Can companies elevate the environment from a cost to an investment? The environment is an indispensable element in responsible investing, represented by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria.Su-won - Photo by Jin-hyung Kang aymsdream@
[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Can companies view the environment not as a cost but as an investment? As responsible investing, summarized by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), gains attention in the market, major companies such as Samsung and SK have also begun environmental management.
Samsung has gained global recognition in waste management, which was once considered a corporate headache. It was evaluated as a world-class 'Zero Waste to Landfill' site by UL (Underwriters Laboratories), an internationally accredited organization.
On the 11th, Samsung Electronics announced that starting from January in Austin, USA, five domestic sites including Giheung, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Onyang, and Cheonan, as well as two sites in Xi'an and Suzhou, China, received the 'Gold' grade certification for zero waste to landfill.
The average resource circulation rate of the eight certified semiconductor sites reaches 98.1%. Samsung Electronics' semiconductor sites' average resource circulation rate is about 10 percentage points higher than the domestic average waste recycling rate of 87.1% surveyed by the Korea Waste Association in 2018.
Samsung Electronics conducted research to improve the efficiency of dehydration pumps and filters, reducing 75,000 tons of sludge annually. They invested in waste liquid discharge piping facilities on all production lines to utilize waste liquid.
They also supported equipment expansion costs for partner companies. Employees participated in campaigns for separating recyclables and minimizing single-use products, reducing 295 tons of incinerated waste annually.
SK, whose chairman Chey Tae-won has directly stated it is 'reborn as a social enterprise,' is preparing for the revised and promulgated 'Chemical Substances Control Act (Chemicals Control Act)' by the Ministry of Environment in March.
SK Hynix allows workers, not managers, to directly manage safety when unloading hazardous chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, which are raw materials in semiconductor processes.
On the 10th, a report showed an employee at the Cheongju plant directly managing sulfuric acid stored in a large tanker. SK Hynix handles about 95,000 tons of hazardous chemicals annually used in semiconductor processes.
An SK Hynix official said, "The chemical supply room at the Cheongju plant has safety personnel assigned to prevent accidents during work," adding, "We have equipped state-of-the-art facilities to respond quickly to chemical accidents and manage thoroughly to prevent even minor incidents."
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