Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement is one of the core pillars of our Labor and Human Rights Framework. It is a company-wide effort integrated into our business activities and an important element of our human rights due diligence process.
As part of its ongoing efforts to uphold human rights, we strive to engage in open, active, and direct communication with our stakeholders. As a part of the ICT industry ecosystem, Samsung Electronics acknowledges that its business activities may impact workers and communities within value chains. We engage in dialogue with various stakeholders, including all rights holders and those potentially affected by our operations. We listen to their perspectives, draw insights from them, and incorporate these findings into our management activities.
Our stakeholder engagement activities are diverse, ranging from informal dialogue to strategic partnerships. Our stakeholders include our employees, business associations and industry initiatives, civil society organizations, intergovernmental organizations, benchmarking agencies, human rights experts and consultancies, customers, suppliers, investors, and governments.
In September 2024, we held our second official labor and human rights stakeholder workshop at our manufacturing site in Hungary. The workshop was attended by 11 global labor and human rights experts including a human rights law professor from the University of Notre Dame in England, experts from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), a UK-based NGO, the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights (GBI), the International Labour Organization (ILO), Electronics Watch, an NGO in the electronics industry, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and a former Vice President of the European Parliament.
The workshop featured in-depth discussions on our global and regional efforts to respect labor and human rights, based on the stakeholder recommendations given as well as insights from stakeholders on global trends and the role of corporations in this area. We also shared progress on the action plans developed during the 2023 workshop. Key topics discussed this year included the impact of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directives, human rights risk assessments, our major human rights risks and mitigation measures, responsible recruitment and the rights of migrant workers, as well as labor relations and employee engagement.
Employee Representative Bodies
In accordance with labor relations laws, Samsung Electronics operates a worker representative organization. Employee representative bodies protect workers’ rights and interests, discuss working conditions, and share employee perspectives on corporate strategic decision.
We strive to promote cooperation between labor and management through regular dialogue and various activities with our employee representative bodies.
- 33 labor unions at business sites around the world
- Negotiation of employment conditions and collective bargaining agreements in accordance with the laws of respective countries
- 45 work councils at our business sites around the world
- Employees voluntarily elect their own worker representatives
- Regular discussion on various agenda items to improve working conditions, including wages and benefits
International organizations, CSOs, and NGOs
Since 2018, the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) by Samsung has annually convened a wide array of stakeholders — from policymakers and NGOs to CSOs, experts in labor and human rights, academics, and businesses — aiming to create collaborative synergy.
The MSF 2024 was held under the theme “Empowering People and Technology for an Inclusive Digital Vietnam.” Participants included Patrick Haverman, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, Dr. Le Hoang Son, Vice Director of the Institute of Information Technology at Hanoi University, and startup leader Ngo Thuy Anh, who shared their perspectives on technology and sustainable development.
Samsung Vietnam shared how businesses can fulfill their social responsibilities, drive sustainable development through technology, and engage in corporate social responsibility efforts.
At MSF 2024, the launch of the Inclusive Technology Initiative was announced by the National Innovation Center (NIC), Samsung Vietnam, and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL). The initiative aims to build bridges between technology creators and marginalized communities, supporting their integration and development, while striving to create a fair and sustainable society through innovative solutions.
In connection with this initiative, the MSF 2024 presented the InclusiveTech Award for Social Innovation to 15 projects. These projects were recognized for leveraging technology to bridge the digital divide and enhancing technology accessibility for vulnerable groups, laying the groundwork for sustainable development and inclusion.
DX Division’s overseas manufacturing sites strive to raise the awareness of our employees in labor and human rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion(DEI) through collaboration with external stakeholders.
After conducting a human rights saliency analysis in 2021, our Türkiye manufacturing site established a Human Rights Council consisting of experts from local government agencies, international organizations, and academia. Local president and key department leaders meet regularly with the Human Rights Council to discuss how to respect for labor and human rights and look for their feedback. The council aims to raise awareness of human rights within the site, understand stakeholder expectations and potential risks, and incorporate their advice into the site’s due diligence strategy and implementation. Acting on the council's advice, our Türkiye production is strengthening the role of the representatives for office-based employees and promoting awareness of women’s rights.
RBA Membership and Initiatives
We are a member of RBA, the world’s largest industry coalition dedicated to corporate social responsibility in global supply chains. We support the RBA's vision and objectives and strive to comply with its Code of Conduct in our global operations. In addition, we implement both the RBA Validated Assessment Program (VAP), in which independent third-party auditors conduct assessments, and internal audits conducted by RBA-trained internal experts. We are also participating in the Responsible Labor Initiative (RLI), a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on respecting and promoting labor rights, and in dedicated working groups and task forces concerning our salient risks to discuss mutual challenges, share best practices, and raise awareness among our employees on relevant issues.
Local Communities
We launched our first Community Engagement Council at our Hwaseong business site in 2013, followed by the Giheung site in 2014 and the Pyeongtaek site in 2018. The council serves as a platform to discuss solutions for the potential impact of our operations on the local environment as well as current and potential grievances of local community members. Each Council, made up of employees from departments related to the local environment at each business site and representatives of nearby residents, holds regular meetings, and the details are transparently disclosed on the website. In addition, we invite local residents to special events organized at our business sites and encourage online engagement such as ESG quizzes to provide an opportunity to understand how we operate. We also strive to engage directly with the community by sponsoring local events and organizing cultural programs in collaboration with local artists.
Investors
We hold annual ESG Roadshows to update our investors on our sustainability activities including those related to human rights. Since 2019, the Roadshow has facilitated communication with our investors on our efforts to advance sustainability, including new policy announcements and human rights due diligence. It also serves as a channel to respond to our investors’ inquiries on various sustainability-related topics including on our efforts to enhance DEI; our global supply chain management system; and our response to evolving regulations of different countries. We continuously strive to strengthen communication with our investors and actively reflect their suggestions in our human rights management.