Samsung reaffirms commitment to water conservation on World Water Day

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest memory chip producer, reaffirmed its corporate pledge to protect water resources, which are critical to the production of semiconductors, on this year’s World Water Day on Wednesday.

“As CEO of #SamsungSemiconductor, I’m committed to strengthening cooperation with local governments and other industry players, and expanding our investment in the development of innovative technology that makes technology sustainable,” Kyung Kye-hyun, president and chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (DS) division handling the semiconductor business, wrote on his LinkedIn account on Wednesday, celebrating World Water Day.  

“Innovative technology” refers to one that can protect water, which is important in the chip manufacturing process.

It is known that one chip fab can use up to tens of millions of gallons of water a day.

Since Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) took a heavy hit from a shortage of water during the severe drought sweeping Taiwan a few years ago, the global semiconductor industry has further bumped up investment in the development of technologies to reuse water and reduce water intake in chip production.

Thanks to the Korean chip giant’s relentless efforts to conserve water resources, its main semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province near the Korean capital Seoul, recently received Platinum-level Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Certification, the company announced on the same day.

“We are honored to become the first in the semiconductor industry to simultaneously be awarded both AWS and Carbon Trust Standard certifications for our efforts,” said Kyung.

The AWS is a global organization that promotes sustainable water use and management by implementing the AWS Standard.

Celebrating World Water Day 2023, Samsung Electronics also unveiled a special video on its YouTube channel touting the company’s efforts to restore the environment surrounding its semiconductor factory site.

Write to Ji-Eun Jeong at jeong@hankyung.com

Sookyung Seo edited this article.