sustainability/.

The AWS International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally applicable framework for major water users to understand their water use and impact and to work collaboratively and transparently for sustainable water management within a catchment context. In the development of the AWS Standard, international organizations including CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and the UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate are participated as founding members.

This is Samsung Electronics’ second global certification for sustainable water management. Having met the highest Carbon Trust standard by reducing water usage, Samsung earned the AWS certification for its water-resource management system.

“Through the AWS Platinum level certification of their semiconductor plant in Korea, Samsung joins a growing number of microelectronics companies that are taking credible, verifiable corporate action on water.” said Adrian Sym, CEO, Alliance for Water Stewardship. “As the fourth site in Korea to achieve AWS certification and the first in the country to achieve Platinum status, they are one of the first adopters of the AWS Standard in Korea and join 250 AWS certified sites globally.”

“The AWS certification reflects Samsung’s continual and ongoing efforts to manage water resource, such as communication and cooperation with wide range of stakeholders,” said Dooguen Song, Executive Vice President of the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Center at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue taking the lead in water resource management in closer cooperation with the government, local communities and industry players.”

The AWS Standard 2.0 is evaluated based on a total of 100 indicators, including stable water management, water pollutant management, water hygiene, domestic impact of biodiversity and governance establishment. There are three levels of AWS Standard certifications: Core, Gold and Platinum; the greater the number of points achieved, the higher the level of water stewardship performance and AWS certification.

In celebration of World Water Day 2023, Samsung Electronics has also unveiled a special animated ESG video via the Samsung Semiconductor Newsroom’s YouTube channel. The video illustrates a revitalized Osan Stream, restored by a rich amount of clean water discharged from Samsung’s semiconductor site, enabling the return of otters and an improved biological ecosystem.

About The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)
The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is a global organization that promotes sustainable water use and management through the implementation of the AWS Standard. The AWS brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to collaborate on water stewardship initiatives. Learn more at https://a4ws.org/about/.

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Updated on March 28, 2023, to provide more detailed information: Recycled PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), sourced from 10% of discarded PET bottles, has been used in the front case of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Galaxy of Impact also emphasized the importance for organizations to work together across sectors and build innovative tools and technology that allow communities all over the world to achieve the Global Goals. Leaders from Samsung’s partner organization, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and its youth-led initiative Generation17, a joint project between Samsung and the UNDP launched in 2020 to further progress on the Global Goals, spoke to the power of global corporations to address today’s most pressing environmental and societal issues.

The first panel highlighted how Samsung and the Galaxy S23 series enable every Galaxy user to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

Samsung technology and sustainability leaders discussed their work toward achieving 2025 and 2030 goals by innovating to design more sustainable products. The new Galaxy S23 series represents these efforts by minimizing Samsung’s environmental footprint while maximizing performance.

Inhee Chung, Vice President of the Corporate Sustainability Center at Samsung Electronics, kicked off the panel by providing an overview of Samsung’s new commitment to its concept of Everyday Sustainability. “It’s the idea that by building sustainability into the product design and user experience, we, and the billions that use our products, can contribute to a healthier, more livable planet,” she stated.

Chung noted, “Everyday Sustainability is grounded in a goal to reach net zero carbon emissions by the end of 2030 for our Device eXperience (DX) Division, and as part of the DX Division, Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) Business is essential in helping us deliver on our commitment.” She added, “MX Business is aiming to achieve its own sustainability goals — incorporate recycled materials in all mobile products, eliminate plastics in packaging, achieve zero standby power consumption for smartphone chargers and achieve zero waste to landfill by 2025.”

Won-Joon Choi, Executive Vice President, Head of Mobile R&D Office, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, focused on how Samsung’s sustainability commitments come to life in the new Galaxy S23 series. “For Samsung, breakthroughs in sustainability can be breakthroughs in performance,” he emphasized. “We aim to create an experience in which you don’t have to sacrifice the things you love to be a more eco-conscious consumer.” He added the Galaxy S23 series was “built with innovation and sustainability without compromise, and it will enable users to make a positive impact while enjoying a great mobile experience.”

Choi explained that, through the Galaxy S23 series, Samsung is “delivering a high-performance device that meets the highest of quality standards while also using more recycled materials than any other Galaxy smartphone to date.” He then pointed out that “Samsung increased the amount of recycled materials from six internal components in the Galaxy S22 Ultra to 12 internal and external components in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.”

He went on to explain that the Galaxy S23 series used more recycled plastics and newly incorporated pre-consumer recycled aluminum and glass.

Choi highlighted all of these efforts are “meaningful steps in the right direction, helping us expand the Galaxy legacy to be more than just innovation for performance. These are innovations designed with the planet and you in mind.”

Mark Newton, Senior Director, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Samsung Electronics America, highlighted that “we’re working diligently to extend the lifecycle of our devices to encourage users to reliably experience the optimized performance of the Galaxy for as long as possible.” He emphasized, “The Galaxy S23 series was built to last longer, optimizing durability with IP68 water resistance and dust proofing. We also provide five years of security updates and four generations of OS upgrades.”

He added, “In the U.S., customers can use our Certified Re-Newed and Trade-In programs to send us their old devices to be refurbished and reused. We also partner with iFixit, the leading online repair community, to empower users to fix their own devices with self-repair kits.” He also touched on how Samsung will continue “expanding efforts to improve resource circularity over the entire product lifecycle.”

Newton also explained that the Galaxy S23 series features redesigned packaging that uses 100% recycled paper for the packaging box and front and back cover protectors.

Each panelist expressed their excitement and hopes for the future of sustainability at Samsung. All agreed that there will be even larger challenges ahead; however, the panelists stressed that by working together, Samsung can make a positive, tangible impact for people and the planet.

The second panel dove deep into Samsung’s partnership with the UNDP and their joint efforts to achieve the Global Goals.

Together, Samsung and the UNDP created the Samsung Global Goals app, which raises funds for UNDP projects and amplifies stories about Generation17, a group of 14 Young Leaders from various countries around the world working toward the Global Goals and inspiring young people to do the same. Leaders from UNDP and Samsung were joined by two Generation17 Young Leaders, who called on the audience to use their voices to accelerate progress for the 2030 Agenda.

Boaz Paldi, Chief Creative Officer at the UNDP, opened the panel by stating, “When it comes to the 17 Global Goals, I cannot stress enough the importance of what is at stake here.” He continued, “To help the world achieve [the Global Goals] by 2030, UNDP plays an essential role in implementing integrated solutions in the communities that are furthest behind. In short, we help communities and governments build the structures and policies that help address these global challenges.”

Paldi also explained the UNDP’s partnership with Samsung to unveil the power behind Samsung’s vast resources and global scale. He noted, “In 2019, we created the Samsung Global Goals app, an education and donation-based mobile app that informs people about the Global Goals and encourages them to take action just by using their smartphone. Today, the app is pre-installed on nearly 300 million Galaxy devices worldwide. And thanks to the dedication and passion of the global Galaxy community, we have helped generate over USD10 million towards UNDP’s global programs and initiatives.”

The Samsung Global Goals app’s creator, Sergey Lossev, Senior Director of Project Management at Samsung Electronics, highlighted that he’s always “been passionate about making the world a better place.” In order to accomplish this, his team “decided to create a centralized hub for social impact right on a device that has become an essential part of Galaxy smartphones. The app aims to increase awareness and raise funds for UNDP’s work around the world.”

Two Generation17 Young Leaders sat beside Paldi and Lossev and reiterated how UNDP, Samsung and the Samsung Global Goals app have greatly benefited their platforms.

Tamara Gondo, Generation17 Young Leader (Indonesia), explained that by joining Generation17 and earning recognition from Samsung and UNDP, her B2B social enterprise Liberty Society “has been exposed to more than 10 million people worldwide, opening our doors to connect to partners in Malaysia, London and today, in San Francisco.” Gondo continued, “For organizations like Samsung, UNDP and news media, it’s about using their power and influence to effect change within their spheres of influence.”

Máximo Mazzocco, Generation Young Leader (Argentina), followed by explaining that the Generation17 partnership has helped grow his environmental nonprofit Eco House, “helping us scale from an organization for youth in Argentina to one of the biggest youth-led organizations in the climate movement.” He added that we’ve been “given the chance to change the narrative and make an impact on a global scale,” and we must work across sectors in order to make progress toward achieving the Global Goals.

Harnessing the Power of Galaxy to Offer Sustainable Solutions

Galaxy of Impact highlights the progress that Samsung has made to integrate sustainability into each level of the business. This event also represents Samsung’s challenging journey to achieve its 2025 and 2030 commitments and make progress toward the Global Goals. The path forward will not be easy; however, Samsung leaders are dedicated to collaborating with partners to design solutions that allow each and every Galaxy user to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives.

Watch the video below to check out some of Samsung’s KBIS 2023 highlights, from its booth to its key products unveiled at this year’s exhibition.

▲ On February 1, TM Roh delivered his opening speech, introducing Galaxy’s latest innovations for a rapidly-changing world in San Francisco.

Every year at Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung Electronics unveils a new era of mobile innovation — and this year was no exception. Together in person for the first time in three years, Samsung unveiled at its latest Unpacked event in San Francisco its exciting new range of additions to the Galaxy family — including the Galaxy S23 series, the Galaxy Book3 series and an inspiring vision for sustainability.

With its latest lineup of devices, Samsung is creating premium and powerful mobile experiences for all. Building on its long history of open, proven and trusted collaboration, Samsung also showcased how it is using technology to transform the future of human connection.

“More than ever, people turn to brands they trust for the tools on which they can depend to navigate our rapidly-changing world,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “At Samsung, this demand for trusted performance pushes us to deliver more meaningful innovations — beyond the specs. It pushes us to create devices that are truly the best and be a brand you can be proud of. We created these devices to set the new premium standard for innovation to deliver powerful performance – without compromise. For every consumer and for the planet we share.”

From top Samsung executives exhibiting the latest products to packed crowds and event visitors getting hands-on with the latest innovations, everyone took part in this celebration of everything Samsung. Keep reading to see more photos, highlights and reveals from Galaxy Unpacked 2023.

▲ Many visitors attended Galaxy Unpacked 2023, which took place in San Francisco at the Masonic Auditorium.

Lights, Camera, Action: Galaxy S23 Series Cameras

The recently unveiled Galaxy S23 series made a serious impact on visitors with its beautiful design and vertically aligned rear camera lenses. Not only has Samsung improved the unified camera design, but also significantly updated Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera capabilities. These improvements were highlighted through videos filmed #withGalaxy, which debuted at this year’s Unpacked event.

▲ TM Roh introduced the new Galaxy S23 series, the best Galaxy S series yet.

The event featured an electrifying short film captured by an award-winning film director Ridley Scott entirely with the Galaxy S23 Ultra — Samsung’s most incredible camera yet. The short film showed off the device’s superior camera capabilities, revealing that anyone can produce an epic film with videos filmed from their everyday lives.

▲ Vice President of Mobile Product Management Drew Blackard introduced the Galaxy S23 Ultra, revealing that all videos shown during the presentation were filmed with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

With the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s range of advanced camera features, anyone can easily produce pro-grade content anytime, anywhere.

▲ All of the footage in Ridley Scott’s short film “Behold” was filmed with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Capture the Moment: Galaxy S23 Ultra’s High-Resolution Camera That Is Out of This World

Galaxy S23 Ultra’s new 200MP Wide Camera captures high-resolution photos with a level of large-scale color and detail never before seen in a smartphone. What’s more, various pro-level features in the Expert RAW empower users to produce creative and cinematic films with ease.

▲ The new Galaxy S23 series combines design, performance and technology innovation in its high-resolution front and back camera, improving the user’s camera experience.

▲ Jaclyn Wyatt, Head of Social Media & Commerce at Samsung, explained that the wide-angle camera of the Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts ultra-high resolution. She also introduced the improved Adaptive Pixel and the Camera Assistant app, complete with new features that help users take photos efficiently.

▲ Expert RAW gives users more control over all aspects of the photography experience, including ISO, aperture and white balance from start to finish.

▲ Astrophotography captures the night sky in stunning detail using only a smartphone.

▲ Na Hong-jin’s short film “Faith” demonstrates the cinema-quality camera features of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The director was satisfied with the smartphone camera’s ability to capture high detail, even in dark settings.

Shoot After Sundown: Nightography

Shooting in low light can be challenging for even the most advanced filmmakers, resulting in shaky, unusable footage with lots of noise. At Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung announced a multi-frame processing solution for the Galaxy S23 series camera to overcome this challenge. This dedicated algorithm combines multiple images across frames to reduce noise, letting anyone take vivid and optimized videos, even in the dark. Also, an enhanced AI object-aware engine and stereo depth map allow the camera to capture clear portraits in great detail, making night photos come to life. What’s more, with the enhanced Nightography and front camera, Galaxy S23 series users will be constantly asked to share their group photos and videos with friends.

▲ Yoonie Park of Brand Marketing introduced Nightography and explained that the camera’s multiframe processing technology is able to reduce noise effectively.

▲ A captivated audience listens to the explanation of the groundbreaking Galaxy S23 series’ Nightography feature.

▲ AI Stereo Depth Map, based on Dual Pixel technology, is able to detect individual objects. It can even separate a person’s glasses from the background of a photo, so portrait details are crisp and clear.

Level Up Your Gaming Experience With Galaxy S23 Series

The Galaxy S23 series has gotten a serious upgrade all across the board, from its enhanced 5000 mAh battery and its improved cooling system to its next-level camera performance and 41% faster GPU. The newly designed, 8-core CPU boosts the processing capabilities of the Galaxy S23 series by about 34%, which is ideal for multitasking. The optimized NPU architecture also uses an AI algorithm for an additional 49% boost, helping users capture stunning photos in low light.

▲ Product Specialist David Thompson introduced the enhanced Galaxy S23 series’ CPU and NPU, which make photos, videos and graphics truly epic. The improved performance and processing speed provides a powerful gaming experience. David further explained that the users can enjoy the game longer with improved battery life.

▲ Drew Blakard continued the presentation by demonstrating how in-game lighting, reflections and shadows are even more realistic with Samsung’s GPU-enabled Ray tracing module.

▲ Influencer Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok tests out Samsung’s latest games.

New in Galaxy Unpacked 2023: Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Powerful Performance Anytime, Anywhere

After announcing the release of the Galaxy S23 series, visitors were excited to see what other new releases were on the horizon. In particular, visitors were amazed by the announcement of the Galaxy Book3 series and especially the Galaxy Book3 Ultra, a whole new addition to the Galaxy Book lineup.

▲ Ryan Baber of Retail Marketing introduced the latest Galaxy Book3 lineup, which provides the users with an enhanced multi-device experience.

▲ The audience watches the Galaxy Book3 series’ multi-device experience video.

Through Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Samsung is introducing the Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display to users for the first time. This groundbreaking laptop is equipped with the latest CPU and GPU from Intel and NVIDIA, perfect not only for everyday users but also gamers and creators.

▲ The Galaxy Book3 Ultra features a crisp 3K display that makes colors and details pop. With the Ultra’s powerful H-series CPU that can support up to 45W for high performance and upgraded NVIDIA^® GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, the Galaxy Book3 Ultra can help bring any user’s imagination to life.

Through powerful performance and connectivity, visitors could take a peek at how the Galaxy ecosystem would improve their daily lives.

▲ The Galaxy Book3 360 comes equipped with a touch screen and S Pen capabilities, letting users create in more ways.

▲ SmartThings connects a user’s mobile devices and home appliances in one convenient place.

Everyday Sustainability: Shaping a Brighter Future Through Technology

From 100% recycled paper package boxes to various external and internal parts made of recycled glass, plastic and aluminum, Samsung broadened the use of eco-conscious materials in its devices, furthering its sustainability efforts.

▲ Mark Newton of Corporate Sustainability at Samsung explained that Samsung aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and by 2030 for the Mobile Experience Business.

▲ The Galaxy S23 series has incorporated the most recycled materials to date. The number of internal and external parts using recycled aluminum, PET, glass and ocean-bound plastic has been increased to 12.

Shaping the Future of Communication Through Industry-Leading Collaboration

Samsung has a long history of partnering up to push the boundaries of what’s possible to deliver leading and premium experiences. During the partnership announcement section of Galaxy Unpacked 2023, President and CEO of Qualcomm Cristiano Amon first took to the stage, revealing that the Galaxy S23 series is powered by the world’s fastest and most power-efficient Snapdragon^® yet.

▲ TM Roh explained Samsung’s plan to create next-generation XR experience through open collaboration and open innovation.

▲ Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, details past and future collaborations with Samsung.

“The Snapdragon^® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy features leading system-processing performance as well as groundbreaking AI that enables truly extraordinary experiences,” said Cristiano. “This includes AI-powered Cognitive ISP, which enhances photos and videos in real-time for professional-quality camera experiences, even in dark settings.” Cristiano also emphasized that Qualcomm’s latest Adreno GPU provides ultra-realistic graphics and delivers the ultimate in connectivity with the world’s best and most reliable 5G modem RF System, as well as industry-leading Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Finally, Cristiano explained that the company aimed to create a new era of highly immersive XR experiences that blur the lines between the physical and digital worlds.

▲ Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP of Platforms and Ecosystems at Google, outlines his company’s vision for the future of technology with Samsung.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s SVP in charge of Platforms and Ecosystem, highlighted the importance of partnership, citing the rollout of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) Messaging Standard and Wear OS, both of which were close collaborations with Samsung. Moving forward, Hiroshi explained how Google would also be investing in groundbreaking XR technologies that will change the way we interact.

“An exciting space where Google has been investing in for a long time across both experiences and technology is AR and VR,” said Hiroshi. “These technologies are integral to the new phase of computing as it can change the way we interact with people and information to get things done in the real world.”

With a vision to enable a new generation of computing, Samsung, Google and Qualcomm will team up to develop advanced hardware and software to make this immersive technology a reality.

▲ Samsung, Google and Qualcomm top executives explore Galaxy’s latest innovations inside the Masonic Auditorium after the Galaxy Unpacked 2023 presentation.

Relive the Excitement: Unpacked 2023 Full Video Replay

That’s a wrap! If you couldn’t tune in to the full event, take a look at the video below for a full replay of this February Unpacked 2023 showcase. Stay tuned to Newsroom’s complete coverage of the event to learn more.

LCA is a methodology for assessing environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of commercial products, processes, or services, by quantifying the amount of energy, materials and waste discharge. In detail, on its semiconductors’ carbon footprint, Samsung’s LCA covers raw material extraction to chip manufacturing, assembling and testing. Its results are in accordance with ISO 14040, ISO 14044 and ISO 14067 to ensure credibility and transparency.

The carbon footprint is commonly used by Samsung and its customers to recognize the environmental impact across all phases of Samsung’s semiconductor products and can be used as a metric to track and reduce carbon emissions.

“Since 2019, we have been actively mobilizing efforts to measure and reduce the carbon emissions of our key memory and logic solutions,” said Dooguen Song, Executive Vice President of the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Center at Samsung Electronics. “By leveraging LCA, we will be able to support our customers to achieve their carbon neutrality, as well as becoming more transparent on the environmental impact of the semiconductors we produce worldwide.”

“As a global expert in energy and environmental certification, DNV is pleased to have partnered with and to congratulate Samsung on successfully establishing its reliable LCA,” said JangSup Lee, CEO of DNV Business Assurance Korea. “Together with global business leaders like Samsung, we will continue to take part in creating a more sustainable environment in the future.”

Since 2019, 37 of Samsung’s semiconductor products received carbon footprint accreditation from the Carbon Trust and UL, 6 of its memory products certified for carbon reduction from Carbon Trust. Samsung’s eco-conscious product portfolio includes DRAM, SSD, embedded storage, mobile SoC, mobile Image Sensor, automotive LED packages.

Leveraging its LCA established at the end of last year, Samsung will quantify the carbon footprints of chips manufactured across all of its global manufacturing, testing and assembly locations in Korea, China and the U.S.

With sustainability at its core, Samsung will expand its LCA to include water and resource footprints to provide a more comprehensive assessment that will ultimately reduce the environmental impact of various applications such as mobile and wearables, data centers, consumer electronics, automotive, communications and more.

Every year, mobile technology increasingly becomes the very core of our daily lives and the epicenter of innovation.

With these essential devices, we create and consume content that connects, inspires and entertains us. We stay immersed in the world of an epic game, even on the go. We keep up with colleagues and deadlines when we’re away from our desks. And we manage every part of our lives in one convenient place — from health and wellness habits to appointments, purchases, travel and more.

Our days revolve around these experiences, so people want devices they can depend on from brands they can trust. At the same time, global challenges like the climate crisis are making us rethink how we live. We have a responsibility to help create a better world now while working toward a more equitable and sustainable future. We believe mobile technology can be the catalyst to enrich people’s lives and help create that future we envision. And this is the reason why we do what we do in Samsung Electronics.

Setting New Performance Standards

There’s no better example of Samsung delivering on this vision than the Galaxy S series. This year, Galaxy S series has extended our innovation heritage by doubling down on our fundamentals.

That’s why our pro-grade camera system is getting smarter, offering the best photos and videos in any light among our Galaxy smartphones. Along with the hardware and software optimization, our newest chipset, born out of Samsung’s open partnership philosophy, enables the fastest and most powerful Galaxy performance. Our ecosystem connectivity is also getting easier and more seamless than ever.

At the top of the Galaxy S series is our Galaxy S Ultra. It’s the product you can trust to give you the best of the best with redefined performance and quality.

We fully merged the most beloved Galaxy Note experiences into Ultra, pioneering a smartphone with the power, performance and creative capabilities of two leading Galaxy innovations in one.

The Galaxy S Ultra has truly become the pinnacle of Samsung Mobile’s innovation, a marque that stands out against everything else, and soon we’ll show you what Ultra can do in even more device categories.

Innovation That Lasts

Performance is not just about more power. It’s also about innovation that lasts with less environmental impact.

We are committed to combatting climate change, and we are guided by our new environmental strategy that strives to make the technology we depend on more sustainable. That’s why we consider every phase of the product lifecycle with sustainability top of mind.

This means building devices that last longer with enhanced durability and reliability. This means incorporating more recycled materials into more components. This means collaborating with like-minded partners to bring people closer together and deliver positive change for people and the planet while setting new benchmarks for our industry.

Premium Experience Without Compromise

On February 1 at Unpacked, we’ll show how innovation and sustainability working together bring the ultimate premium experience.

At a time when the stakes are higher than ever, we’ve raised the bar by pushing boundaries for the mobile experience — delivering our most powerful mobile experiences you’ll continue to love for years to come.

I can’t wait to share what’s next with you.

At CES, the world’s largest consumer electronics and information technology exhibition held in Las Vegas from January 5 local time, Samsung is introducing its all-new connected experience powered by SmartThings, along with all the latest on how the company is combining innovation with sustainability via eco-conscious initiatives for a brighter future for all.

If you are unable to make it out to Las Vegas in person this year, be sure to read on for a closer look at how Samsung is bringing its booth, united under the theme of “Bringing Calm to Our Connected World,” to life.

▲ As soon as they step into the exhibition hall, visitors are greeted and introduced to Samsung’s “Bringing Calm to Our Connected World” theme. The display includes the company’s vision for sustainability that will be achieved through eco-conscious products and technologies, in addition to its vision for daily life that will be enriched by SmartThings, an interconnected experience brand.

1. Towards a Sustainable Future: Eco-Conscious Innovation for Both People and Products

Samsung announced its New Environmental Management Strategy back in September of last year, wherein the company presented its approach to combating the climate crisis through innovative technologies, including ultra-low-power semiconductors and eco-conscious product development, as well as its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

At this year’s CES, Samsung is further demonstrating its commitment to taking action to combat climate change, including the company’s latest efforts towards boosting resource circulation and the products and innovations it has developed to create an eco-conscious tech ecosystem.

▲ Visitors can learn about Samsung’s eco-conscious initiatives across product life cycles, from sourcing and production to packaging, use and disposal. Visitors can get a close-up look at Samsung’s Regenerative Catalytic System (RCS) process for the first time at CES. Samsung was the first in the industry to develop it and there is nothing else like it. In the time that it was introduced, we have continued to improve it, bringing process efficiency up to 95%.

▲ Samsung has developed a variety of accessibility features to provide more accessible technology for all. This includes the new Relumino mode, which adjusts picture settings to enhance viewing experiences for those with low vision, coming to select 2023 Samsung TV models.

▲ Visitors learn about Auto-caption mode, which harnesses AI to place captions in non-obstructive places on-screen.

▲ To commemorate the importance of such technologies, Samsung has curated an exhibition of artworks from the Drawing Diversity project, an artistic collaboration by individuals with developmental disabilities. The goal of the project was to break stereotypes previously created in art and the display attracted the attention of visitors as it painted a picture of a better future.

▲ Samsung is helping users live more sustainably, including through its Net Zero Home, wherein all household energy consumption is managed with energy generated within the home itself. Through SmartThings Energy, a Net Zero Home can effectively manage the flow of energy without waste and features such as AI Energy Mode can help optimize energy use when there’s a surplus or shortage in energy.

▲ Visitors can learn about how, by removing the need for complicated manuals, the Net Zero Home’s 3D Map View makes it easier than ever to monitor energy usage. The AI Saving Mode setting constantly monitors and reduces energy usage based on the estimated energy bill, with the Away Notification — compatible with Bixby — sending notifications when unnecessary energy usage is detected. Other SmartThings features, such as AI scan for washer detergent, are also set to revolutionize water usage within the home.

2. The Evolved SmartThings Platform: Bringing Hyper-Connected Experiences to All

SmartThings, Samsung’s proprietary smart home platform, has evolved into being more than just a connected home solution — it is an integrated experience brand. Bringing together the SmartThings platform, which connects products and other smart home objects, Bixby, which provides AI services beyond just voice commands, and Knox, which safely manages and protects users’ personal information, the Samsung offering is being showcased at CES through a total of six daily connection experiences.

Each of the innovative technologies featured throughout SmartThings, Knox and Bixby are set to improve user’s device connectivity, controllability and customizability experiences for more holistic connected living. By integrating the three platforms, Samsung aims to better enrich people’s lives across all aspects of their lifestyles, showcasing its 2023 vision for a new era of connected living.

▲ Create your own home device ecosystem with SmartThings. With all your devices and appliances registered to SmartThings, connecting to and monitoring device performance is a breeze thanks to an integrated IoT.

Upgrade Home Security With SmartThings Home Monitoring

▲ Visitors learn more about the ways Samsung is helping keep users safe, both digitally and physically. SmartThings’ Home Monitoring Mode works with more than 1,000 SmartThings-connected devices, including Samsung TVs, to help keep the house safe anytime and anywhere. With data kept securely stored by the highly advanced Knox Vault Security platform, you can be sure to know what’s going on at home in real-time via your smartphone by harnessing your smart TV’s camera as a home camera.

▲ By connecting a leak sensor and smoke detectors from partnered brands, SmartThings Home Monitoring can help keep your home safe against leaks and fires, alerting you if there is a potential problem in your home.

Family Care Made Easier With Galaxy Devices

▲ Thanks to the remote connectivity of SmartThings, those worried about elderly parents are able to keep track of their loved ones’ wellbeing thanks to Samsung Senior Care, which can harness a TV’s microphone and camera as well as an elderly user’s Galaxy Watch to monitor and send real-time alerts to family members in emergencies.

▲ Samsung’s Pet Care service can help you monitor and keep tabs on your furry companions, including both cats and dogs — because pets are members of the family, too.

Immersive Entertainment Experiences at the Touch of a Button

▲ Visitors test out Samsung’s new Ready Care system, helping to make users’ In-Cabin eXperience (ICX) safer and more comfortable. With a system including in-vehicle cameras and sensors, Ready Care helps monitor driver cognition and focus, alerting the driver when changes in the driver’s condition are sensed. In addition, Ready Care gives you the ability to easily set up your house’s environment from your vehicle remotely, helping you create the perfect in-home environment before arriving home.

▲ You can take your immersion to the next level when gaming or enjoying a film as the surround lighting’s color and brightness levels will match the content on-screen accordingly through Music Sync and Video Sync.

Take Control of Your Health & Wellness With Samsung Health

▲ SmartThings and Samsung Health are helping users take control of their health by providing guidance on how to exercise properly, eat better and keep track of their health and fitness goals.

▲ Samsung is also in the process of developing Remote Medical Care, a service that allows users to see doctors without having to travel by syncing and sharing their Samsung Health data with their remote physician — all from the comfort of their home.

▲ Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free streaming service, offers users seamless viewing experiences between devices. If you’ve been enjoying content on your mobile while out and about, you can pick up instantly where you left off once home on your TV.

Create a “Smart Work” Environment in Your Home Office

▲ Visitors learn about the ways Samsung is redefining the phrase “work from anywhere” with its frictionless phone-to-PC platforms and technologies. With Samsung’s Easy Connection, easily connect your PC to your Samsung Smart Monitor without the hassle of entering the PC’s IP address and name each time you connect.

▲ Thanks to Samsung’s DeX platform, working remotely has never been easier. Switch between programs, multitask effortlessly and increase your productivity — all wirelessly and from virtually anywhere.

A Revamped SmartThings Ecosystem Offers Endless Connection Possibilities

▲ The SmartThings platform currently offers approximately 3,000 Works-With SmartThings products from 300 partners, as well as compatibility with the Matter standard protocol, HCA standards and other devices outside the IoT network — made possible by Samsung’s many partnerships — for more seamless smart home life connectivity. These expansive services provide users with a diverse and wide range of interworking possibilities.

Samsung’s new environmental management strategy is a concept that goes beyond just environmental protection, encompassing both environmental strategies and ethical management across value and supply chains to help build a brighter future for all.

Samsung will continue to act upon its willingness to realize true sustainability, in all its forms, in order to create healthy, sustainable and connected ecosystems of connected devices.

Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more on Samsung’s booth at CES 2023 and the connected innovations set to transform daily life this year and beyond.

We now have to navigate uncharted waters where everything is changing — from technology to markets to consumers — and we face additional challenges of the pandemic and uncertainties in the global economy.

As such, the “environment” and the “experience” of how we live has become more important, and our concern for creating a sustainable future has deepened.

As the global leader in consumer electronics and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), I believe Samsung Electronics has a responsibility to establish an eco-conscious value chain through our innovative technologies and products, as well as to provide more valuable and enlightening experiences to each and every consumer.

That is why Samsung has been focusing all its efforts to recognize sustainable innovation as the essential value and key element in our business.

At CES 2023 in January, Samsung will outline its plan for “Bringing Calm to Our Connected World” by underlining our responsibilities and vision to strive towards this goal and share our journey together for creating a sustainable and prosperous future.

SmartThings: Providing Evolved Hyper-Connected Experiences That Are Invisible Yet Present in Our Lives

At CES 2023, Samsung will present a new and expanded SmartThings experience that integrates your home ecosystem even more seamlessly with a system, that is supported by enhanced security.

We will also explore easier and safer ways to connect devices and appliances, and how to make customized experiences for each user even more precise with AI.

We are closely cooperating with various industry partners to embody the SmartThings experience, creating a new path to provide optimal and customized connected experiences to users according to their individual preferences and lifestyles.

Sustainable Future in the Hyper-Connected Era

In order to provide better daily life experiences, Samsung has been paying attention to how technology can address difficulties and problems encountered in everyday life. In addition, we have continued to identify ways to contribute to creating a more sustainable future by developing products that are sustainable and equipped with innovative technologies.

Since we announced our new environmental strategy in September, we have underlined how we plan to contribute to overcoming the climate crisis through our innovative technologies, including ultra-low power semiconductors and energy saving products. We also announced our goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Saving energy through SmartThings and developing eco-conscious innovative products showcase how we are upholding our sustainable, forward-thinking values.

In addition, we are actively promoting our environmental and societal efforts by participating in sustainable business management partnerships with other stakeholders, such as international organizations, industries and citizens.

We joined the steering committee for the Asia Clean Energy Coalition (ACEC) together with major global companies and NGOs to expand renewable energy supply to its major production bases in Asia.

Furthermore, we joined the Semiconductor Climate Consortium (SCC) as a founding member during the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference held in November. Through this organization, we aim to set and implement plans to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions of the semiconductor industry, create eco-conscious ecosystems by setting a carbon reduction target, develop greenhouse gas reduction technologies and support green technology startups.

We will continue to pave the way for the hyper-connected era, empowering consumers to help create a sustainable future by simply using Samsung products.

One More Step for Mankind: Samsung’s Sustainable Journey

When developing new technology for users, we have always been asking the question, “What should we do?” rather than “What can we do?” This is because technology can change the way people communicate with and experience the world, make daily life more enriching and can act as the driving force toward a better future.

At CES 2023, we will show our industry-leading efforts that go beyond simply making great products with advanced technologies and aim to unleash new experiences through technology, making our daily lives and the world even better.

Every year, judged by a panel of sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) experts, the SEAL Awards recognizes the most impactful sustainability initiatives and top companies that drive environmental progress. Samsung is a recipient of the SEAL Sustainable Product Award, which honors inspiring purpose-built products that move and change the world in a better way.

“We are honored to receive the 2022 SEAL Sustainable Product Award for our efforts to advance more circular product designs and by doing more with less when it comes to ocean plastic waste,” said Sungsun Park, EVP and Head of Mechanical R&D Team of MX Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is committed to continuing our sustainability journey and unleashing the company’s scale, innovation and spirit of open collaboration to deliver even more tangible climate actions.”

“A staggering 640,000 tons of fishing equipment are abandoned in the ocean each year, trapping and entangling marine life and damaging coral reefs. We applaud Samsung for transforming the Galaxy smartphone series to combat this environmental challenge,” said Matt Harney, Founder of SEAL Awards.

Discarded fishing nets are one of the most widespread and invasive ocean-bound plastics that pose a serious threat to marine life and our planet. Samsung first incorporated recycled discarded fishing nets with the Galaxy S22 series and since then, has used the material in designs throughout the Galaxy ecosystem, including in tablets, laptops and earbuds. By collaborating with like-minded organizations, Samsung created a new material from recycled ocean-bound plastic and upheld its high-quality standards.

This innovation is part of Samsung MX’s sustainability vision, Galaxy for the Planet, which outlines the company’s journey to taking tangible climate actions across global business operations and product lifecycles. Through Galaxy for the Planet, Samsung strives to develop and incorporate recycled materials in all new products, eliminate single-use plastics in mobile packaging, achieve zero standby power consumption for all smartphone chargers and divert all waste from landfill by 2025.

About the SEAL Awards
SEAL (Sustainability, Environmental Achievement & Leadership) Awards is an environmental advocacy organization that honors leadership through our business sustainability awards & environmental journalism awards while funding research and pursuing our own environmental impact campaigns.

The SEAL Awards’ core pillars are:

• Business Sustainability Awards — honors the most sustainable companies in the world, like Adidas, AMD, Cisco and Tide
• Environmental Journalism Awards — representative past winners include journalists from Guardian, New York Times and Grist
  
• Impact Campaigns — representative campaigns include “#UpTheCup” and “Eco Rewards”
• Environmental Research Grants
  

For more information, please visit https://sealawards.com/.

Samsung Electronics has announced its new environmental strategy, a comprehensive effort to join the global movement to tackle climate change. At the heart of the new commitment is achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 by using innovative technologies to implement sustainability throughout its production process, product lifecycle and more — enabling a greener future for all.

In line with this vision, ESG — or environmental, social and corporate governance — is much more than a buzzword at Samsung Electronics, and we believe that having a positive impact on the planet starts with our employees. That’s why we’re highlighting Samsung workers around the world who are leading the way in cultivating a culture of sustainability and social responsibility. We’re breaking down the ins and outs of ESG throughout Samsung and answering your questions on how we’re building a better tomorrow for all.

Next in our new series on how Samsung employees worldwide are building a more sustainable future, we have two women blazing the trail, Francesca Falco and Paula Byrne from the Samsung European Public Affairs Office.

A Day in the Lives of ESG Influencers

There’s more to Brussels than chocolate and waffles. Located in Belgium, Brussels is known for being the unofficial capital of the E.U. due to its long history of hosting several principal E.U. institutions, including the European Commission, Council of the European Union, European Council and European Parliament. Since ESG is subject to increasingly heavy European legislation, the Samsung European Public Affairs office based in Brussels is integral to driving the ESG movement across the company and the continent.

Francesca and Paula work together for Samsung in the Brussels European Public Affairs office, reinforcing Samsung’s ESG strategy. “Our office is in charge of government relations with E.U. institutions,” said Francesca. “This includes building and maintaining strong relationships with the E.U., international organizations and other stakeholders in the areas of sustainability and corporate citizenship.”

The pair monitor and offer guidance on sustainability and corporate responsibility across not only the entire product lifecycle but also Samsung’s corporate activities. From publishing regular reports on environmental impact to collaborating with executives to ensure company-wide transparency and creating an overreaching strategy for Europe, these two women unite people and policy to spearhead a sustainable movement across the entirety of Samsung.

So what’s a day in the life like for these ESG experts?

Francesca and Paula go to work by bicycle. For them, sustainability isn’t just a job — it’s a lifestyle. Fortunately, the Samsung office in Brussels makes living green easy for employees. As the office is located in a walkable neighborhood that is well-served by public transport and easily reached by bike, many employees opt for more green ways to commute. This not only reduces their footprint but also earns them some healthy daily exercise.

Once they’re in the office, Francesca and Paula always greet each other before they start their day. Their daily schedules vary widely — ESG is a broad domain, so their agendas are never quite the same.

“One moment I’m organizing an event for students, the next, I’m reading the European Commission’s latest regulation on eco-design, and a moment later, I’m meeting with other companies to discuss energy efficiency,” said Francesca. “I cover a wide range of topics and tasks, so it never gets boring.”

Building Out a More Sustainable Supply Chain

Above all, Paula believes in the power of partnership — which she brings daily to her role as an Environmental Social Governance Expert for Samsung European Public Affairs.

Paula has been most passionate about her work advising suppliers and customers on safety, health, well-being, good labor practices, human rights and the environment, which has already seen fruitful results. As a global company, Samsung’s supply chain has an enormous reach and footprint. By working with the men and women shaping the future of ESG standards in Europe and around the world, Paula too hopes to shape the future of ESG at Samsung.

Samsung has adopted a thorough and transparent evaluation process and criteria for its new suppliers. “Samsung’s Eco-Partner evaluation system ensures that all materials used for Samsung products do not contain harmful chemicals or materials,” explained Paula. “Through this program, Samsung requests that all partner companies meet environmental criteria and evaluate themselves regularly.”

Samsung strives to build strategic partnerships with the best-performing suppliers based on mutual trust and offers its suppliers a variety of programs to support funding, education and innovation.

According to Paula, these partnerships are a perfect win-win for Samsung and its customers to create sustainable value. She plans to achieve greater results by sharing skills and knowledge, building both Samsung and her clients’ reputations as sustainable companies.

Helping Students Stay Safe, Responsible and Healthy Online

As a Senior Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability Expert at Samsung European Public Affairs, Francesca has an interest in managing the company’s Corporate Citizenship activities in Europe, focusing on education and digital well-being.

Working on such a large scale is certainly impressive, but the personal impact Francesca has on people’s daily lives is what excites her the most. One stand-out example was Samsung’s activities promoting online safety among young people, parents and teachers, which was also Francesca’s first project at the company.

“Every year, Samsung sells millions of technological products which could end up in the hands of young consumers,” said Francesca. “I am proud that as a responsible business, in many European countries, we help create awareness and provide the technical tools minors, parents and caretakers need to use our connected devices safely.”

When it comes to Samsung’s approach to online safety, Francesca explained that we must prepare people with digital skills, provide knowledge and tools to use technology thoughtfully and safely and protect users from harmful content or behavior. As part of Samsung’s Better Internet for Kids Youth Pledge, Francesca mobilized several European subsidiaries to work together and organize workshops to involve youth in Samsung’s discussions on age-appropriate design and online safety features.

Francesca even had the chance to present Samsung’s efforts at the 2020 Safer Internet Forum and later, to European institutions and stakeholders — demonstrating the wide reach of her efforts.

“This type of activity, which goes beyond legal compliance, shows that Samsung is putting in genuine efforts to make a better future,” said Francesca. “Now that Samsung has announced its new environmental strategy, we look forward to supporting our headquarters’ climate and circular economy efforts with regional initiatives.”

Growing a Green Company Culture

Francesca and Paula strive to be eco-conscious whether they’re at home or in the office. For instance, both Francesca and Paula try to promote more sustainable choices as part of their office culture, such as reducing paper and plastic use and organizing recycling more efficiently.

Their entire office even got on board, installing a water filtration system for drinking water — in doing so, eliminating the use of plastic bottles — and replacing the coffee capsule machine with a bean-to-cup coffee machine.

After all, when it comes to making changes that protect the planet, Francesca believes it all comes down to mindset.

“The main obstacle to real change is the feeling that individual choices have no or limited impact. This is far from true,” said Francesca. “Our choice of how we get to work, what we eat, how we hold meetings and how many business trips we take can inspire those around us and create a wave of change.”

“We have one planet, and the mistreatment of it affects us all,” added Paula. “It is important to drive employees and consumers to make better choices for the environment. Environmental harm is closely connected to people, our work, our health and the general well-being and stability in our communities.”

Green Is Gold

Over the years, sustainability has gone from a “good to have” to a “must have.” From an individual to a company-wide level, there is a much bigger awareness of the need for ESG in business. This passion starts from its employees and drives positive change at Samsung at all levels: from design and manufacturing to sales and communication.

“It is crucial that my employer is a responsible corporate citizen because I want to work for a company that shares my values and matches my lifestyle choices,” said Francesca. “I love using my knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on the world, and I take great pride in knowing that with Samsung, I contributed to the launch and deployment of environmental and educational activities.”

“Technology can really be used for the good of the planet, profit and people,” added Paula. “Working for a company that considers the care of our planet as a key target is smart and can remain in business for future generations.

Companies have an important role in protecting the ecosystem and preserving natural resources for future generations. At Samsung, we strive to be the most socially responsible workplace we can be and to integrate sustainability into daily life for our employees.

With opening remarks from Jong-Hee Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Device Experience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, the presentations revealed how Samsung is crafting systems that help make lives smarter, safer, more convenient and more connected than ever before.

▲ Attendees take their seats at SDC 2022 in anticipation of the day’s wide-ranging Keynote

Read on to see Samsung Newsroom’s recap of the innovation and inspiration revolutionizing how we live and work both now and in the future.

Opening: A Seamless, Frictionless Experience

Jong-Hee Han opened up the day’s talks by underscoring the importance of convenience in an age of brilliant yet complex technologies. “At Samsung, our goal has always been to make our lives easier through technology innovation,” said Han. “But innovation can also be burdensome for users if convenience is not at the forefront. Our teams are determined to deliver devices that are as smooth and accessible as they are advanced.”

▲ Jong-Hee Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of DX Division at Samsung Electronics, welcomes attendees to SDC 2022.

Covering everything from Calm Technology to Knox Matrix to holistic household platforms like Bixby Home Studio and SmartThings, Han outlined a device and systems ecosystem that puts the user experience at the center. “The goal of all this is to give you an easier, seamless and more frictionless experience,” Han emphasized. “So you can focus on what matters most.”

A Home That Learns and Adapts Through SmartThings

Following Jong-Hee Han, Jaeyeon Jung, Vice President and Head of SmartThings, Mobile eXperience Business, discussed how Covid-19 galvanized teams at Samsung to prioritize the important things in life, particularly in the home. “If you’re like me, the past few years have been a time to prioritize what matters, to find moments to pause and refresh,” said Jung.

▲ Jaeyeon Jung, Vice President and Head of SmartThings, Mobile eXperience Business, outlines how the platform is helping realize a truly seamless, intuitive household device ecosystem.

Samsung’s SmartThings platform, Jung explained, is the perfect way to do this in your home. Thanks to a wide range of improvements to the household ecosystem platform, finding, setting up, onboarding and synchronizing new devices into your household will be easier and more efficient than ever. This includes Galaxy Quick Pair, Matter Hub connectivity, SmartThings Energy and SmartThings Music Sync, as well as boosted integration with partner systems and an expanded SmartThings website.

Matter: A Truly Harmonious Household Experience

At the end of her talk, Jung introduced Matthew McCullough from Google, who provided an overview of Matter, a system that lays the groundwork for true interoperability between devices in the home. Samsung is committed to Matter integration, and confident it will make the dream of a fully integrated household a reality.

▲ Google’s Matthew McCullough explains how the Matter interoperability system works, reinforcing Samsung and Google’s collaborative efforts to expand its integration.

By working closely together, Samsung and Google aim to make life for both users and device makers simpler and smoother, with multi-admin features that cut down on manual management and make Google Home and Nest Hub more accessible. “This ease of use across Samsung and Google is just the start, and we’re looking forward to delivering a more seamless, delightful home experience,” said McCullough.

Industry Collaboration Making Device Ecosystems More Open

▲ Mark Benson, Head of SmartThings U.S. at Samsung, expands on the company’s enthusiasm for Matter adoption and introduces the SmartThings Matter Early Access Program.

Continuing with the theme of interoperability, Mark Benson, Head of SmartThings U.S., emphasized Samsung’s commitment to supporting Matter. “To accelerate Matter adoption, we created the SmartThings Matter Early Access Program, where we work with major device manufacturers to ensure their Matter-enabled devices work seamlessly with SmartThings,” said Benson.

The SmartThings app, SmartThings Hub Core and SmartThings Cloud, Benson pointed out, are already prepared to support Matter. “It’s all about delivering interoperability right out of the box,” he said.

The Expanding Role of Bixby

Anil Yadav, Head of Bixby Lab at Samsung Research¹ America, took to the stage to discuss SmartThings’ bespoke speech platform and de facto voice in the home, including its exciting new feature: Bixby Home Studio. “With Bixby Home Studio, you can create experiences that span multiple devices and respond more intuitively to user commands,” said Yadav. “For example, if you ask Bixby to turn on your air conditioner, Bixby can check if you have any windows open and let you know to close them, saving energy.”

▲ Voice system expert and Head of Bixby Lab Anil Yadav lays out the platform’s evolving role in the home and celebrates the launch of Bixby Home Studio.

Ready to do everything from queuing up your next action movie on your Samsung Smart TV to boosting your mobile security with On-Device AI, Bixby is smarter and more powerful than ever.

Premium Security and Privacy for an Integrated Household

▲ Shin Baik, Principal Engineer of Security Team, Mobile eXperience Business, underscores the significance of strong security and personalized privacy, as exemplified by systems like Samsung Knox and Knox Matrix.

Samsung envisions more than just a convenient and integrated home experience. Its teams are also creating an experience that is as safe as it is smooth, as private as it is proactive. After Yadav’s Bixby talk, Shin Baik, Principal Engineer of Security Team, Mobile eXperience Business, discussed with the audience how top-notch innovations need top-notch security to go with them. Unwavering in its three security and privacy principles — transparency, choice and protection — Samsung has worked hard to develop platforms like Samsung Knox. This will keep everything from your phone to your refrigerator safe and secure, said Baik.

A new platform called Knox Matrix, in particular, is now on the frontline of multi-device protection. “Knox Matrix is your own private blockchain,” Baik explained. “Multiple devices share credentials, turning the ecosystem of devices into a shield that protects everyone.”

In step with these developments, of course, is Samsung’s insistence on a customizable privacy experience, which is provided by Samsung’s comprehensive Security and privacy dashboard. “We believe that you — and only you — should be making decisions about how your information is managed and stored,” said Baik.

A More Vibrant Content Ecosystem Than Ever

Sang Kim, Senior Vice President and Head of Product & Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, shared important insights on Samsung’s extensive media network, covering a range of recent successes.

▲ Sang Kim, Senior Vice President and Head of Product & Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, provides a roundup of Samsung’s diverse — and rapidly expanding — media network.

Samsung Gaming Hub, launched in June, is an all-in-one gaming solution that, thanks to partnerships with industry leaders like Xbox, lets players connect their controllers to Samsung TVs and access all the games they love without even needing a console or PC.

Samsung TV Plus, the FAST streaming TV and video platform that relaunched this summer, now reaches 24 countries and 465 million devices globally. It is projected to clock in an impressive three billion hours streamed by users by the end of 2022.

Thanks to broad reach, smooth monetization integration and an advertising environment optimized for both clients and users, Samsung streaming also offers an ideal platform for premium advertising.

“Today, Fortune 500 companies from around the world have leveraged Samsung TV Plus and our other advanced TV advertising solutions to reach valuable consumers,” Kim said.

Tizen’s Global Conquest

▲ Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President and Deputy Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business discusses all things Tizen, from the operating system’s global reach to its growing spectrum of applications.

Following Sang Kim, Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President and Deputy Head of R&D Team, Visual Display Business, took to the stage to talk about Tizen, Samsung’s open source, Linux-backed operating system. Kim took the audience through a huge variety of developments in the Tizen journey, which is growing its capabilities to an ever-wider spectrum of uses and applications.

Leveraging partnerships with gaming leaders like Xbox, NVIDIA and Utomik, Tizen is helping bring a truly consolidated, uninterrupted gaming experience to users with Samsung Gaming Hub, with fantastic performance and image quality, Kim explained. It delivers stunning visual displays and blockchain wallet integration to Samsung TVs for better at-home art experiences, while also helping Smart Hub deliver the best in content searches and recommendations. Tizen Enterprise, meanwhile, is boosting B2B partners’ display and signage options, while Tizen Everywhere aims to expand licensing and bring the system to more countries.

“Since its launch ten years ago, Tizen now powers more than 330 million TVs, refrigerators and other smart devices,” said Kim. “At Samsung, we will continue to create Tizen experiences that transform and go beyond what many thought possible.”

One UI 5 and the “Your Galaxy, Your Way” Philosophy

Next up was Sally Hyesoon Jeong, Vice President of Framework R&D Group, Mobile eXperience Business, whose theme for the day was the company’s latest leap forward in the UI experience: One UI 5.

▲ Sally Hyesoon Jeong, Vice President of Framework R&D Group, Mobile eXperience Business, introduces One UI 5, the next stage of Samsung’s UI evolution and a distillation of the “Your Galaxy, Your Way” philosophy.

“On this stage three years ago, I shared our vision for One UI, the essence of the Galaxy experience,” Jeong began. “One UI truly captures the ‘Your Galaxy, Your Way’ philosophy by bringing users an intuitive, connected experience that is uniquely yours.”

Splitting the new UI update’s advancements into three areas — Personalization, Productivity and Possibility — Jeong shared a host of new and improved features. Personalization included deep customization enhancements, like Dynamic Lockscreen for smartphones, Watch Face Studio for Galaxy Watches and custom-built Modes and Routines, while health and security functions are also more adaptable than ever. The Productivity section included Bixby Text Call, improved phone-to-PC connectivity and multitasking upgrades like Taskbar improvements. Possibilities covered One UI 5’s integration with innovative Samsung Foldable devices and related functions like Flex Mode.

A Look Over the Horizon: Robotics and Health in Tomorrow’s Homes

The final talk before the wrap-up was from Sebastian Seung, President and Head of Samsung Research. While many of the day’s talks focused on recent improvements, Seung has his eye on the innovations of tomorrow, aiming for no less than the merging of the physical and digital worlds.

“I’d like to invite you to look over the horizon, to a future dreamed of but not yet realized,” said Seung, who divided his presentation between the future of robotics in the home and Samsung’s ambitions to contribute to health & wellness research.

In the home robotics field, Seung discussed the company’s continued success with a household supported by advanced, AI-enhanced devices, including the object-detecting JetBot AI+ vacuum, the Bot Handy chore assistant prototype and even future plans for Samsung’s latest robot arm manipulation code, which will soon be available on GitHub.

▲ Sebastian Seung, President and Head of Samsung Research, discusses the company’s plans for a future where advanced robotics technologies support households and outlines Samsung’s ambitions in health & wellness research.

Moving on to the subject of health, Seung introduced Samsung Health Stack, an open source project from Samsung that aims to actively advance health & wellness research. “This is a full stack SDK, a mobile app for patients, a portal for researchers and a backend database,” said Seung. “A complete package of open-source tools designed for the easy creation of digital systems for the research of health and wellness.”

Closing: Building a More Sustainable Future With Samsung

To round off the talks, Jong-Hee Han returned to the stage to offer a final word, summarizing the technologies showcased at SDC and the course of the company’s future of innovation.

▲ Jong-Hee Han returns to the stage to conclude the day’s talks, ending on a proactive vision of a future driven by sustainable, eco-conscious technologies.

“I would like to talk about the future one more time,” he added. “The future of something very dear to my heart: our planet. I believe we have a responsibility to help create a sustainable future. We do that through Everyday Sustainability, a belief that every stage of the product lifecycle can be more sustainable.”

Han presented a range of Samsung sustainability commitments and environmental research directions, including responsible material sourcing, recycling, disposal, renewable energy and billions in investments toward meeting carbon emissions reductions.

“By 2027, we will run all DX operations on renewable energy,” Han said, ending the day on an optimistic note and a glimpse of a future for customers that is easier, more seamless, more frictionless and — crucially — more eco-conscious.

Watch the video below to see the complete recording of the SDC22 Keynote.

▲ Attendees explore the latest Samsung products at SDC22 booths.

¹ Samsung Research, acting as Samsung Electronics’ advanced R&D hub, leads the development of future technologies for the company’s Device eXperience (DX) Division.

Starting this year, Samsung will accelerate its push towards creating a sustainable future. In addition, Samsung will maximize resource circulation and develop technologies to aid in reducing pollution and emissions, bringing the vision of a cleaner, more sustainable future closer to fruition.

To learn more about Samsung’s efforts to create a sustainable planet for future generations, check out the infographic below.

Samsung Electronics today announced its new environmental strategy, a comprehensive effort to join global efforts to tackle climate change. It includes commitments to achieve enterprise-wide net zero carbon emissions and plans to use more renewable energy, as well as to invest in and research new technologies to develop energy-efficient products, increase water reuse and develop carbon capture technology.

At the heart of the new commitment is achieving net zero carbon emissions (Scope 1 & Scope 2) for all operations in the Device eXperience (DX) Division by 2030, and across all global operations, including the Device Solutions (DS) Division, by 2050. The DX Division encompasses the company’s consumer electronics businesses, including Mobile eXperience, Visual Display, Digital Appliances, Networks and Health & Medical Equipment, while the DS Division includes the Memory, System LSI and Foundry businesses.

Samsung Electronics has also joined RE100, a global initiative dedicated to pursuing 100 percent renewable energy. As part of this commitment, the company plans to match electric power needs of all international markets where it operates, outside of Korea, with renewable energy within five years.

The new plan builds on Samsung Electronics’ existing climate efforts, significantly expanding the scope of its programs and investments. Samsung will develop new technologies and implement further sustainable practices to enable a brighter future for all.

“The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The consequences of inaction are unimaginable and require the contribution of every one of us, including businesses and governments,” said Jong-Hee Han, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is responding to the threats of climate change with a comprehensive plan that includes reducing emissions, new sustainability practices and the development of innovative technologies and products that are better for our planet.”

Samsung Electronics’ environmental commitment also encompasses an enterprise-wide effort to enhance resource circularity throughout the entire product lifecycle, from raw material sourcing to recycling and disposal. The plan also details investments in new technologies to reduce emissions from process gases as well as to reduce power consumption in consumer products. The company also plans to explore carbon capture and utilization technologies and tackle harmful airborne particulate matter.

In recognition of the need for innovative approaches around environmental sustainability, Samsung Electronics will invest over KRW 7 trillion in its environmental initiatives by 2030, including reducing process gases, conserving water, expanding electronic waste collection and reducing pollutants. The investment figure excludes costs related to expansion of renewable energy use.

Net Zero Direct and Indirect Carbon Emissions by 2050

Samsung Electronics plans to achieve net zero direct and indirect carbon emissions by 2050, with the DX Division achieving its goal by 2030. By reaching net zero direct and indirect carbon emissions, Samsung Electronics expects to reduce the equivalent of about 17 million tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) emissions based on 2021 figures.

To propel these efforts, Samsung Electronics will invest heavily in innovative technologies for treatment facilities that reduce carbon emissions. The company plans to develop new technologies to significantly reduce process gases — a byproduct of semiconductor manufacturing — and install treatment facilities on its semiconductor manufacturing lines by 2030. Samsung Electronics will continue to expand waste heat utilization facilities and consider introducing electric heat sources to reduce LNG boiler usage.

Samsung Electronics has joined RE100, in a collaborative effort to reduce indirect carbon emissions from power consumption, and aims to match electric power needs with renewable energy by 2050 for all operations globally. As part of this initiative, Samsung Electronics plans to run all operations outside of Korea as well as the DX Division on renewable energy within five years. The company’s renewable energy sourcing methods will include, but not limited to, signing power purchase agreements (PPA), purchasing renewable energy certificates and participating in green pricing programs.

The goal for matching electricity use with renewable energy is 2022 for Southwest Asia and Vietnam; 2025 for Central and Latin America; and 2027 for Southeast Asia, CIS and Africa. In the U.S., China and Europe, which have already matched electric power use with renewable energy, Samsung Electronics plans to move towards expanding renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPA).

RE100 cites Korea, where many of Samsung Electronics’ production facilities are based, as one of the most challenging countries to source renewable energy. This is in part due to the country’s renewable energy market, where procurement options for corporations have begun to expand but remain limited. Additionally, the electric power needs of semiconductor manufacturing facilities have continued to increase with the expansion of Samsung Electronics’ production capacity to meet global demand. However, the company will aim to achieve renewable energy use more proactively, acknowledging the urgency of today’s climate challenges. The company will also strengthen cooperation with different stakeholders, including peers in the technology industry, international organizations and NGOs.

Ultra-Low Power Products and Resource Circularity

Part of Samsung Electronics’ pledge for a healthier planet includes ensuring its products are energy-efficient and use less electricity, while also ensuring that the entire product lifecycle is more sustainable, from raw material sourcing to disposal and recycling.

Ultra-Low Power Semiconductors and Energy-Efficient Electronics Products

Samsung Electronics plans to tap new low-power technologies to reduce energy consumption in every day consumer electronics. This includes development of new ultra-low power memory chips that aim to significantly reduce the annual power consumption of memory products used in data centers and mobile devices by 2025 compared to current products.

The company will also implement low-power technologies in major models of seven consumer electronics products — smartphones, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, TVs, monitors and PCs — with the goal of lowering power consumption levels by an average of 30 percent in 2030 compared to products with the same specifications in 2019.

Going forward, Samsung Electronics will set mid-to long-term reduction targets for value chain emissions (Scope 3). Samsung Electronics will also focus on new approaches to reduce emissions in areas such as supply chains, logistics and resource circularity, as well as supporting suppliers in setting their emissions targets and reduction efforts.

Maximizing Resource Circularity Across the Entire Product Lifecycle

Samsung Electronics will double down on efforts to improve the resource circularity of electronics over the entire lifecycle of a product, from raw material sourcing to disposal and recycling, ensuring that every resource is used with as little impact on the environment as possible.

This all starts with reassessing the use of natural resources in product development. Samsung Electronics has created a new Circular Economy Lab to conduct comprehensive research on material recycling technologies and resource extraction processes from waste with the aim of applying these technologies to maximize resource circularity. In addition, Samsung Electronics plans to establish a system by 2030 in which minerals extracted from all collected waste batteries can be reused.

Also by 2030, the company aims to have 50 percent of the plastic used in its products incorporate recycled resin. The year 2050 will see this figure increase to 100 percent. The Galaxy Z Fold4 has already been designed to incorporate plastics recycled from discarded fishing nets and the success seen here will soon be expanded to additional products.

To address sustainability after product use, Samsung Electronics plans to expand the scope of its electronic waste collection system from approximately 50 countries to about 180 countries by 2030. Through this, the company plans to collect a cumulative 10 million tons of electronic waste between 2009 and 2030, the highest target in the industry and a cumulative 25 million tons by 2050. Samsung Electronics will also actively promote an upcycling program that collects used smartphones and reuses them for other purposes such as IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

Water Conservation and Pollutant Treatment Measures

Samsung Electronics also plans to maximize water resource efficiency. As domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity expands, the daily water withdrawal needs from Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor operations in Korea are projected to double from current levels by 2030. However, the company is committing to maximizing water reuse, therefore keeping actual water withdrawals to 2021 levels.

For the DX Division, the company plans to promote water reuse by improving its water treatment facilities and to restore the same amount of water as it consumes by 2030 through water restoration projects such as water quality improvement and stream restoration.

Simultaneously, the DS Division aims to apply new technologies that remove air and water pollutants emitted during the semiconductor manufacturing process and treat them before being discharged to ensure that they have almost no additional impact on the environment from 2040.

Company-wide, Samsung Electronics plans to obtain a platinum-level Zero Waste to Landfill Certification issued by global safety certification organization Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for all global operations by 2025.

Invest in and Develop Innovative Technologies for a Sustainable Future

Samsung Electronics intends to apply the company’s leading technology in addressing global climate challenges. In particular, the company will focus on developing carbon capture and utilization technologies to reduce carbon emissions and clean air technologies to reduce particulate matter, which has become a pressing global environmental challenge.

The Carbon Capture Research Institute was established within the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) in September 2021, the first of its kind in the semiconductor industry. The key mission of the Institute is to develop and commercialize carbon capture and utilization technologies that make it possible to store carbon discharged from semiconductor industrial sites and turn it into a usable resource. The technologies developed by the Institute will first be applied to semiconductor production lines after 2030 and then to other parts of the company as well as its suppliers.

The company will also develop clean air technologies, including new filtration systems, to reduce particulate matter and plans to expand usage to local communities from 2030.

Additionally, Samsung Electronics plans to identify and invest in startups that support innovative green technologies. The company is also committed to fostering ideas and supporting projects that tackle climate change through its C-Lab, the in-house venture incubation and external start-up acceleration program.

Accountability and Tracking Progress

To ensure accountability, Samsung Electronics will have its efforts objectively verified by designated organizations. Its performance will be assessed via participation in the Samsung Institute of EHS Strategy’s certification system and verified by a Carbon Reduction Verification Committee that includes third-party experts.

The company has developed implementation roadmaps for each environmental goal, including the net zero and circular economy targets, and will track progress and ensure robust implementation through the Sustainability Council, chaired by the CEO, and the Sustainability Committee, consisting of outside directors.