The world has changed a lot since the first LEGO brick was created in 1958. What hasn’t changed is the importance of children’s right to play in a healthy and safe world. In the LEGO Group, it’s our ambition to make a positive impact on the world that our children will inherit. This ambition is clear in the recent launch of LEGO products marked with the Forest Stewardship Council trademark.
The FSC logo on our products may seem insignificant when you see it for the first time, but it is a major milestone for us, and an important element in our efforts to become carbon positive by 2016. We aim to help preserve the forests, their wildlife and all of their inhabitants to the benefit of the environment and future generations.
As one of the world's most respected forest certification schemes, FSC works to improve forest management worldwide, and through certification creates an incentive for forest owners and managers to follow the best social and environmental practices. The FSC logo on a product lets consumers know that the material was sourced in a way that supports a healthier planet and improves quality of life for forestry workers and their communities.
In September 2012, the LEGO Group announced a target of using only 100% FSC certified paper by 2015. This includes everything from printed materials, such as our building instructions and leaflets, to packaging and paper used in the business.
We have been
working hard to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging. From sourcing
an average of 75% recycled content wherever possible, to introducing new,
smaller LEGO® boxes, we are projecting to save an estimated 6,000 tons of cardboard
and 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2014 from these initiatives. The
reduction in packaging also supports the sustainability commitments of our
retailers like Walmart, who are committed to zero waste.
These efforts have reduced our transportation needs by 3,000 truckloads annually, and they also support the environmental targets pledged in the Climate Savers Partnership with WWF, which the LEGO Group entered in 2013. The LEGO Group is proud to be the first toy company to join the partnership.
Guided by our mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow, I hope our responsibility efforts will help inspire children across the world to also think creatively about how we can jointly build a better tomorrow.
Read
more about the LEGO Group’s Responsibility efforts in the LEGO Group Responsibility Report.