Lego and Mattel Bow to Greenpeace Pressure and Eliminate Unsustainable Packaging

Lego has bowed to Greenpeace pressure and has discontinued its sourcing of packaging made from unsustainable forests. Lego has agreed to drop supplier Asia Pulp and Paper, and vows to use packaging material certified by the Forest Stewardship Council from now on.

Greenpeace considers APP the worst forest offender in Indonesia. The non-profit has requested that all toy companies stop buying paper products from APP and its associates. Greenpeace also called on the companies to implement new sustainable procurement policies for purchase of all pulp and paper products.

Lego has now announced that it is aiming to reduce the amount of packaging material it uses; where possible use only recycled materials; and where a recycled option is not possible, use only FSC-certified fibers.

In addition to welcoming Lego's decision, Greenpeace blamed other major toy companies for their inadequate response to the APP allegations. While they publicly lauded Lego's decision they continued to pressure other toy makers.

Clever pressure campaigns appear to be working. In June Greenpeace scaled Mattel’s headquarters and unfurled a banner featuring a picture of toy Ken that read, “Barbie, it’s over. I don’t date girls that are into deforestation.” The next day, Mattel released a statement confirming that it had put a hold on purchasing supplies that originate from APP, and pledging to create a sustainable procurement policy.

Greepeace has a long history of pressuring reluctant companies to engage more sustainable approaches to commerce. For corporations that refuse to see the wisdom and accept the responsibility, Greenpeace offers another approach to move business towards sustainability.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Greenpeace Turns 40
Nike and H&M Bow to Greenpeace's Detox Challenge
Social Action Driving Businesses to Adopt Sustainable Practices
Cooperation Between Environmental Organizations and Businesses
Greenpeace and the Revolutionary Power of Social Media Driving Corporate Changes
Greenpeace Exposes the Koch Brothers
Koch Industries Financing Climate Denial
Koch Industries' Environmental Crimes
Koch Industries Destroys the Environment and Funds Climate Denial
Greenpeace Campaign is Asking Facebook to Defriend Coal
Greenpeace's Ranking of Electronic Companies
Greenpeace's Best Green Electronics
Greenpeace's G20 Checklist
Video: Greenpeace Spoofs Volkswagen's Dark Side
Obama's 2009 Visit to Canada: Tarsands Protest

Nike and H&M Bow to Greenpeace's Detox Challenge

A Greenpeace initiative known as the "Detox Challenge," is working to create a future free of toxic substances. Nike bowed to pressure from the Greenpeace campaign after only five weeks, and H&M agreed to comply not long after that. Both companies have promised to eliminate hazardous chemicals throughout their entire supply chains.

Nike has vowed to remove hazardous substances from across their entire supply chain, and the entire life-cycle of its products, by 2020. The sportswear giant have also promised to use their influence, knowledge and experience to bring about “widespread elimination” of hazardous chemicals from the clothing industry, Greenpeace says.

“Within eight weeks, Nike Inc. will announce its action plan for the goal of eliminating hazardous chemicals within our supply chain addressing transparency, chemical management, including how we will address the need for industry disclosure in line with right to know principles and a timeline for the elimination of the highest priority hazardous chemicals,” Nike said in a statement. “Nike Inc. is committed to the goal of zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020.”

Most recently Greenpeace asked H&M, Europe’s second largest clothing retailer to commit to eliminating all uses and discharges of hazardous chemicals throughout its entire supply chain. In late summer of 2011, H&M joined Nike, Puma and adidas in pledging to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals from all its product production processes by 2020.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Greenpeace Turns 40
Lego and Mattel Bow to Greenpeace Pressure and Eliminate Unsustainable Packaging
Social Action Driving Businesses to Adopt Sustainable Practices
Cooperation Between Environmental Organizations and Businesses
Greenpeace and the Revolutionary Power of Social Media Driving Corporate Changes
Greenpeace Exposes the Koch Brothers
Koch Industries Financing Climate Denial
Koch Industries' Environmental Crimes
Koch Industries Destroys the Environment and Funds Climate Denial
Greenpeace Campaign is Asking Facebook to Defriend Coal
Greenpeace's Ranking of Electronic Companies
Greenpeace's Best Green Electronics
Greenpeace's G20 Checklist
Video: Greenpeace Spoofs Volkswagen's Dark Side
Obama's 2009 Visit to Canada: Tarsands Protest

Report from The Green Economy Action Roadshow

The Green Economy Action Roadshow took place on September 9 and 10, 2011, at Moraine Valley Community College, in Palos Hills, Illinois. This green event gave participants the opportunity to meet with businesses, public agencies and experts involved in the Green Economy. Presented by The Delta Institute and Mindful Metropolis, the Green Economy Action Roadshow is a two-day event designed to connect, transform and empower green business, government and lifestyles. The event is focused on helping people to find partners and other resources to help grow with the Green Economy.

During the event participants met stakeholders and learned about what communities, municipalities and businesses are and can be doing in the Green Economy. Participants also heard about emerging opportunities in the Green Economy and they had access to information and resources as well as developing relationships and building local green supply chains

The first day of the conference participants learned how to engage the green Economy to create business opportunities they also learned about supply chains, carbon, financing, positioning and marketing. There were networking opportunities and opportunities to review ideas with industry experts.

On Friday September 9th, there was a session titled "Sustainability and the Supply Chain," presented by Ryan Anderson. This session looked at how businesses up and down the supply chain are reducing energy use and carbon emissions and meet other sustainability performance requirements in order to save money and remain competitive.

Another session was entitled "Green Certifications: What Do They Mean, Who Needs Them?" This session was presented by Abby Corso and Doug Widener, Executive Director, U.S. Geen Building Council- Illinois Chapter. There are hundreds of environmental certifications available, and many businesses wonder which ones, if any, to adopt. What should buyers be looking for and how do they decide? When does it make sense to certify, and which certifications hold the most weight?

In a session titled "Energy Efficiency and Your Operation" presenters Kevin Dick and Meena Beyers showed how even a modest investment in energy efficiency can produce a substantial payback and found out about incentives that make it affordable for a limited time.

At the session "Talking Dollars and Sense about Sustainability," presenters Abby Corso and Jon Levey, reviews the challenges of finding the resources to invest in sustainability. This session explored the many sources of funding for sustainability initiatives, from loans, to grants, to tax incentives and other creative methods to support implementation.

On the second day of the event there was a green consumer exhibition. This included consumer workshops and demonstrations on green purchasing, energy efficiency/home weatherization, deconstruction/reuse, sustainable/ local food, alternative transportation, and more. There were also opportunities to meet with experts on the above topics.

On Saturday September 10th the session "Energy: The Next Generation" reviewed the winners and the losers in the future energy marketplace and the role of wind, solar, geothermal and other energy alternatives. Presenters:

The workshop, "From Costly to Cozy: Saving Money and Energy at Home" by presenters: Vanessa Roanhorse and Cheryl Pomeroy, reviewed tax credits and subsidies as they relate to home weatherization their homes. This session explained how weatherization can improve comfort and reduce the cost of home-ownership, and a healthier home.

The workshop "Electronics and the Waste Stream" reviewed e-waste as one of the fastest growing categories of pollution. The workshop explained how to safely dispose of electronic devices, including how they may be upgraded or refurbished for reuse or donation.

The final workshop was titled, "Real Green Careers and How to Train for Them," it was presented by Kindy Kruller and Eda Schrimple. This workshop reviewed how the green economy is generating real jobs in many different industries, including clean energy, waste and water management, green building and other emerging areas. The workshop also explored where to find the training to prepare for a green career.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved

Sustainable Supply Chain Webinar

The Apathco Group is holding a free sustainable supply chain webinar on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, between 11:00am - 12:00pm. This sustainable supply chain webinar can also help to reduce your costs.

Sustainable supply chain management is a practical approach that uses a business's buying power to encourage, stimulate and deliver improved environmental and social outcomes from suppliers and/or service providers. It is a key dimension of strategic sourcing that provides value for money to the company and the customer over a product’s lifecycle and minimizes the environmental impacts of operating in carbon-constrained markets.

This webinar will focus on demonstrating the benefits of sustainable supply chain management, including:

• Purchasing products that reduce your energy/waste/water costs
• Encouraging improvement in product design to initiate a sustainable re-design
• Minimizing the environmental impact of your products developed and services provided
• Minimizing the environmental impact of the total supply chain
• Improved channels of communication with suppliers and consumers to initiate more open discussions

Guest Speaker: Tracy Mak - Instyle Textiles

Limited spaces are available. To register, click here.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.