Samsung Electronics lanserer bærekraftsrapporten for 2024

Samsung Electronics launched the 2024 edition of its sustainability report on July 28.

Samsung continues to share the results of materiality assessments focused on sustainable management, which take into account both the impact of corporate activities on the external environment and external factors within the company. This report contains Samsung’s strategies and key achievements related to environmental and social responsibility.

[Environment]

Climate change and energy │ Resource circularity and waste │ Water

In September 2022, Samsung launched a new sustainability strategy, where they aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050. The strategy focuses on increasing the recycling of resources to support a circular economy and address environmental challenges through technological innovation.

Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) division aims to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. By the end of 2023, the DX division had achieved approximately 93.4 percent renewable energy conversion, including 100 percent renewable energy in major global manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, Korea, China, Brazil, India, and Vietnam.

In line with the company’s Resource Circularity Roadmap , all manufactured products with plastic components contained 25 percent recycled resin by 2023. In late 2023, the DX division expanded its electronic waste (e-waste) recovery and recycling program to more than 70 countries.

In 2023, Samsung’s Device Solutions (DS) division installed new process gas treatment facilities, known as regenerative catalytic systems (RCS), and expanded the use of waste heat recovery systems based on liquefied natural gas (LNG). These measures are part of the effort to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050. As a result of these and other emission reduction activities, the DS division reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 11.6 percent in 2023 compared to 2022. In addition, the DS division has increased its use of renewable energy by signing power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Korea, which will provide renewable energy from a 60-megawatt solar power plant.

Samsung achieved Platinum certification – the highest level – from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) for its water management systems at its facilities in Giheung, Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek in Korea, and Xi’an in China. The company is also reducing waste generation by increasing its circular resource management certifications from the Korean Ministry of Environment. This will include certifications for nine new elements from March 2024.

[Social responsibility and governance]

Employees │ Supply Chain │ Information Security and Protection │ Product Quality and Safety │ Business Ethics

Samsung upholds human rights and improves the working environment while working to create a good corporate culture for managers and employees. In April 2024, the company adopted a global grievance handling policy to ensure that complaints are received fairly and consistently in line with the company’s global human rights principles. To increase the number of women in the workforce, Samsung plans to more than double the number of female managers by 2030 compared to 2022.

Samsung is committed to helping people with disabilities enter the workforce and in 2023 launched a subsidiary called “Stellar Forest.” It is a sustainable workplace that is adapted for employees with disabilities. Stellar Forest started as a confectionery manufacturer that supplies pastries to Samsung employees, but plans to diversify into more industries to create more adapted job opportunities for people with disabilities.

Samsung is gradually changing its supply chain management to include subcontractors and non-manufacturer suppliers. In 2023, third-party audits were introduced to select subcontractors, and the Supplier Code of Conduct expanded from manufacturing suppliers to all suppliers that provide products and services to Samsung.

Furthermore, the company has developed its Samsung Knox security platform to cover smart TVs and smart appliances, in addition to smartphones. Starting in January 2024, Samsung will extend the support period for security updates on Samsung Galaxy mobile devices to up to seven years, while continuing to deliver regular security updates.

Samsung prioritizes personal data protection, product quality, customer safety, compliance, and ethical leadership throughout the company.

Samsung aims to be transparent and therefore publishes all information related to the report on the Sustainability website . In addition, the company actively communicates with stakeholders through forums, surveys and on-site visits.

In line with the proliferation of non-financial information and other global trends, this year’s report reliably conveys Samsung’s strategies, execution of activities, and the status of key sustainability issues.

The full report for 2024 can be downloaded here .