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 Mode ^[1] 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.

With its new, cutting-edge design, the Galaxy S23 series demonstrates that innovation brings both high-performance and sustainability for the ultimate premium experience.

The Galaxy S23 series raises the bar for both quality and aesthetics with less environmental impact than previous generations. To achieve this, Samsung has incorporated recycled materials in more device components than in any other previous Galaxy smartphone and designed the packaging box using 100% recycled paper. The presence of recycled materials in the Galaxy S23 series has also been increased, rising from six internal components made from eco-conscious materials in the Galaxy S22 Ultra to 12 internal and external components incorporating recycled materials in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The Galaxy S23 series makes living more sustainably easier and without compromise. By continuing to increase recycled materials in Galaxy devices, this helps to reduce the impact on the environment. Specifically, the use of recycled ocean-bound plastics in the Galaxy S23 series could prevent more than 15 tons of discarded fishing nets from entering the world’s oceans by the end of 2023, helping to reduce ocean pollution. These devices are built to last with better durability and reliability, so consumers can now enjoy a premium Galaxy experience for as long as possible.

This series is revolutionising how sustainability and innovation coincide. Building on Galaxy’s use of ocean-bound plastics, Samsung has now added even more recycled materials to the Galaxy S23 series, including aluminium and glass. It is the first Galaxy device to feature Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2, which offers improved strength for long-term use and contains an average of 22 percent pre-consumer recycled content.^[1]

These next Galaxy flagship smartphones will also be the first to deliver improved drop performance on rough surfaces like concrete² – the world’s most abundant engineered material, it redefines tough for consumers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

This series is therefore UL ECOLOGO® certified³, meaning that the product has been certified for reduced environmental impact. It puts a focus on the environment and has achieved an Environmental Claim Validation for containing an average of 22 percent pre-consumer recycled content, as validated by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). (Products bearing the UL Environmental Claim Validation Mark undergo routine audits and testing to retain their status).

With Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Corning’s Mobile Consumer Electronics business that includes its ground-breaking cover glasses as well as glass and optics for semiconductor products, which enhance performance, deliver new connectivity features, and support immersive user experiences with augmented reality and 3D sensing.

Justin Hume, Vice President of MX Business at Samsung South Africa says: “As Samsung, 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 is why we consider every phase of the product lifecycle with sustainability top of mind.

“We are now also equipping and encouraging customers to partake in product sustainability efforts with standby power saving technology and remote management for devices. At the end of the product lifecycle, Samsung makes recycling and upcycling efforts easier for customers with its eco-packaging and EPS cushion recycling program. We believe that our efforts will help to reduce the overall carbon footprint and preserve the earth’s natural beauty.”

Galaxy S23 series also provides four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates, so users are protected for longer. For more, see infographic below. Also, for those who are interested in pre-ordering⁴ the latest Galaxy devices, please click the respective links below:

• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-s23-ultra/buy/
• Samsung Galaxy S23+ | Samsung Galaxy S23: https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-s23/buy/

Samsung proudly supports Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030.

Disclaimers:

^{2 Corning® recently developed this version of Gorilla® Glass and Samsung will be the first company to use the material.}

^{3  UL ECOLOGO® Certified products and services are verified for reduced environmental impact based on environmental performance criteria throughout its life cycle, including energy reduction, materials, health, environment, manufacturing and operations. Galaxy S23 series met the UL 110 which is the UL Environmental Standard for Mobile Phones Sustainability}

^{4 Terms and Conditions Apply}

In case you weren’t able to tune in to the livestream of the event, you can catch up on all the latest announcements by taking a look at the replay video below, and be sure to stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more information on Samsung’s latest innovations.

In a move that combines sustainability and innovation, Samsung Electronics developed a new material that gives ocean-bound plastics new life as they’re incorporated into various Galaxy devices. Made with repurposed ocean-bound discarded fishing nets, the use of this material marks another step in our Galaxy for the Planet journey that aims to minimize our environmental footprint and help foster more sustainable lifestyles for the Galaxy community.

Now and into the future, Samsung will incorporate repurposed ocean-bound plastics throughout our entire product lineup, starting with our new Galaxy devices that will be revealed on February 9^th at Unpacked. These devices will reflect our ongoing effort to eliminate single-use plastics and expand the use of other eco-conscious materials, such as recycled post-consumer material (PCM) and recycled paper. With this transformation, the future of Galaxy technology will bring leading product design and deliver better environmental impact.

The Hidden Threat of Discarded Fishing Nets

When you think of ‘ocean-bound plastic’,¹ you likely envision a water bottle or a grocery bag drifting on the ocean surface. What may not come to mind is a more hidden threat – the 640,000 tons of fishing nets that are abandoned and discarded every year.

Lingering in our oceans for centuries, these ‘ghost nets’ are responsible for trapping and entangling marine life, damaging coral reefs and natural habitats and even ending up in our food and water sources. These discarded fishing nets are disrupting the delicate balance of our environment at an alarming rate. Collecting and repurposing these nets are vital first steps in keeping our oceans clean as well as preserving the planet and our collective future.

Designing More Sustainable Products

Samsung has always pushed the boundaries of mobile technology, and the company is now looking to do the same with its sustainability practices. By giving new life to discarded fishing nets that would otherwise become dangerous waste, Samsung – through its creative solution – exemplifies how we can all do more with less to conserve our planet’s resources.

South Africa, Johannesburg – 27 January, 2022 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today unveiled its vision for the future, “Together for tomorrow,” during a pre-show keynote event at CES 2022. Keynote speaker Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of DX (Device eXperience) Division at Samsung, highlighted the company’s efforts to usher in a new age of togetherness, with customisable experiences that reflect consumers’ evolving lifestyles, and innovations that mark progress for both society and the planet.

The company’s “Together for tomorrow” vision is one that empowers everyone to create positive change and drives collaborations that address some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. The keynote illustrated how Samsung plans to make its vision a reality by introducing a range of sustainability initiatives, purposeful partnerships, and customisable and connected technologies.

“I’m excited for you to be a part of our vision to see how innovation can create positive change, [and] to join us and work together for tomorrow,” said Han. ”These developments will make sustainability part of your product experience, enabling you to live a more sustainable life.”

Building a Sustainable Future

At its core, Samsung’s vision for the future is built on what the company calls “everyday sustainability.” It is a concept that inspires Samsung to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does. The company has been realising its vision by adopting new, low-impact product manufacturing practices, footprint-reducing packaging and a more sustainable customer experience, and by responsibly disposing of products at the end of their lifecycles.

Samsung’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions throughout the production cycle have also earned recognition from the Carbon Trust, the world’s leading authority on carbon footprint. Last year, the company’s Carbon Trust-certified memory chips helped reduce carbon emissions by nearly 700,000 tons.

Samsung’s efforts in this area extend well beyond semiconductors and include expanding the use of recycled materials. To introduce everyday sustainability to more products, Samsung’s Visual Display Business plans to use 30 times more recycled plastics than it did in 2021. The company also revealed plans to expand its use of recycled materials to include all mobile products and home appliances over the next three years.

In 2021, all of Samsung’s TV boxes included recycled materials. For this year, the company revealed that it will be expanding the use of recycled materials to include the boxes’ interior packaging as well. Now, recycled materials will be incorporated into Styrofoam, box holders and plastic bags. The company also announced the global expansion of its award-winning Eco-Packaging program. The expansion of the program, which transforms cardboard boxes into cat houses, side tables, and other useful furniture items, will include packaging for home appliances such as vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, air purifiers and more.

Samsung is also building sustainability into the ways that customers experience its products. Such experiences will be integral to empowering people to reduce their carbon footprint and make positive changes together for a better tomorrow. As an example, the company introduced notable enhancements to its first-of-its-kind SolarCell Remote, which eliminates battery waste with a built-in solar panel that can be charged during both day and night.

The enhanced SolarCell Remote gets electricity from radio frequencies in devices like Wi-Fi routers[1]. What’s more, it will be included in more Samsung products – like new Samsung TVs and home appliances – with the goal of eliminating more than 200 million batteries from landfills[2].

In addition, by 2025, Samsung plans to make all of its TVs and phone chargers operate on near zero standby power, so that the products will consume almost no energy when not being used.

E-waste is another big challenge for the electronics industry, which is why Samsung has collected more than five million tons of e-waste since 2009. For mobile products, last year, Samsung launched Galaxy for the Planet, a sustainability platform that was created to bring about tangible climate action and minimise devices’ environmental footprints throughout their lifecycles.

“These are important steps,” said Han, “but we cannot achieve our goals alone. We believe open innovation and collaboration are keys to fighting climate change and protecting our environment.” With this in mind, Samsung announced that its eco-conscious technologies like the SolarCell Remote will be made open source, so that others can utilise them for their new devices too.

Samsung’s decision to make such technologies openly available reflects a commitment to innovation – and to everyday sustainability – that transcends industries. The collaboration with Patagonia that Samsung announced at the keynote demonstrates the type of innovation that can result when companies – even those from entirely different industries – come together to address environmental issues. The innovative solution that the companies are designing will help fight plastic pollution by enabling Samsung washing machines to minimise microplastics from entering waterways through laundry cycles.

“This is a serious problem, and not one we can solve on our own,” said Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia. Commending the hard work and dedication of Samsung engineers, Stanley described the working relationship as “a perfect example of the kind of collaboration we all need to help turn the tide of climate change and restore nature to health.”

“We are thrilled about this collaboration, but our work won’t stop there,” added Han. “We will continue to explore new partnerships and collaborations, aiming to address the challenges facing our planet.”

Empowering Users with Customized Experiences

In addition to describing steps it is taking to advance everyday sustainability, Samsung outlined various ways it is advancing technology to cater to consumers’ diverse needs. Understanding that each person is unique and wants to customise their devices to suit their lifestyle, Samsung strives to find ways to help people redefine their relationships with everyday technologies. This people-first approach to innovation is a key pillar of the company’s “Together for tomorrow” vision.

The platforms and screens that Samsung unveiled at the event reflect the ‘Screens Everywhere, Screens for All’ era that Han alluded to at CES 2020. The Freestyle is a lightweight and portable screen that gives you a cinema-quality experience no matter where you are. Featuring AI-enabled sound, built-in streaming apps and a host of useful Smart TV accessibility features, The Freestyle can be set up virtually anywhere and projects up to 100 inches.

The Samsung Gaming Hub, meanwhile, offers an all-in-one platform for discovering and playing cloud and console games, and is set to launch on the company’s 2022 Smart TVs and monitors. Lastly, The Odyssey Ark is a 55-inch, flexible and curved gaming screen that takes immersion to the next level with a multi-view experience that allows users to play games, video chat with friends, and watch gaming videos at the same time.

To introduce more tailored product experiences to consumers’ homes, Samsung announced the rollout of even more customisation options for its Bespoke lineup of home appliances. This includes new Bespoke options for Samsung’s Family Hub and French 3-Door and 4-Door refrigerators, alongside dishwashers, ranges, and over-the-range microwaves. Samsung is also introducing new products like the Bespoke Jet vacuum and Bespoke Washer and Dryer, expanding the lineup to every room in the home to offer consumers more ways to customise their space to suit their style and needs.

Samsung is constantly exploring ways to harness customisation to help users get more out of their devices. The #YouMake Project represents the culmination of those efforts empowering consumers to choose and customise products based on what matters most to them, so they can enjoy a more personalised experience across their devices. Announced at the keynote, the initiative expands Samsung’s Bespoke vision beyond home appliances and brings it to life in the company’s smartphones and large-screen devices.

Ushering in an Era of Seamless Connectivity

Building a better future together for tomorrow requires more than building customisation and sustainability into the core of Samsung’s products—it also requires seamless connectivity. During the keynote, Samsung demonstrated its commitment to ushering in an era of truly seamless connected experiences by highlighting its collaborations with partners as well as its next-gen products.

Unveiled for the first time at CES, the all-new Samsung Home Hub takes connected home experiences to the next level with a SmartThings service that integrates with AI-connected appliances to simplify home management. Samsung Home Hub combines six SmartThings services into one convenient device that gives users complete control over their smart home and makes it easier to manage household chores.

To enable different types of smart devices to work better with each other, Samsung announced plans to make SmartThings Hub a built-in feature of its 2022 TVs, Smart Monitors and Family Hub refrigerators. Doing so will help make connected living experiences more accessible and seamless for everyone.

Pointing to the need to offer consumers the best smart home experience regardless of brand, Samsung also announced its role as a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), which brings together various smart home appliance manufacturers. The organisation aims to foster greater interoperability between devices across brands to give consumers more choice, and to enhance the security and safety of products and services.

“As a global coalition of smart home appliance manufacturers, HCA members share a belief that connected ecosystems and digital technology will allow us to further develop product experiences that are elegant, hyper-personalised, and truly smart for our consumers,” said Katherine Shin, Vice President of Customer Experience at Trane Technologies. “The HCA invites any global manufacturers with a similar vision for efficiency, interoperability and innovation to come and build with us.”

Samsung’s keynote underlined a deep commitment to corporate social responsibility that continues to characterise its approach to innovation. That commitment is not only realised in the company’s technologies, but also in its dedication towards programs that empower the next generation to bring about the changes they want to see in the world. By nurturing young people’s development and building skills for the workplaces of tomorrow, programs like Solve for Tomorrow and Samsung Innovation Campus are turning dreams into action.

“Today, I’m honored to share that Samsung’s programs to empower the next generation have now reached more than 21 million people since 2012,” said Han. “This is the better tomorrow we all seek: enabling people to reach beyond their dreams, a planet protected so others can experience its wonders, [and] innovation as the spark for change.”

For more information, including images and videos of the products Samsung is announcing at CES 2022, please visit news.samsung.com/za/ces-2022.

^{[1] For radio frequency harvesting, a physical proximity of SolarCell Remote to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi router is required.
[2] Estimate is based on expected sales volume and average usage period of related products.}

We believe that everyone has a role to play in providing innovative solutions that protect the planet for generations to come. Samsung understands our efforts need to match our scale, our influence and the magnitude of the entire Galaxy ecosystem around the world,” said Justin Hume, Director: Integrated Mobility at Samsung South Africa. “Galaxy for the Planet is an important step in our journey toward creating a more sustainable world, and we will do so with the openness, transparency and collaboration that drives everything we do.”

Delivering better environmental impact by 2025

Samsung believes the integration of sustainable practices across each stage of production is crucial to minimising environmental impact and building a better future for communities around the world and the next generation of innovators. Samsung will work to achieve its initial goals by 2025, and it will aim to evolve its commitments to address new challenges beyond 2025.  

• Incorporate recycled material in all new mobile products by 2025

To foster a more circular economy, Samsung is investing in new and innovative eco-conscious materials for its products. With the goal of using recycled material across all new mobile products by 2025, Samsung will use various recycled materials within its products, taking their strength, aesthetics and durability into consideration.

• Eliminate all plastics in mobile packaging by 2025

Samsung is working towards the full elimination of single use plastics from product packaging by 2025 – reducing, removing and replacing unnecessary resources and materials traditionally used in device packaging and incorporating eco-conscious solutions.

• Reduce standby power consumption^[1] of all smartphone chargers^[2] to below 0.005W by 2025

Samsung is prioritising energy-saving technology that increases energy efficiency and reduces power consumption. Samsung has successfully reduced the standby power consumption across all smartphone chargers^[3] to 0.02W, which is among the most energy efficient in the mobile industry. To build on this progress, Samsung will work to achieve zero power standby consumption of smartphone chargers, targeting reduction to below 0.005W by 2025.

• Achieve zero waste to landfill by 2025

Samsung is minimising waste generated at its mobile worksites, with the commitment to divert all waste from landfill by 2025. Samsung will also work to reduce e-waste on a global scale by optimising the product lifecycle, improving product design processes, and through initiatives like Galaxy Upcycling, Certified Re-Newed, and Trade-In programs.

[1] Standby power consumption is the power used after a smartphone is fully charged or disconnected, but the charger remains plugged-in.

[2] Based on 15W, 25W and 45W Galaxy smartphone chargers

[3] Based on 15W, 25W and 45W Galaxy smartphone chargers

Continuing Samsung’s spirit of openness

Samsung will continue to discover new ways to address the climate crisis and expand its role in accelerating progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The company is dedicated to reporting progress transparently and working with industry peers and partners throughout its sustainability journey.

“Samsung is committed to creating solutions that enable a better future for our people and our planet. However, we know we cannot do this alone, and the collective fight for the planet is not a competition,” said Stephanie Choi, SVP & Head of Marketing of the Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “We strive for collaboration in everything we do, and our strategic partnerships across sectors, industries and markets enable us to scale positive impact around the world – helping us achieve a more sustainable future.”

Samsung’s products are thoughtfully designed to minimise the impact on the environment during their entire lifecycle – including power-efficient semiconductor chips, sustainable packaging, energy-saving technology and the ability to upcycle old devices. To view Samsung’s sustainability progress, check out the 2021 Sustainability Report.