Samsung Electronics highlighted steps taken to achieve sustainability across its operations in 2019 and expressed confidence in achieving a goal of fully switching to renewable energy in some of its biggest markets by the year-end.

In its 2020 Sustainability Report, the company noted 92 per cent of the electricity consumed at sites in the US, Europe and China came from renewable sources, leaving it on-track to hit a 100 per cent target for 2020. It also outlined plans to continue expanding the use of renewable energy where possible.

During 2019, its Mobile Communications Business used sustainable materials including bioplastics and paper, and developed “a high-efficiency charging technology with 86 per cent” efficiency.

In its Networks Business, Samsung applied energy-saving technologies in base stations and reduced the size of new 5G kit by around 26 per cent compared with its previous units.

And it deployed energy- and water-consumption reduction techniques at its memory chip business.

Moving forward, Samsung set the goal of using only sustainably-sourced paper in product packaging in its Consumer Electronics and IT & Mobile Communications divisions by the year-end.

It also plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and “pioneer a new generation of immersive, intelligent and secure experiences that reach across every device, platform and brand, while building a sustainable future” using 5G, AI and mobile security.