Samsung

How ethical is Samsung?

Samsung is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate which produces a range of domestic appliances. It was originally established by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company and now covers a wide range of industries.

Samsung has been given a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Vacuum Cleaners Ratings Table. Although it has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see Samsung make progress in future.

Read more about the issues facing the Ethical Vacuum Cleaners sector and find out which companies have achieved accreditation for their commitment to being ethical and sustainable.

In which areas does Samsung perform poorly?

Samsung has a very poor history regarding Human Rights, with several allegations of  land theft and the sourcing of conflict minerals, amongst others, so it gets our lowest rating for this criterion.

Samsung is involved in the Nuclear and Fossil Fuels industries via its subsidiaries Samsung Construction & Trading Corporation, and Samsung Engineering, so it gets a bottom score for these criteria. It also gets a bottom rating for Political Donations as Samsung donated an amount higher than our minimum threshold in recent election cycles. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

In which areas does Samsung score well for its ethics?

Samsung has a Sustainability Report 2022 containing plenty of targets and evidence of progress, and a robust Code of Conduct, so it gets a top rating for these criteria.

We found no criticisms of Samsung relating to; Animal Welfare so it scores well for this criteria.

How can Samsung improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Samsung is awarded is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria. To reach our minimum benchmark score and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Samsung has some issues to resolve including its involvement in the Fossil Fuels industry.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.