Non-governmental environmental organization Greenpeace pointed out that Samsung’s screen and semiconductor divisions did not stand out among companies looking to decarbonize their supply chains.
Samsung Display, which provides display panels for almost all of the world’s popular smartphone brands, received a C- rating in 2022. However, the new report showed a slow evolution from the D+ rating it received in 2021.
It is worth noting that this subsidiary of Samsung Electronics also manufactures QD-OLED and Micro LED panels for laptops, monitors and TVs. Its main rival, LG Display, managed to position itself higher in the new Greenpeace report, but with the same score.
For its part, Samsung Semiconductor, which designs and manufactures chips for nearly every type of consumer electronics, received a D+ rating for its efforts in 2022. It’s the same rating it received in 2021, so there’s been no real improvement.
Samsung’s chip division lagged behind all its rivals, including Intel, SK Hynix and TSMC. Also according to Greenpeace, it is estimated that this global semiconductor industry will emit around 86 million tons of CO2 equivalents in 2030.
Greenpeace also cited that the majority of carbon emissions in the consumer electronics industry originate from component manufacturing. Samsung, for example, has promised to become carbon neutral and use 100% renewable energy by 2050.
However, the South Korean company did not extend this commitment to its entire supply chain. Foxconn, Apple’s largest supplier, remained among the worst in the sector, below Intel, LG, LuxShare, Pegatron, Samsung, SK Hynix and TSMC.
Chinese company BOE, another rival of Samsung Display, received an F rating, along with Goertek, also from China. Greenpeace highlighted that companies need to use low-impact renewable energy, reuse water and reduce carbon emissions.
“It is encouraging to see that electronics manufacturers are finally recognizing the need for climate action, but progress has been uneven and too slow. The level of ambition of electronics manufacturers is still far from sufficient to ensure that the increase in the global average temperature remains within 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Greenpeace said in the report.
