As the world suffers from the impacts of plastic pollution, people are becoming more conscious about choosing products that minimise plastic pollution. Such activism by consumers has inspired many businesses leading them to a path to sustainability. One such company is LEGO.
LEGO has announced that they will be replacing the plastic packaging from their products to paper packaging. The move was the result of hundreds of letters that the company received from children asking them to make their products more sustainable. The letters have also inspired LEGO Group to research for an alternative material for their plastic blocks.
The company has announced that it would invest as much as $400 million across three years in order to ‘accelerate sustainability and social responsibility initiatives.’ The toy-making giant said it would work towards complete phasing out of single-use plastic bags in its products by 2025. The trial of recyclable paper bags is expected next year.
In addition to this, the company will invest in developing more sustainable bricks and packaging, with the family-owned firm looking to increase its use of so-called “bio-bricks” made from materials like sugar cane. Research into the development of sustainable plastics made from renewable and recycled sources will also continue.
LEGO Group has emphasised its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint by taking steps to embrace sustainability in not just its products, but also its operations. For its manufacturing operations, the business has set the target to go totally carbon neutral by the year 2022. This goal will be aided by measures such as the installation of solar panels at all factories as well as renewable energy procurement deals. Attempts will also be made to cut water usage by 10% by 2022, compared to 2019.
For reducing the waste generated by its products, the company has expressed a desire to set up programs encouraging people to donate their pre-used bricks so that they can be re-used by ‘children in need of play.’ The company has already worked towards this by launching its Lego Replay scheme in the US, providing bricks to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and Teach for America. The program will be introduced to two more countries before the end of 2022.
LEGO through these Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives has won the hearts of people and demonstrated the respect it has for the environment as well as society.
