What you should know
– Samsung Display and Samsung Semiconductor received low ratings for their efforts to decarbonize their supply chains
– Samsung’s progress in decarbonizing has been slower compared to its main rivals
– Samsung has pledged to become carbon neutral and use 100% renewable energy by 2050, but has not extended that pledge to its supply chain
– Apple‘s claims of carbon neutrality for the Apple Watch models have been criticized by the European consumer organization BEUC and the EU plans to ban “carbon-neutral” claims due to the use of offsetting credits
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Samsung is now under scrutiny for its efforts in decarbonizing its supply chains, following in the footsteps of Apple. The Greenpeace report revealed that Samsung Display and Samsung Semiconductor are not doing enough to reduce their carbon footprint. Samsung Display, which provides display panels to many smartphone brands, received a C- rating in 2022, an improvement from its previous D+ rating but still considered slow progress. Samsung Semiconductor, on the other hand, has not shown any improvement and received a D+ rating for both 2021 and 2022. This puts Samsung behind its main rivals in the industry, including Intel, SK Hynix, and TSMC. While Samsung has pledged to be carbon neutral and use 100% renewable energy by 2050, this pledge has not been extended to its supply chain.
The Greenpeace report considered the efforts of 11 major electronics component suppliers, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Samsung. Although it noted some progress, it also highlighted that the ambition level of electronics manufacturers is still not sufficient to ensure that the global average temperature rise remains within 1.5 degrees Celsius. This indicates that more needs to be done by the industry to achieve significant progress in decarbonizing supply chains.
On the other hand, Apple has also faced criticism for its carbon-neutral claims, particularly regarding the Apple Watch. The European consumer organization BEUC stated that the carbon-neutral claims made by Apple are scientifically inaccurate and misleading to consumers. The EU is even planning to ban such claims due to concerns about the use of offsetting credits to achieve carbon-neutral status. This controversy has raised questions about the effectiveness and transparency of efforts to reduce carbon emissions within the tech industry.
