Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in electronics and digital convergence technologies, announced the first year results of its extensive PlanetFirst™ initiative, a companywide commitment to become one of the world’s most environmentally friendly companies by 2013.It has achieved many comprehensive sustainability goals, by investing US$865 million in Green Manufacturing Sites to develop environment friendly products with low emissions and energy saving features. Samsung’s “Green” manufacturing facilities have made 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, while the average energy efficiency of new Samsung products has increased by 16%.
The General Manager Samsung Pakistan, Mr. Steve Han said, “Over the past one year, Samsung has made a global, company-wide commitment for achieving and surpassing our Eco-Management 2013 goals. We are focused on understanding the impact of everything we do and becoming a true leader in sustainable business practices.”
Samsung reported a reduction of 9.6 million tons in indirect carbon emissions due to its products. A transparent third-party verification of greenhouse gas emissions for Samsung’s 39 global manufacturing sites is also being conducted.
In 4 years, 2,134 Samsung products have attained global eco-labels, making it the No.1 company in the world for environmentally friendly products. Within 2010, this Ecology initiative seeks to get “Good Eco-Product” ratings for 80 percent of Samsung product lines. To meet Global recycling standards, Samsung also collected and recycled a total of 240,000 tons of discarded electronics products across 60 countries during 2009.
Of this total investment in Ecology, about US$488 million went into developing energy-efficient technologies, environmentally friendly materials and renewable energy projects. US$377 million was put into pollutant-reducing and energy-efficient manufacturing facilities. It will invest US$5.1 billion till the year 2020, to develop its solar cell business – a renewable energy commitment.
Samsung follows elaborate systems for greenhouse gas reduction, Carbon management and Chemicals Management, which will encompass and educate 4000 Supply chain companies globally, by the year 2013. Samsung will also cut indirect greenhouse gas emissions, from all its products, by 84 million tons, over five years, by investing US$4.28 billion. Samsung 2009 – 2010 Sustainability Report 2009 – 2010 can be viewed at: http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/citizenship/oursustainabilityreports.html
