Sustainability in Operations > Reducing Water Use and Air Pollution

Conserving Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Samsung Electronics conducts various initiatives to preserve biodiversity and ensure ecosystem health.

Biodiversity Risk Management

DS Division has applied analysis tools recommended by the TNFD1), such as ENCORE2) and WWF-RFS3), to our five domestic sites to assess the impacts and dependencies of our business activities on nature and to analyze biodiversity risks. As a result, we identified two physical biodiversity risks rated as medium or higher, and we are currently developing strategies to address them.

  • Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
  • Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure
  • World Wildlife Fund for Nature Risk Filter Suite

Physical Biodiversity Risks

(1) Pressures on Biodiversity

  • All South Korean sites: Moderate risk
  • The risk level is assessed based on four combined sub-risk factors: pollution, land use, deforestation, and invasive species. Due to the geographic characteristics of manufacturing sites located in developed areas and the specific nature of the semiconductor industry, pollution is identified as the most significant factor

(2) Natural Disaster Impact Risk (Regulating Services-Mitigating)

  • Giheung, Hwaseong, and Pyeongtaek sites: Moderate risk
  • TNFD core metrics, consisting of five indicators related to risks and opportunities and ten indicators related to impacts and dependencies
  • World Database on Protected Areas
Maps showing biodiversity pressure risk (left) and regulating service–mitigating (right) at the Giheung·Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Cheonan, and Onyang sites in South Korea, using color-coded risk levels. Maps showing biodiversity pressure risk (left) and regulating service–mitigating (right) at the Giheung·Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Cheonan, and Onyang sites in South Korea, using color-coded risk levels.

Survey of Natural Environment Near Our Sites

To ensure the effective management and conservation of natural capital and biodiversity, DS Division regularly surveys the natural environment surrounding our sites. The survey covers various types of ecosystems, including forests, rivers, farmland, and urban areas, within a 2,010 km² radius of its South Korea sites. The results are organized into spatial data following the LEAP methodology1). Using this data, we analyzed three natural capital factors related to the TNFD core metrics2): ecosystem health, WDPA3), and the status of endangered, invasive, and disruptive species. The findings were visualized in map form. Based on the results of these surveys and analyses, we will continue our efforts to take necessary actions for the conservation of biodiversity near our business sites.

  • TNFD's nature-related financial disclosure methodology, composed of four stages: Locate, Evaluate, Assess, and Prepare (LEAP)
  • TNFD core metrics, consisting of five indicators related to risks and opportunities and ten indicators related to impacts and dependencies
  • World Database on Protected Areas

  • Protected areas listed in WDPA1)

    • No protected areas within a 2 km radius of any of our business sites in South Korea
    • 0.2-2.4% share of protected areas within a 5 km radius, mostly urban nature parks
    • Paldang Lake, watershed conservation zones, natural environment conservation areas, and other protected areas within a 10 km radius

  • Excellent ecosystem health
    (biotope rating: Grade 1)2)

    • 6.6-20.3% coverage of excellent ecosystems within a 5 km radius of our business sites in South Korea: 20.3% at Onyang site, 12.1% at Cheonan, 8.1% at Giheung and Hwaseong, and 6.6% at Pyeongtaek site
    • Excellent ecosystems identified within the Hwaseong site (Donghak Mountain, under conservation and management)

  • Endangered wildlife3)

    • High frequency of observation in rivers, estuaries, and mudflats within the survey scope
    • Key species identified include otters (Class I endangered), leopard cats (Class II endangered), oriental storks (Class I endangered), black-faced spoonbills (Class I endangered), Suwon tree frogs (Class I endangered), and Seoul frogs (Class II endangered)

  • Disruptive species3)

    • Abundant presence in rivers and urban parks within the survey scope
    • Species such as Japanese hop, ragweed, bass, and bullfrog identified within a 5 km radius of our business sites in South Korea, with ongoing removal efforts in and around the Hwaseong site and discharge rivers
  1. World Database on Protected Areas — South Korea’s protected areas, classified into 30 categories managed by five ministries under the KDPA
  2. Applied the evaluation criteria for ecological spaces (biotopes) specified in the Ministry of Environment’s urban ecological mapping guidelines
  3. Endangered wildlife and disruptive species designated by the Ministry of Environment

Key endangered wildlife species found near our business sites

  • ▲ Suwon tree frogs (Class I endangered)

  • ▲ Bean goose (Class II endangered)

  • ▲ Oriental storks (Class I endangered)

Conservation of Discharge Stream Ecosystems

Woncheon-ri Stream-Hwangguji Stream in Hwaseong

  • Fishes 18 species of 6 families (High dominance of Freshwater Minnow, Common Carp, Crucian Carp, and Goby Minnow)
  • Benthos 44 species of 30 families (High dominance of aquatic insects)
  • Birds 3,138 individuals of 55 species (Observed Long-Billed Plover [Class II endangered wildlife] and Bean Goose [Class II endangered wildlife])
  • Mammals 10 species (Eurasian Otter [Class I endangered wildlife] and Leopard Cat [Class II endangered wildlife] observed inhabiting)

Osan Stream in Giheung

  • Fishes 18 species of 7 families (Freshwater Minnow, Short Barbel Gudgeon, Crucian Carp, and Bass)
  • Benthos 58 species of 41 families (High dominance of aquatic insects)
  • Birds 5,735 individuals of 58 species (Observed five endangered species including Bean Goose, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and Long-Billed Plover)
  • Mammals 8 species (Eurasian Otter [Class I endangered wildlife] and Leopard Cat [Class II endangered wildlife] observed inhabiting)
  • A genetic survey confirmed the habitat of five otters in the Osan Stream section
  • Ecotoxicity Effluent water found to have no ecotoxicity on the stream based on the results of acute toxicity testing on water fleas
     

Seojeong-ri Stream and Jinwi Stream in Pyeongtaek

  • Fishes 19 species of 7 families (High dominance of Freshwater Minnow, Crucian Carp)
  • Benthos 50 species of 37 families (High dominance of aquatic insects)
  • Birds 47 species (Observed four legally protected species including Eurasian Spoonbill, Bean Goose, Whooper Swan, and Common Kestrel)
  • Mammals 9 species (Eurasian Otter [Class I endangered wildlife] and Leopard Cat [Class II endangered wildlife] observed inhabiting)
  • Ecotoxicity Effluent water found to have no ecotoxicity on the stream based on the results of acute toxicity testing on water fleas

Gokgyo Stream near Onyang and Cheonan

  • Fishes 26 species of 7 families (High dominance of Freshwater Minnow, Goby Minnow, and Stone Moroko)
  • Benthos 39 species of 29 families (High dominance of aquatic insects)
  • Birds 924 individuals of 38 species (Long-billed Ringed Plover [Class II endangered wildlife], and Common Kestrel observed inhabiting)
  • Mammals 8 species (Eurasian Otter [Class I endangered wildlife] and Leopard Cat [Class II endangered wildlife] observed inhabiting)

Biodiversity Enhancement Activities

DS Division is committed to positively impacting biodiversity. Following the AR3T1) framework proposed by SBTN2), we explore and implement strategies to 'Avoid' and 'Reduce' environmental impacts during the planning, operation, and management of its business sites. As one of our main mitigation measures, we established natural spaces—including green areas and forests—within our domestic sites. Based on the Ministry of Environment’s land cover map, these natural spaces now account for 1.67 million square meters.

DS Division is also actively pursuing 'Restore and Regenerate' activities for nature. Since 2024, the SCS site in Xi'an, China, has been working with the government of Shanxi Province to create the Samsung Public Welfare Forest in the Yulin area. Over a three-year period ending in 2026, the plan is to create a total of 600,000 square meters of forest by adding 200,000 square meters annually. This initiative is expected to contribute not only to the restoration of forest ecosystems and enhancement of biodiversity, but also to carbon reduction and desertification prevention. We will continue to engage in activities such as the One Company, One River campaign activities for river ecosystem conservation and the preservation of marine ecosystems in the Sohwang sand dune area. Looking ahead, we plan to develop and implement nature conservation strategies that contribute to achieving the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the National Biodiversity Strategy.

  • AR3T is a framework proposed by SBTN for mitigating biodiversity impacts, recommended in the following order: Avoid, Reduce, Restore & Regenerate, and Transform.
  • Science Based Targets Network
Last updatedJune 27, 2025