LG Electronics ESG Performance 2024–2025: Progress, Impact, and Future Pathways

LG Electronics continues to reinforce its commitment to corporate sustainability and long-term environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in its 2024–2025 Sustainability Report, building momentum toward its 2030 environmental targets and broader ESG goals. The company’s holistic approach demonstrates measurable progress across emissions reduction, resource circularity, product stewardship, social inclusion, and governance excellence, placing LG among global leaders in sustainable technology and responsible corporate management. 

A central pillar of LG’s environmental agenda is its aggressive strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across operations and product life cycles. In 2024, LG reported total Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions of 910,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂eq), bringing the company close to its 2030 target of 878,000 tCO₂eq, a reduction of 54.6 % compared to 2017 levels. This near-achievement ahead of schedule reflects proactive deployment of energy-efficient technologies and carbon reduction measures in production processes worldwide. 

Beyond operational emissions, LG is working to reduce Scope 3 emissions, which include the carbon footprint associated with the use of its products. Through AI-enabled energy-saving features and optimised product design, the company achieved a 19.4 % reduction in product carbon emissions in 2024 compared to 2020, advancing toward its 2030 goal of a 20 % cut in Scope 3 emissions across seven key product categories. Importantly, LG’s emissions reduction targets for both Scope 1/2 and Scope 3 have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), marking a notable recognition of the company’s science-based climate commitments. 

LG’s efforts in resource circulation and waste management have also shown remarkable results. The company reported a 97.4 % waste recycling rate at its global production sites in 2024, exceeding its original 2030 target of 95 %. This achievement underscores a systematic approach to waste segregation, reuse, and recycling across manufacturing facilities. Additionally, LG collected 532,630 tonnes of used electronics from consumers in 91 locations across 56 countries during the year, bringing the cumulative total of collected e-waste since 2006 to over 5 million tonnes. The company also increased the use of recycled plastics in its products by 36 % year-on-year, strengthening material circularity and reducing reliance on virgin resources. 

Product innovation tied to sustainability has been recognised externally through multiple certifications. For instance, LG’s 2025 OLED evo TVs received eco-certifications from the Carbon Trust and other global bodies for reducing CO₂ emissions and improving resource efficiency throughout the product lifecycle. LG’s 65-inch OLED model is approximately 20 % lighter and uses 60 % less plastic compared to traditional LCD counterparts, contributing to an anticipated reduction of 84,000 tonnes of CO₂ and approximately 16,000 tonnes of plastic use by 2025. The company also plans to increase the proportion of recycled plastic in its TV products to 50 % in 2025, up from about 30 % in 2024. 

On the social and governance fronts, LG’s long-standing commitment to comprehensive ESG performance has earned it notable global recognitions. For the second year in a row, LG was ranked in the Top 1 % of companies globally in S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) among nearly 7,700 companies, scoring 77 out of 100 and leading its industry category. This high ranking reflects strong performance across environmental stewardship, human rights, supply-chain management, and governance transparency. Additionally, LG achieved inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the 13th consecutive year, one of the longest streaks among consumer electronics companies worldwide. 

LG’s governance structure continues to strengthen ESG oversight, with its board and dedicated ESG Committee guiding corporate sustainability strategy and performance. The company’s approach integrates regulatory compliance, shared growth with suppliers through third-party ESG audits aligned with Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) standards, and enhanced stakeholder engagement practices. 

Overall, LG Electronics’ 2024–2025 ESG performance demonstrates that sustainability is deeply embedded in the company’s operational strategy, product innovation, and global corporate governance. LG’s progress toward emissions reduction, circularity, certified eco-design, social responsibility, and governance excellence positions it as a benchmark for sustainable technology firms  with clear pathways toward its 2030 goals and beyond. 

Sources
2024-2025_LGE_Sustainability_Report_English.pdf