Supplier Capacity-Building
Training System
At Samsung Electronics, we operates structured training programs to enhance the competitiveness of the entire supply chain ecosystem and strengthen the foundation for the sustainable growth of our suppliers. Through the academy, an organization dedicated to supplier training, we foster mutual growth by providing suppliers with training on par with the programs offered to our own employees.
In 2025, we restructured our training system by incorporating feedback from supplier employees who participated in the previous year's training. We diversified training formats to increase participation and practical on-the-job application. Additionally, we centered the curriculum around in-house expert lectures to effectively disseminate our know-how and best practices. Building on this momentum, we will continue to conduct satisfaction surveys among suppliers who have completed the training to measure its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement in future iterations.
To address the practical training demands of our suppliers, we focused on programs to improve leadership and functional capabilities (manufacturing, quality, big data, corporate management, and ESG). For functional training, we offered advanced courses in each field to elevate technical and management expertise. In addition, we expanded field-specific expert courses aimed at cultivating a specialized workforce tailored to our suppliers' needs. To enable seamless learning from anywhere, we increased the proportion of online courses, thereby eliminating time and location constraints and enhancing learning accessibility.
At Samsung Electronics, we run various training programs to regularly disseminate the Supplier Code of Conduct and uphold the human rights of workers employed by our suppliers. Starting in 2024, we introduced the ESG Due Diligence on Supply Chains course to enhance first-tier suppliers' ability to oversee and assess their lower-tier suppliers. Furthermore, we expanded training programs previously limited to high-risk suppliers, such as the Supplier Code of Conduct and Responsible Recruitment, to include all first-tier suppliers.
To improve ESG capabilities across the entire supply chain, we expanded the target audience for ESG training, previously limited to first-tier suppliers, to include second- and third-tier suppliers. We also encourage first-tier suppliers to disseminate training content to their sub suppliers and manage risks within the lower tiers of the supply chain, ensuring comprehensive adoption of our Supplier Code of Conduct and forced labor policies throughout the supply chain. Furthermore, we strive to foster dedicated ESG personnel within our suppliers by providing courses focused on vulnerable areas, such as enhancing understanding of revised regulations and strengthening accident prevention capabilities.
To better respond to the specific needs of each supplier and changes in industry trends, we, at Samsung Electronics, recently introduced the Pin-Point on-site training. We develop customized training courses optimized for the operational status and demands of our suppliers. Expert instructors with extensive field experience directly visit business sites across South Korea (including the Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces) to conduct the training, thereby supporting practical, hands-on capacity building.
Labor and Human Rights Training for Suppliers
| Course | Content | Target | Frequency | Completion Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESG Due Diligence on Supply Chains |
Offline | The 5 core RBA principles (Labor and human rights, health and safety, environment, ethics, supplier management) | First-tier suppliers in South Korea subject to third-party audits for the year | Twice a year | 100% |
| Audit processes and violation criteria | |||||
| Best remediation practices | |||||
| Worker interview practice | |||||
| Online | The 5 core RBA principles (Labor and human rights, health and safety, environment, ethics, supplier management) | First-tier suppliers in South Korea | Once a year | 51% | |
| Audit processes and violation criteria | |||||
| Best remediation practices | |||||
| Supplier Code of Conduct |
Online | The 5 core RBA principles (Labor and human rights, health and safety, environment, ethics, supplier management) | First-tier suppliers | Once a year | 100% |
| Responsible Recruitment | Online | Recruitment standards for protecting migrant workers | First-tier suppliers outside of South Korea | Once a year | 98% |
| Identification and assessment | |||||
| Corrective actions | |||||
| Prevention and mitigation | |||||
In 2021, Samsung Electronics launched the Responsible Recruitment Procedure training course. This course equips suppliers with the knowledge to recruit migrant workers responsibly and mitigate risks in their organization.
In 2025, we trained 1,546 labor and human rights personnel from 1,347 suppliers on topics ranging from recruitment criteria to risk identification, assessment, improvement, prevention, and mitigation. To improve local workers’ understanding, we also provided training in local languages including English, Chinese, Thai, and Malay.
-
Recruitment criteriaCorrecting and supplementing suppliers’ policies based on the provisions related to forced labor prohibition in the Supplier Code of Conduct
-
Risk identification and assessmentAssessing the entire recruitment process to arrive at suppliers, covering recruitment agencies in the sending country and the receiving country, with suppliers utilizing a self-diagnosis tool to conduct risk assessments
-
ImprovementCollecting data and analyzing it through migrant worker interviews, grievance handling, and other methods, and establishing improvement plans
-
Risk prevention and mitigationAnalyzing root causes, establishing corrective measures, and performing training for migrant workers and recruitment agencies
Since 2015, each manufacturing site of Samsung Electronics has held annual training sessions and workshops for the heads and working-level staff of supplier subsidiaries, focusing on Samsung Electronics' Supplier Code of Conduct and key human rights risks by country. In 2025, a total of 2,651 participants* from 1,472 global suppliers took part in the training.
- Global and local regulatory trends, supplier audit results, and remediation case studies
- The Samsung Electronics Supplier Code of Conduct and human rights
- RBA auditing processes by key suppliers on second-tier suppliers
- Compliance workshops and RBA Code of Conduct education for new key suppliers
- Human rights and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
- Disseminating training content to sub suppliers through participating suppliers, emphasizing the Samsung Electronics Supplier Code of Conduct
Samsung Electronics provides its purchasing staff with ongoing online training on labor and human rights, including the elimination of forced labor in suppliers. In 2025, 82 purchasing staff members* completed the Supplier Management course, which covers supplier inspections and compliance practices.
To highlight the importance of labor rights in supplier management, new and transferred purchasing staff are required to complete the Purchasing Onboarding Training, a mandatory in-person course held twice a year. This training covers key topics such as Samsung Electronics Supplier Code of Conduct, supplier audits and improvements, worker grievance handling, and global sustainability trends. In 2025, 45 staff members completed this course.