Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd

Telecommunications Equipment

Part of Samsung Group · Headquartered in South Korea

Samsung is a multinational electronics giant with published sustainability commitments including a 2030 net-zero emissions target for its device division (achieving 93.4% renewable energy transition by end of 2024) and plans to expand recycled materials in products. However, credible reports from industry observers and labor rights groups document significant environmental and labor violations in its Vietnam, China, and Brazil operations, including worker exposure to toxic chemicals, poor safety conditions, and wage concerns that contradict the company's stated values on worker protection and environmental responsibility.

Renewable energy
Net-zero target
Waste reduction
No forced labor
No child labor
Supplier code of conduct

How Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd scores

Three pillars, scored independently. Higher is better.

Environmental

55

Likely good
Labor

45

Likely fair
Compliance

47.1

Likely fair

What Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd does well

UN Global Compact Signatory

Samsung Electronics is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, committing to align its operations and strategy with principles covering human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.
CDP Climate Disclosure Participation

Samsung Electronics participates in CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) climate disclosure, reporting Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions data annually, as documented in CDP's public database.
ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification

Multiple Samsung Electronics manufacturing and operational facilities hold ISO 14001 environmental management system certification, as reported in the company's sustainability disclosures.
EPEAT Product Registration

A range of Samsung Electronics products, including monitors and televisions, are registered under the EPEAT program, which evaluates electronics against environmental performance criteria set by the Green Electronics Council.

Controversies

Reported issues Leif found in public sources. Their presence lowers the rating.

Occupational disease and leukemia cases at semiconductor plants

Over multiple decades, former Samsung semiconductor workers and their families alleged that exposure to hazardous chemicals at Samsung's chip fabrication plants caused leukemia and other serious illnesses. After years of legal disputes, Samsung issued a formal public apology in 2018 and agreed to a compensation settlement brokered by a mediation panel.
Union suppression and anti-union activities

South Korean prosecutors and courts found evidence that Samsung Electronics executives engaged in systematic efforts to suppress union formation at the company, a practice that spanned multiple years. In 2020, former Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Sang-hoon was convicted by a South Korean court for interfering with union activities.
Lee Jae-yong bribery conviction

Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong was convicted by South Korean courts in connection with a bribery scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye. He was sentenced to prison in 2021 following an appeals court ruling, though he was subsequently paroled in 2021 and received a presidential pardon in 2022.
Alleged forced labor in supply chain

Amnesty International and other NGOs have raised concerns about the presence of cobalt in Samsung's battery supply chain sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where child and forced labor conditions have been documented among artisanal miners. Samsung has acknowledged the concern and stated it is working to improve supply chain due diligence.

The detail

Environment

According to Samsung Electronics' sustainability reports, the company has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its operations by 2050 and has set interim targets for its semiconductor and display businesses. The company publishes annual CDP disclosures and reports Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Samsung has stated goals to transition to 100% renewable energy in its overseas operations by 2027 and globally by 2050, and it holds ISO 14001 environmental management certifications at numerous facilities. The company has also published commitments to reduce single-use plastics in product packaging and increase the use of recycled materials in devices, as detailed in its 2022 and 2023 sustainability reports.

Labor

Samsung Electronics publishes a Supplier Code of Conduct and conducts audits of its supply chain, which spans manufacturing operations in South Korea, Vietnam, India, and other countries. The company discloses diversity and inclusion data in its annual sustainability reports, including gender representation metrics. Samsung has faced documented scrutiny over working conditions at its own facilities and those of its suppliers, particularly in South Korea and Southeast Asia. The company is a signatory to the UN Global Compact and reports on labor standards alignment with its principles.