What are the material issues the company has identified?  

In its 2023 Sustainability Report Samsung Electronics identified a range of material issues, such as climate action and energy management, talent development and quality of life, human rights management. Among these, creating economic value for its stakeholders stands out as a key material issue for Samsung Electronics.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards              

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups Samsung Electronics engages with: 

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Customers (B2C & B2B)	·      Customer satisfaction surveys ·      Contact centres and service centres ·      Samsung Electronics Newsroom ·      Samsung Semiconductor Newsroom ·      Sustainability Website ·      Sales Channels ·      Product Environmental Report
Shareholders and Investors	·      Annual General Meeting N ·      on-Deal Roadshows, Investor Meetings ·      Earnings Releases ·      Investors Forum ·      ESG Roadshow ·      IR Website
Employees	·      Labour unions, work councils ·      Counselling centres ·      Satisfaction surveys on organizational health, work concentration, and employee experience ·      Sustainability Website ·      Communication with the executive management ·      Online communication platform, including Samsung NOW ·      Compliance and ethics whistleblowing channels
Suppliers	·      Global Supplier Relationship Management System ·      Hotline, online whistleblowing channels ·      Partner Collaboration Day, supplier dialogues ·      Partner Collaboration Academy ·      Sustainability Website
Local Communities	·      Local volunteer centres ·      Sustainability Website ·      CSR Website ·      Local community councils
International Organizations, NGOs, Associations, Specialized Organizations	·      Corporate dialogues ·      NGO meetings ·      Stakeholder forums ·      Meetings between civil society organizations and executive management ·      Sustainability Website
Government	·      Policy conferences ·      National Assembly ·      Public hearing for policymaking ·      Policy advisory bodies ·      Sustainability Website
Media	·      Press releases ·      Sustainability Website ·      Samsung Electronics Newsroom

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Samsung Electronics engaged with its stakeholders through surveys.

What actions were taken by Samsung Electronics to create economic value for its stakeholders?

In its 2023 Sustainability Report Samsung Electronics reports that it took the following actions for creating economic value for its stakeholders:

• Creating economic value for employees
• In 2022, Samsung Electronics paid KRW 37.6 trillion in personnel expenses.

• Creating economic value for suppliers
• In 2022, Samsung Electronics paid KRW 219.8 trillion to suppliers.

• Creating economic value for shareholders and investors
• In 2022, Samsung Electronics paid KRW 9.8 trillion in dividends.

• Creating economic value for creditors
• In 2022, Samsung Electronics paid KRW 0.8 trillion in interest costs.

• Creating economic value for governments
• In 2022, Samsung Electronics paid KRW 13.0 trillion in taxes and public duties.

• Creating economic value for communities
• In 2022, Samsung Electronics spent KRW 0.4 trillion in CSR costs.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed

Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.1, 8.2
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• Targets: 9.1, 9.4, 9.5

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.

References:

This case study is based on published information by Samsung Electronics, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.samsung.com/global/sustainability/media/pdf/Samsung_Electronics_Sustainability_Report_2023_ENG.pdf

Note to Samsung Electronics: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified? 

In its 2021 Sustainability Report the Yamaha Group identified a range of material issues, such as development of products and services with a focus on social and environmental issues, lowering of greenhouse gas emissions, systematic initiatives for the respect of human rights, promotion of diversity and human resources development. Among these, promoting sustainability among its suppliers stands out as a key material issue for the Yamaha Group.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards              

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups the Yamaha Group engages with:

To identify and prioritise material topics the Yamaha Group engages with its stakeholders through the following channels:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Customers	·      Product and service helpdesks (telephone, email, etc.) ·      Daily sales activities
Shareholders and Investors	·      General shareholders’ meetings ·      Explanatory meetings for investors ·      Investor website and email newsletters
Employees	·      Survey questionnaires (motivation, management awareness) ·      Labour–management meetings and discussions
Business partners (suppliers, clients, and subcontractors)	·      Daily business activities ·      Production and sales trend briefing sessions ·      Policy explanation meetings ·      Questionnaire surveys
Communities	·      Information exchange sessions with local communities and municipalities ·      Factory tours ·      Employee involvement in community activities
The environment	·      Exchange of information and dialogue with communities and NPOs/NGOs

What actions were taken by the Yamaha Group to promote sustainability among its suppliers?

In its 2021 Sustainability Report the Yamaha Group reports that it took the following actions for promoting sustainability among its suppliers:

• Implementing a Supplier CSR Code of Conduct
• Yamaha Group’s supply contracts clearly state that suppliers are expected to comply with the Yamaha Supplier CSR Code of Conduct, and the Yamaha Group requests that suppliers conduct regular self-assessments with this regard. The Yamaha Supplier CSR Code of Conduct contains items pertaining to labour, human rights, the environment, and other sustainability considerations. Inspections based on this code of conduct are conducted when transactions are commenced with new suppliers and on a regular basis thereafter. Corrective measures are implemented and transactions are reconsidered as necessary.

• Assessing suppliers
• In fiscal 2020, a simultaneous supplier self-assessment was administered by the Yamaha Group to 3,748 companies, and results reports were received from 3,694 companies (a response rate of 98.6%). Corrective actions were requested of 11 companies deemed to have management system deficiencies based on assessment results, and documents indicating improvements have since been received from nine of these companies. The Yamaha Group intends to discontinue transactions with the other two. Of the 54 suppliers not subjected to this assessment, 38 were determined to be low risk due to having achieved compliance with or certified under sustainability-related standards, such as those of the Responsible Business Alliance. Of the other non-assessed companies, the Yamaha Group plans to discontinue transactions with nine, and will continue to request that the remaining seven comply with the Yamaha Supplier CSR Code of Conduct. Assessments of whether transactions can be continued with these suppliers will be conducted when formulating procurement policies and plans. In fiscal 2021, 149 potential suppliers conducted self-assessments, as part of the process of examining the possibility of commencing transactions.

• Providing training
• The Yamaha Group promotes internal training for its employees responsible for procurement to ensure fair trade. Topics of this training include the Act against Delay in Payment of Subcontract Proceeds, Etc. to Subcontractors (Subcontractors Act), laws related to contracts, and various regulations related to trade and procured goods. In addition, responsible procurement training is provided to employees charged with assessing the status of compliance with the Yamaha Supplier CSR Code of Conduct at suppliers. In fiscal 2021, briefings related to sustainable timber procurement, which included confirmations of timber legality, were conducted in Japan, China, and Indonesia.

• Engaging suppliers
• In Japan, the Yamaha Group works together with suppliers and subcontractors to contribute to worker safety and environmental preservation, while striving to foster an atmosphere in which it is easy to share thoughts through relationship-building activities. In addition, the Yamaha Group holds lectures on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at gatherings of suppliers in Japan, in an effort to promote sustainability together with suppliers. During these lectures, the Yamaha Group provides overviews of the SDGs and introduces Group initiatives related to human rights and other matters. Furthermore, it confirms the status of compliance and CSR measures at the waste treatment subcontractors used by domestic production sites through site visits and other measures.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria

2) Disclosure 308-2 Negative environmental impacts in the supply chain and actions taken

3) Disclosure 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria

4) Disclosure 414-2 Negative social impacts in the supply chain and actions taken

 

Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria does not correspond to any SDG.

Disclosure 308-2 Negative environmental impacts in the supply chain and actions taken does not correspond to any SDG.

Disclosure 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
• Targets: 5.2
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.1

Disclosure 414-2 Negative social impacts in the supply chain and actions taken corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
• Targets: 5.2
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.1

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.
References:

This case study is based on published information by the Yamaha Group, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.yamaha.com/en/csr/download/pdf/sr_2021_en.pdf

Note to the Yamaha Group: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2018 Sustainability Report the Yamaha Group identified a range of material issues, such as environmental protection, prevention of corruption, socially responsible procurement, health and safety at work, appropriate marketing, information and advertising. Among these, promoting and respecting human rights stands out as a key material issue for the Yamaha Group.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards              

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups the Yamaha Group engages with:

To identify and prioritise material topics the Yamaha Group engages with its stakeholders through the following channels:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Customers	·      Customer inquiries service for each product and service (telephone and email, etc.) ·      Regular business activities
Shareholders/Investors	·      General Shareholders’ Meeting ·      Briefing sessions for investors ·      Website and e-mail magazine for investors
Employees	·      Opinion surveys on business management ·      Labour-management meetings and consultations
Business partners (suppliers, clients, subcontractors)	·      Regular business and procurement activities ·      Production and sales trend report meetings ·      Policy briefing sessions ·      Surveys
Local communities	·      Information exchange meetings with regional and local organisations ·      Factory tours ·      Employee participation in regional activities
Global environment	·      Information exchange and dialogue with the local communities and NPO/NGOs

What actions were taken by the Yamaha Group to promote and respect human rights?

In its 2018 Sustainability Report the Yamaha Group reports that it took the following actions for promoting and respecting human rights:

• Hiring without discrimination
• In its hiring and employment practices, based on its Compliance Code of Conduct, the Yamaha Group strives for fair selection and the absence of any form of discrimination, while providing employment opportunities to a diverse group of people. Additionally, the Yamaha Group determines evaluation and compensation of employees according to fair rules, using criteria such as the ability to perform tasks, job responsibilities, and achievements. The Yamaha Group also carries out training for managers involved with evaluations, in order to ensure their ability to make accurate assessments.

• Establishing a good employer-employee relationship
• The Yamaha Group adheres to the protection of employee rights prescribed by international treaties, laws, collective labour agreements and other agreements. In addition, in pursuing the Yamaha Corporate Philosophy, employees and the Group strive to achieve favourable relationships, based on ample communication.

• Preventing harassment and unfair discrimination
• The Yamaha Group seeks to prevent any form of harassment or discrimination and, in order to spread awareness of this stance, it has distributed the Compliance Code of Conduct in the form of a booklet which includes detailed explanations to all employees. Employment regulations also clarify that harassment is grounds for disciplinary action. Additionally, the Yamaha Group works to maintain a healthy workplace environment by offering a hotline and by educating employees through workplace meetings and management training.

• Promoting human rights in the supply chain
• In the interest of furthering its policy concerning human rights throughout its supply chain, the Yamaha Group is taking the following actions:
  • Establishes CSR measures, including human rights, in the selection requirements for suppliers.
  • Requests that suppliers comply with the Yamaha Supplier CSR Code of Conduct, which establishes practices related to human rights and labour (specified in the Transaction Agreement), and that suppliers carry out self-assessments based on this Code of Conduct (correction is requested as needed).

• Prohibiting forced/child labour
• The Yamaha Group Compliance Code of Conduct prohibits any form of forced labour or labour by children under the minimum age permissible by law. In addition, the Yamaha Supplier CSR Code of Conduct clearly states the same conditions and requests that business partners follow them. The Yamaha Group also asks business partners to perform self-assessments using a questionnaire and, based on the results, asks for improvement measures when necessary.

• Organising and operating a helpline
• The Yamaha Group has set up a helpline both inside and outside the company that deals with requests for advice and notifications from employees concerning human rights issues, including harassment. In addition to developing a multilingual mail reception form that can receive requests from various countries and regions, the Yamaha Group is aiming to raise awareness of the helplines by posting the contact information both in the Compliance Code of Conduct booklet and internal publications. The Yamaha Group investigates the facts behind each consultation and notification quickly and fairly, while protecting the privacy of both the consulting person and the offender and takes corrective measures, including providing guidance if a problem is identified. If the consulting person or victim strongly requests confidentiality and it becomes difficult to carry out an investigation, the Yamaha Group will still take corrective measures, such as improving the workplace environment. Also, as needed, the Yamaha Group will promote awareness and conduct training, such as management training, in order to prevent similar issues from emerging.

• Providing human rights education
• The Yamaha Group disseminates information to employees to improve understanding concerning human rights issues. Using its intranet, for example, the Yamaha Group provides explanations of the issue of conflict minerals and of matters such as “guiding principles on business and human rights” and the “Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities”. The Yamaha Group also holds expert-led in-house seminars and briefings and study sessions for personnel in charge of procurement, where discussions address themes such as human rights issues in the supply chain. In FY 2018, 19 employees in charge of marketing learned about related matters for advertising and promotions as part of their skills training.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken

2) Disclosure 408-1 Operations and suppliers at significant risk for incidents of child labor

3) Disclosure 409-1 Operations and suppliers at significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor

4) Disclosure 412-2 Employee training on human rights policies or procedures

 

Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Non-discrimination

Disclosure 408-1 Operations and suppliers at significant risk for incidents of child labor corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Abolition of child labor
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Abolition of child labor

Disclosure 409-1 Operations and suppliers at significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Elimination of forced or compulsory labor

Disclosure 412-2 Employee training on human rights policies or procedures does not correspond to any SDG.

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by the Yamaha Group, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to the Yamaha Group: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.