“At CES 2022, we outlined how Samsung will contribute in tackling some of the world’s most pressing environmental and sustainability issues,” said Hyesoon Yang, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience of the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Collaborations to combat microplastic pollution; helping consumers reduce their energy consumption; cutting back on waste by using recycled plastic; and adapting eco-conscious packaging, these are some of the activities we are working on to develop various tangible solutions for environmental problems and a sustainable future.”

Technology to reduce pollution

In a newly announced collaboration, Samsung is coming together with American clothing company Patagonia. As unveiled at CES 2022, this collaboration will promote environmental sustainability by addressing the issue of microplastics and its impact on the ocean environment. Patagonia CPO Vincent Stanley shared his thoughts during Samsung’s keynote speech on the significance of this collaboration and the direction it will take, calling it an example of how companies can “help turn the tide of climate change and restore nature to health”

Patagonia is well-known for its commitment to innovative materials that lessen harm to the planet. The clothing company continues to help Samsung in multiple ways, including product testing, sharing its research, and facilitating an introduction to the NGO Ocean Wise. Samsung has been researching features designed to help overcome the negative impacts of microplastics.

Also, the Bespoke Water Purifier was recently certified by NSF International in the U.S. for its ability to filter out particles that measure as little as 0.5 to 1 micrometer, which include microplastics. This makes Samsung one of the first manufacturers of water purifiers to receive this certification.

Saving more energy and encouraging more eco-conscious energy use

To contribute to better energy usage and to support sustainable living, Samsung has also partnered with Q CELLS to establish a new Zero Energy Home Integration[1] feature for SmartThings Energy. This feature provides production and storage data from solar panels and energy storage systems to help users establish energy self-sufficiency.

SmartThings Energy monitors power usage of consumers’ connected devices and recommends energy saving methods based on their usage patterns. Partnering with Wattbuy in the U.S. and Uswitch in the U.K., SmartThings Energy allows users to switch over to the most cost-efficient energy provider in their area.

Ramping up use of recycled plastic

Samsung will also increase the amount of recycled plastic that is used in its home appliances. To this end, it will expand the use of recycled plastic from the interior components of its appliances to the exterior elements as well.

Samsung is set to raise its goal for recycled plastic utilisation in its home appliances from five percent in 2021 to 30 percent in 2024. This is an increase from 25,000 tons of recycled plastic in 2021 to 158,000 tons in 2024.[2]

In addition, Samsung has also developed a new type of polypropylene recycled plastic for its washing machine tubs. Using discarded polypropylene and polyethylene from items such as used lunchboxes and facial mask straps, the company has created a new type of recycled resin that is more resistant to external shocks.

More sustainable packaging

Samsung is also expanding its use of eco-packaging to encompass a larger lineup of products, including home appliances such as vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, air purifiers and more. This will enable consumers to repurpose the boxes their products came in.

The expansion was first launched in Korea in 2021 and will be introduced to global markets in 2022.

For more information about Samsung’s eco-conscious initiatives, please visit Samsung.com.

[1] Available from the first half of 2022 in the U.K., the second half of 2022 in Germany and 2023 in the U.S.

[2] Based on weight of final components

Samsung Electronics strives to incorporate environmental sustainability into everything it does. The company’s products are thoughtfully designed to minimise their impact on the environment throughout their lifecycle – from the planning and manufacturing stages to their use and recycling.

This includes using power-efficient semiconductor chips, sustainable packaging and energy-saving technology, and offering consumers the ability to upcycle packaging and old devices. Through tangible solutions like these, the company is empowering consumers to take part in an important mission: conserving resources and reducing their environmental footprint.

These efforts are reflected in the company’s TV lineup, including its 75-inch Neo QLED TV (QN90A). Check out the infographic below to examine how Samsung took a ‘full circle’ approach to sustainability with one of its latest displays.

Science and technology have made our lives easier and more convenient thanks to the addition of various innovative products and services into our daily routines. But the downside of these additions has been the development of serious global environmental challenges including climate change and resource depletion – issues that threaten the future of our world.

In order to help mitigate these issues, Samsung Electronics strives to incorporate environmental sustainability into everything we do. Let’s take a look at how Samsung’s eco-conscious product innovation and consumer engagement come together to help us all achieve a sustainable future.

SVP Hyeongnam Kim, Head of Global CS Centre, Samsung Electronics

Minimising the Environmental Impact of a Product’s Entire Life Cycle

Based on the principle of product stewardship, our products are thoughtfully designed to minimise their impact on the environment. Samsung is deeply engaged in activities to minimise the environmental impact of its products throughout their entire lifecycle – from development and manufacturing to distribution and usage through to after-sales service and recycling.

Firstly, Samsung incorporates environmental considerations into its product development process. To this end, the company has introduced an Eco-Design Process to evaluate its products against eco-conscious standards. In 2008, the company established a company-wide eco-committee and division-level task forces to step up its efforts in developing eco-conscious products. To this day, Samsung is committed to developing innovative, high-performing products that have minimal impact on the environment.

Samsung’s emphasis on sustainability continues into the manufacturing stage. The company has been expanding its usage of renewable energy sources such as solar and geothermal heat in its facilities and is also incorporating the use of recycled water and waste. As a representative example, Samsung has also made strides in sustainability by sourcing 100% renewable electricity for all its facilities in the US, Europe and China last year. What’s more, Samsung plans to expand the usage of renewable energy to the rest of its facilities around the world following the development of local systems and infrastructure in each region.

Moving on to the distribution stage, Samsung has replaced its plastic and shrink wrap with packaging made of renewable biomaterials in order to reduce packaging waste. The company also now ensures its paper suppliers hold a Forest Stewardship certification, and following these efforts, managed to completely replace all the paper used in the manuals and packaging for its mobile and consumer electronics products by the end of 2020.

Samsung helps users decrease their electricity consumption by providing them with energy-efficient products – thus contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the company is making continuous efforts towards developing durable products and a quick and easy repair process, since if consumers use their products for longer, they are then making a difference by reducing their environmental impact.

Going through to the final stage of a product’s lifecycle; disposal, Samsung is continuing to pioneer its waste collection and recycling programs around the globe, currently operating in 55 different countries. The company is currently planning to expand its closed-loop recycling system in order to recover and reuse more iron, copper and plastics from e-waste.

Reducing 301 Million Tons of Greenhouse Gas through Initiative and Innovation

Thanks to its product stewardship practices, Samsung has reduced the average energy consumption per unit of a product by 32%^[1], equivalent to the cumulative reduction of 301 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the past 12 years since 2009. The company has also recycled over 4.54 million tons of e-waste through its global e-waste collection sites from 2009 to 2020.

To encourage customers to use their products for longer as part of a circular economy, Samsung has established a quick and easy repair process for users, through which the company supplies product repair information and parts to contracted repair shops as well as independent repair stores.

Upholding User Values through Eco-Conscious Upcycling

Going beyond employing eco-conscious practices solely in the development of its products, Samsung has been making various efforts to reduce the use of resources across all of its supply lines in order to promote more sustainable consumption.

Last year, Samsung introduced its revolutionary Eco-Packaging for its TV products. To encourage upcycling and creativity, the cardboard boxes can be built into toys or small pieces of furniture using their discarded packaging.

In addition, Samsung has also recently launched its Galaxy Upcycling at Home program, which enables users to harness their unused Galaxy smartphones as IoT devices, in Korea, the US and UK. The program also repurposes older smartphones into medical diagnosis cameras, helping to address vision impairment cases that are preventable with proper diagnosis.

We at Samsung are dedicated to creating a sustainable future that provides a better life for all by introducing creative eco-conscious products and solutions across all of our business areas. With a focus on sustainable management, we are putting carbon reduction, resource circulation and ecosystem restoration at the forefront of our efforts to protect the environment.

[1] Figure from 2020 compared with 2008 level of energy consumption.

One of the best ways we as individuals can protect the environment and take care of the Earth is to engage in such sustainable practices as upcycling – which is why Samsung has developed their Eco Packaging to allow users to craft helpful pieces of furniture and other decor with their product packaging once they’ve finished unboxing.

One such use of the upcycling-friendly Eco Packaging is to craft pet homes with, a process that is made easy thanks to the packaging’s dot design for simple measurement taking and the user manual available via a quick scan of the QR code inside the packaging.

In order to see this process in action, watch veterinarian and animal trainer Sul Chae Hyun construct an eco-friendly new sleeping spot for his beloved rescue dog in the video.

This is why the company is this June launching a month-long celebration of sustainability initiatives, programs, and innovations to celebrate World Environment Day, a global day of sustainability awareness created by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that sees participation from people all around the world.

In order to encourage people to embrace creative and sustainable solutions for World Environment Day this year, Samsung is kicking off its month of sustainable celebration with the launch of Small World, a make-it-yourself cardboard collection to give packaging a second life developed in collaboration with artist Papersmith.

Putting a New Spin on Cardboard Packaging

Since 2020, Samsung has been expanding its revolutionary Eco-packaging solution that lets you upcycle your TV product packaging into helpful home décor items. Inspired by this program’s easy-to-use dot matrix design as a fun and simple way to encourage users to act sustainably, Samsung is commencing its month of eco-conscious activity with Small World, a program that provides users with even more creative ways of re-using cardboard boxes.

In order to bring the Small World program to life, Samsung collaborated with renowned Amsterdam-based paper artist AJ Smith, known as Papersmith, to create an astonishing art piece featuring buildings, animals, and plants built from the product packaging of Samsung TVs, Galaxy S21, Galaxy Buds Pro – and more – alone. What’s more, people around the world, too, can get involved at home through twelve downloadable prints of some of the characters featured in Small World. Along with this do-it-yourself cardboard template collection, users can then share their creations online using the hashtag #ReimagineABetterPlanet.

Towards a Better World for All

This June, Samsung is also going to highlight its existing range of programs, initiatives, and products that support environmental sustainability across the company’s social media channels and website, including the Galaxy Upcycling and Galaxy Upcycling at Home programs that encourage the repurposing of older smartphones into IoT devices and the company’s industry-leading energy-efficient memory chips that enable smarter power consumption from the inside out.

When it Comes to Sustainability, Every Bit Counts

When it comes to sustainability, no effort is too small. Accordingly, another event during Samsung’s month of sustainability awareness is seeing the company put the power of innovation right into the hands of its own employees. This June, Samsung employees based in Korea are set to have the opportunity to take part in an eco-conscious Idea Contest, hosted on the company’s collaboration platform, called MOSAIC. Starting June 9, employees will have two-weeks to share their own ingenious and creative eco-conscious product or service ideas via MOSAIC. By the end of the month the winners of the competition will be announced internally and awards granted to the submissions that best build on or complement the company’s existing product, service, and packaging sustainability solutions.

Samsung Electronics strives to incorporate environmental sustainability into everything we do. Our products are thoughtfully designed to minimize the impact on the environment during their entire lifecycle – from planning and manufacturing to consumption and recycling.

Stay tuned for more updates on Small World, the Eco-conscious idea contest, and more during this June’s month-long celebration of sustainability, and be sure to share your own sustainable creations with the hashtag #ReimagineABetterPlanet.

To celebrate the World Environment Day, Samsung Electronics Mexico invited Mexican content creator and influencer Morfologico to be part of the change towards a greener world by giving a second life to their television packaging.

Samsung’s Eco-Package was born to create sustainable packaging, first by reducing oil-based ink printing and then with a dot-matrix design so that anyone can create a functional piece for home by giving a second use to the packaging of their TV.

Morfologico’s Neo QLED box had the instructions and guide to create a cat house. With that, he decided to take this activity to a new level, by building a new home for his pet cat Samanta with a very innovative design.

The result was breathtaking: first with exterior decorations and then with spectacular lighting inside the house. To make the mansion more cozy, Morfologico placed a rug made with Samanta’s favorite blanket, a portrait and even a miniature Samsung “screen” for her to watch mouse videos.

Undoubtedly the most surprised with the level of luxury and detail was Samanta, but Morfo shared his work on social networks and mesmerized his followers with his creativity.

Samsung foresees that, if each Eco-Package is used as accessories in homes, it could reduce up to 10,000 tons of greenhouse gases in 2021. In this respect, Samsung promotes accessibility, sustainability, and innovation in all its products and technologies to help redefine the role of television in consumers’ homes.

The company has embarked on a sustainability journey that puts the environment first in all business operations with several long-term sustainable programs, including eco-friendly packaging design across its 2021 display lineup, solar cell-powered remote controls, and carbon footprint reduction through the use of recycled materials.

Thus, to mark World Environment Day, Morfologico demonstrated that a new and fun way to recycle is possible thanks to the Eco-Package of Samsung TVs.

UK, London – January 6, 2021 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. –  Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. shared its vision for the future at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The company introduced new products at its virtual press conference, showing how it’s continuing to innovate by creating solutions that are flexible, intelligently connected, and use AI to understand context to make daily life seamless.

“Our world looks different, and many of you have been faced with a new reality – one where, among other things, your home has taken on a greater significance,” said Sebastian Seung, President and Head of Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub of the company that leads the development of future technologies for Samsung Electronics’ SET (end-products), addressing the company’s efforts to enhance the at-home technology experience. “Our innovations are designed to provide more personal and more intuitive experiences that express your personality. We’re hard at work to bring you next-generation innovation, with AI as the core enabler, for your better tomorrow.”

Creating More Intimate and Personalised User Experiences

As people spent more time at home last year, the tech they wanted became the tech they needed. In relying on that tech, people came to understand many ways connected solutions could make life easier. TVs were vital for entertainment—and sometimes, fitness. Smart fridges helped with remote shopping and meal prep and Smartphones were indispensable.

Samsung’s continued investments in innovations that adapt to evolving lifestyles enable the company to keep pace with rapid changes. Key innovations unveiled include:

• Samsung Bespoke 4-Door Flex: The latest version of the Bespoke refrigerator available in North America this Spring features changeable panels that come with a choice of colors and materials that made the original a success, allowing consumers to adjust their fridge for form and function. The new 4-Door model also includes a brand-new Beverage Center, which gives quick access to a water dispenser and an automatically-filled water pitcher. The 4-door Bespoke also comes equipped with a Dual Auto Ice Maker which makes not only regular cubed ice but also smaller ‘ice bites’ to suit different preferences for cold beverages.

• 110-inch MICRO LED: This new screen features self-lit inorganic LED with a slim and nearly bezel-less Infinity Screen design that seamlessly blends into the living space. The result is a spectacularly immersive viewing experience with astounding picture quality. The 110-inch MICRO LED also adds “4Vue” (Quad View), a four-way viewing option—so you can keep up with multiple sports at once, or stream a tutorial while playing a video game. MICRO LED will be rolled out globally beginning this spring^[1].

• Lifestyle TV: Samsung’s cutting-edge lifestyle TV lineup includes The Serif, The Frame, The Sero and The Terrace—a recently launched 4K QLED outdoor TV—as well as Samsung The Premiere, a cinema-like quality 4K laser projector.

• SmartThings Cooking: Coming to the United Kingdom later this year, Samsung SmartThings is expanding to make your culinary journey seamless. An automatic Meal Planner powered by Whisk’s Food AI recommends meals for the whole week, makes shopping lists with the ingredients you need, and connects to grocery retailers for one-stop shopping straight from the Family Hub refrigerator or your mobile screen. Recipe instructions can be sent directly to synced Samsung cooking devices to minimise hassles and mistakes^[2].

• Samsung Health Smart Trainer on Samsung 2021 TVs: Samsung Health seamlessly transforms the home into a personal gym, and the new Smart Trainer^[3] feature tracks and analyses posture in real time, just like a personal trainer. During and post-workout, Smart Trainer provides feedback on form, helps you count your reps, and estimates calories burned. With video and interactive training via Bixby-enabled voice control, Samsung Health Smart Trainer elevates and personalises the home workout experience and will be coming to the UK this year.

Bringing AI and Robots to Daily Life including Housekeeping

Samsung has long been at the forefront of AI and robotics innovation, leveraging its seven global AI research centers to advance technology. By bringing AI to its products, Samsung is creating new home experiences—from washing machines that optimise water usage, detergents, and wash cycles, to TVs with a Quantum AI Processor that can upscale HD content into pristine 8K resolution.

The major technologies featured during Samsung’s press conference include the following:

• JetBot 90 AI+: Coming to the US 1H 2021, this new vacuum cleaner uses object recognition technology to identify and classify objects to decide the best cleaning path. LiDAR and 3D sensors allow JetBot 90 AI+ to avoid cables and small objects, while still cleaning hard-to-reach corners in your home. Also outfitted with a camera, JetBot 90 AI+ is integrated with the SmartThings app to assist you with home monitoring.

• Samsung Bot Care^[4]: The latest development in Samsung’s growing robotics lineup, Samsung Bot Care is designed use AI to recognise and respond to your behavior. It will be able to act as both a robotic assistant and companion, helping to take care of the details in your life. It will also learn your schedule and habits and send you reminders to help guide you throughout your busy day.

• Samsung Bot Handy^[5]: Also in development, Samsung Bot Handy will rely on advanced AI to recognise and pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes and weights, becoming an extension of you and helping you with work around the house. Samsung Bot Handy will be able to tell the difference between the material composition of various objects, utilising the appropriate amount of force to grab and move around household items and objects, working as your trusted partner to help with house chores like cleaning up messy rooms or sorting out the dishes after a meal.

Looking to the future, Samsung is also developing other tangible applications of AI technologies for daily life. Samsung is continuing to build on its Samsung Bot Retail, which would guide users outside the home in retail environments, and GEMS, Samsung’s health-focused exoskeleton as mobility aide. These innovations allow robots and robotic devices to co-exist with humans, enhancing their lives and catering to a variety of lifestyles and different environments.

Technology for a Better Future

Samsung closed its CES 2021 press conference by sharing more on the brand’s vision for how technology can enable progress and create a better tomorrow for all. Samsung believes that there is no single all-encompassing solution; a sustainable future requires investments across a broad spectrum. That’s why Samsung is focused on three key areas that are poised to benefit the most from technological innovation: sustainability, education, and accessibility.

“At Samsung, we are always looking for ways to build a better, more sustainable future,” said Sandeep Rana, Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability Specialist at Samsung, who shared Samsung’s sustainability message at the press conference. “With a focus on the environment, people and society, we will continue to provide our consumers with responsible tools and technologies to address our challenges today and enable a better future for all.”

As part of its commitment to creating a circular economy, Samsung is developing programs and packaging solutions that promote a sustainable product lifecycle—from beginning to end:

• Galaxy Upcycling at Home: At the event, Samsung announced an update to its Galaxy Upcycling program called Galaxy Upcycling at Home. The new program reimagines the lifecycle of an older Galaxy phone and offers consumers options on how they might be able to repurpose their device to create a variety of convenient IoT tools.

• TV Eco Packaging: Additionally, Samsung announced that its eco-packaging would expand to QLED, UHD TV, monitor, and audio products in 2021. As part of an ongoing commitment to eco-consciousness, Samsung is creating products and solutions with sustainability at the core. For example, Samsung’s new Solar Cell Remote Control—made in part with recycled plastic—can be charged via solar or indoor lighting, reducing battery waste.

Believing that future generations will play a critical role in building a sustainable future, Samsung has also prioritised technology education through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, which encourages young people to creatively use technology to solve community challenges, and Samsung Innovation Campus, which helps students develop technical and personal skills for future jobs.

Samsung also highlighted at the event how it is making its products even more inclusive and accessible for all. The SeeColors application is designed to help those with color vision deficiency (CVD) to adjust the settings on their 2021 QLED TVs for a better viewing experience, and the Sign Language Zoom feature on TVs ensures that everyone, regardless of ability, can easily enjoy cutting-edge technology.

Lastly, understanding how challenging it can be to strike a balance between our digital and analog lives, Samsung presented the Digital Wellbeing feature, designed to help people take control and manage their digital time—so they can use technology to better our lives and empower ourselves.

For more information, images or video on the products Samsung announced at CES 2021, please visit http://news.samsung.com.

[1] Availability of MICRO LED TV will vary by region.

[2] Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

[3] Specific features available may vary by region and product.

[4] Samsung Bot Care is not currently available for sale. The described functions and technical capabilities have been demonstrated in test settings.

[5] Samsung Bot Handy is not currently available for sale. The described functions and technical capabilities have been demonstrated in test settings.

Last April, Samsung Electronics introduced its new ‘eco-packaging’ – a new kind of product packaging that facilitates the upcycling of the boxes that come with the company’s global lifestyle TV models, which include ‘The Frame,’* ‘The Serif’ and ‘The Sero’. The special cardboard boxes are designed to allow consumers to upcycle the packaging their televisions come in into small, versatile pieces of furniture. The thick, corrugated cardboard that the packaging is comprised of can be used to construct small tables and shelves, and building instructions can be accessed by scanning QR codes on the outsides of the boxes.

Samsung Newsroom interviewed the designers from Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business who, in developing the new eco-packaging, sought to “not only work to develop an outstanding product, but also to realize the promise of environmental sustainability.”

Eco-Packaging – Inspired by the Way People Use Their TVs

“Mustn’t there be a way to turn TV packaging into something useful, rather than just disposing of it?” The development of the eco-packaging initiative began with this simple question. “Nowadays, more and more consumers are interested in protecting the environment,” explained designer Daehee Yoon, “With eco-packaging, they could realize environmental protection simply by purchasing goods like they usually would. That was the idea that drove us.”

However, the core idea of reusing packaging material was not enough by itself – concrete measures were required to truly realize the designers’ vision. While the designers were planning the project, the ways in which consumers were using The Serif gave them an idea. Many consumers who were buying the new TV were also purchasing additional drawers or cabinets in which to store their television accessories. “With this in mind, we began to study corrugated cardboard products in the market and visit producers of small furniture,” explained designer Jonathan Whang.

‘Dot Pattern’ Matrix Design – Making DIY Easy

While making a product aesthetically pleasing is important, designers can never lose sight of usability. Therefore, for the eco-packaging designers, the goal was to develop a product that not only met the brief, but was also both easy to use and durable. At first, the designers thought of cutting guiding lines into the cardboard and providing printed plans. However, they soon realized that such methods could limit the number of building methods made available and lead to goods sustaining damage during delivery.

Eventually, the designers came up with the ‘dot pattern’ design. By printing a dot matrix directly onto the cardboard, users would receive easy-to-follow guidance for upcycling, and the product would be protected, all with barely any additional costs or carbon emissions incurred. “One out of every five dots is larger than the others, and the number of dots serves as the unit of measurement,” explained Yoon, “This makes building your own upcycled furniture easy and accessible, and additionally makes the furniture look good once it’s built.”

In addition to facilitating upcycling, the eco-packaging initiative provides paperless electronic manuals with a wide range of building plans that can be accessed by scanning QR codes printed on the tops of the boxes. “The QR codes enable you to access building manuals swiftly without the need to install an app,” Sungdo Son related, “The electronic format also makes it easier to add and modify plans.”

Innovative Sustainability

Printing dots on boxes and providing digital building plans might sound quite straightforward. However, the designers faced a significant challenge when it came to developing plans that were easy to follow and a final product that was both durable and attractive. “We had to change our strategy several times over before we eventually came up with a final solution that ticked all the boxes,” explained Whang.

Elaborating on what the building experience is like for consumers, Whang related that, “The level of building expertise required and the time it takes to build each respective piece of furniture are noted in the manuals so that consumers can make informed choices about what to make with their packaging. After the eco-packaging was distributed, it was interesting to see how much the final products varied in terms of shape and appearance, despite the fact that they were built using the same sets of plans.”

Commenting on the eco-packaging initiative, the designers said, “Although our eco-packaging may not bring about a drastic reduction in paper waste, we hope that our efforts will seek to increase awareness for the relevant environmental issues.” It was this wider conscientiousness that contributed to the team winning a ‘CES Innovation Award’ in 2020.

What’s more, the story of the eco-packaging initiative has not drawn to a close yet. “We are cooperating with Dezeen, a lifestyle design magazine based in the U.K., to hold an eco-packaging design competition, which will be open to all,” reports Son. “The participants will be asked to create designs for different types of eco-packaging using environmentally friendly materials and corrugated cardboard.”

*The Frame Eco-Packaging will be available later in the year