According to an official press release issued by Samsung Electronics on February 26, 2026, the company has successfully fulfilled the original environmental objectives of its “Galaxy for the Planet” program, which were initially targeted for 2025. Building upon these significant achievements, the technology giant has outlined a new strategic roadmap extending through 2030. This updated framework is designed to mitigate the ecological impacts not only of its product development but of the company’s entire global operation.
Samsung has successfully met all of its initial 2025 targets under the “Galaxy for the Planet” environmental initiative. Using this momentum, the tech giant has unveiled the next phase of the program, establishing rigorous environmental milestones to be achieved by the year 2030. This updated strategy extends significantly beyond previous product-level enhancements, focusing instead on the comprehensive ecological impact of the company’s global operations. Built on three primary pillars—advancing circularity, strengthening water stewardship, and conserving ecosystems—the expanded initiative mandates bold targets, including 110 percent water replenishment and the integration of recycled materials into every single module of its future mobile devices.
The official announcement, published in late February 2026, highlights how Samsung plans to radically reduce its environmental footprint over the coming years. The previous phase of “Galaxy for the Planet” primarily sought to decrease the immediate environmental impacts of the company’s mobile products and direct manufacturing processes. The new directive, however, extends this corporate responsibility across the entire value chain and into broader global ecosystems, making it clear that sustainability is an indispensable component of responsible technological innovation.
Beyond the Product: The Three Main Pillars of the 2030 Strategy
As Samsung progresses toward its 2030 goals, the company’s commitments are no longer restricted merely to the physical design of specific smart devices. The overarching objective is the responsible management of natural resources and the creation of value that mitigates broader environmental and ecological impacts well beyond the devices themselves.
The new guidelines, charting the course through 2030, focus intensively on three priority areas:
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Advancing Circularity
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Strengthening Water Stewardship
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Conserving Ecosystems
Advancing Circularity: Incorporating 10 Different Recycled Materials
A fundamental cornerstone of Samsung’s sustainability journey is the continuous expansion of its use of recycled and responsibly sourced materials. As a result of extensive research, rigorous testing, and independent verification processes, the company currently utilizes 10 different types of recycled materials in the internal and external components of its Galaxy products. These materials include:
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Plastics
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Glass
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Aluminum
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Cobalt
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Lithium
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Steel
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Copper
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Gold
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Rare Earth Elements
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Tantalum
The company continues to dedicate special attention to the recycling of ocean-bound plastics, particularly materials recovered from discarded fishing nets. Furthermore, Samsung is actively advancing its closed-loop systems. A vital element of this effort is the Circular Battery Supply Chain, a system that enables the recovery of valuable materials from the batteries of previously used Galaxy smartphones, which are then repurposed and integrated into modern manufacturing cycles.
Regarding specific quantitative commitments for the period leading up to 2030, Samsung aims to accelerate circularity within its mobile devices to such an extent that every single module of every mobile product will contain at least one type of recycled material. This ambitious objective clearly demonstrates the company’s dedication to more responsible and highly efficient material sourcing across the entire Galaxy ecosystem.
Strengthening Water Stewardship: 110 Percent Replenishment to Nature
The technology industry, and precision engineering manufacturing processes in particular, are known to have significant water requirements. To counterbalance this environmental burden, Samsung is completely restructuring its water management strategy within its mobile business sector.
The company’s official target is to return 110 percent of the water consumed during the operations of its mobile division back to the environment. To achieve this highly ambitious goal—which actually exceeds the division’s net water consumption—the tech giant is striving to attain the highest level of Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification. This certification serves as the premier global benchmark for sustainable and responsible corporate water usage.
Conserving Ecosystems: Protecting Global Biodiversity
Recognizing that extensive global industrial operations have an inevitable impact on local environments and biological diversity, Samsung has prominently incorporated biodiversity protection into its 2030 strategy. Based on the published plans, the company has committed to protecting and conserving an ecosystem equivalent in size to its own operational ecological footprint, thereby contributing directly to the preservation of natural habitats and wildlife globally.
Sustainability on the Global Stage: Unpacked and MWC 2026
The renewed “Galaxy for the Planet” objectives were unveiled in parallel with Samsung’s latest high-profile product announcements. At the Galaxy Unpacked event held in San Francisco on February 25, 2026, the company revealed the new Galaxy S26 and Galaxy Buds4 series. At this event, sustainable material usage took center stage alongside advanced agentic AI capabilities.
Just days later, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2026) in Barcelona—held from March 2 to March 5—Samsung’s exhibition booth served as a physical symbol of the intersection between environmental consciousness and innovation. Visitors were greeted by a monumental art installation titled “RE:Birth Crystals,” created by the renowned artist Bahk Seon Ghi. This striking piece was constructed from recycled quartz discarded during the semiconductor manufacturing process. Additionally, a dedicated exhibition space at MWC showcased the various recycled materials utilized in Galaxy devices, reinforcing Samsung’s core belief that environmental responsibility is inseparable from long-term value creation and technological advancement.
Official Source and Reference:
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Samsung Global Newsroom (February 26, 2026): Samsung Expands Its Journey: Galaxy for the Planet With New Goals Through 2030