Samsung 2009 Annual Report Download - page 15

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Working to be the company that people respect and admire
Samsung Electronics is committed to corporate philanthropy partnerships with community stakeholders such
as NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), schools and the media. Throughout 2009, as in years past, we
continued efforts to support a culture of community contributions and good works.
In Korea, we engage in a range of community activities, including helping teenagers build their future,
supporting low-income families, and providing emergency rescue training as well as working with local volunteer
centers. Around the world, we help meet the specialized needs of local communities, encouraging global volunteer
participation from corporate headquarters. In North America, we continued Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope
charity manufacturing event, which was launched in 2002. We also have a program that provides electronics for
educational purposes.
In the Middle East and Africa, we implemented a Dream Tree project to raise the hopes and prospects of
needy children. In China, we built ten Samsung charity schools to help earthquake victims in Sichuan province.
We also funded eyesight recovery operations for cataract patients. In seven Southeast Asian countries, we built IT
centers to support people who had been shut out of the contemporary digital world. In 17 European countries, we
supported campaigns that battle breast cancer, while also providing education and sports equipment to prevent
child obesity in more than 700 schools across five countries.
The overriding goal of Samsung Electronics corporate citizenship is to instill love and hope in every corner of
the world, stepping past the barriers of race, age, gender and geographic location.
Planet First! Committing to green management
Putting the “Planet First,” Samsung Electronics is pursuing environmentally friendly initiatives that address every
phase of the manufacturing cycle, from production to consumption to recycling. We set a target of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions from our business sites by 50% and by an aggregated 84 million tons from the use
of our products by 2013, compared to totals of 2008. As we move to meet these goals, we are operating more
greenhouse gas treatment and recycled energy facilities as well as launching green-management partnership
programs with our suppliers.
Furthermore, we are becoming a leader in the green product market. In 2009, Samsung Electronics attracted
praise for releasing a variety of eco-friendly products, including more energy-efficient LED TVs, solar-powered
mobile phones and monitors manufactured from recycled plastic. These environmentally sound efforts—and smart
business investments—will help make the planet healthier.
Building trust and growing together in win-win relationships
As markets and the economic climate shift, industry competition is zeroing in on supply chains. The key to
remaining competitive is building innovative collaborations with suppliers. Anticipating this emerging trend, and as
part of our ongoing efforts to grow together with our suppliers, in 2008, we set up an organization dedicated to
such cooperation, the Partner Collaboration & Enhancement Office.
This group is tasked with supporting suppliers to become more productive and efficient, including offering
technological and financial support, administrative and infrastructure aid and employee training. We provide
the guidance of company experts as well as outside consultants, training supplier employees, for instance, in
methods tailored for small and medium-size businesses. We also emphasize joint technology developments.
Such programs help our partners choose facility investments, develop ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems
and introduce new technology. The goal is to bolster supplier competitiveness in practical terms, resulting in
process improvements, cost savings, greater on-time delivery rates and inventory reductions. The reason for such
programs is simple: You can’t produce world-class products without tapping world-class suppliers.
Looking ahead, we expect to fuel sustainable growth engines and improve our global competitiveness by
emphasizing smart partnerships and collaboration.
Seonmi Kim Assistant Manager, SCM Group, Corporate Business Innovation Team