Lisa Longley is the Ethical and Sustainability Manger at Sambro and has been with us for 3 years. We had a catch up with Lisa to talk about all things ESG…
2023 was a big year for Sambro’s sustainable development – what have been some of the standout achievements?
“There have been a few things that have really driven our progress this year – the continued reduction of our Carbon Footprint, some great Social endeavours such as an expanded DE&I Policy and the introduction of Mental Health First Aiders, and some of the brilliant packaging re-designs we’ve implemented. We’re really trying to push the company forward in as many areas as we can regarding ESG and make it an integral part of the way we do business. A 20% reduction in Scope 1&2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions compared to 2022, and a 28% reduction compared to our baseline year of 2019 is proof that the whole company is really taking our Sustainable targets to heart. We have once again calculated our
Gender Pay Gap, despite having no legal obligation to do so, and our median average continues to be a minus figure (-3.66) showing that on average, our women are paid more highly than our men.”
We hear that you’ve had some positive results regarding the Apex Group annual audit. What are the highlights?
“Yes, we’re really proud to have moved into the ‘Excellent’ category this year! This audit evaluates us against all three pillars of ESG criteria and covers a huge range of topics such as Business Conduct, Environmental Footprint and Employee Wellbeing. The first year we undertook the audit we only scored 101 points out of 300 and were in the ‘Learner’ category – we moved into the ‘Competent’ rankings last year, but for 2023 we scored 186 which is a huge leap forward. Our key improvements are around Environmental issues – again our Carbon Footprint results have played a big part, but also our focus on reducing our waste streams and recycling more. We also saw an increase in score for ESG Governance, Tax Transparency and Responsible Marketing, highlighting how our Sustainability Strategy covers a broad range of topics.”
How do you plan to continue this progressive evolution into 2024 and beyond?
“We really are striving to make ESG integral to the way we do business. Whilst our ESG Committee features members from across the company, we are taking things further this year and have already initiated a strategy to ensure each department has their own tailor-made plan that focuses on the aspects of ESG that are relevant to them. We work closely with our customers and Licensors to ensure our ESG goals are aligned with theirs, and try to keep ahead of the curve in terms of legislation and technology that can help our ESG Agenda.”
What are your next targets for 2024?
“We aim to continue the progress we have made with our Carbon Footprint – driving down emissions and looking at further energy saving measures. We are also expanding the amount of data we collect this year, by including further aspects of Scope 3 – including Commuter Travel and Homeworking on top of Waste, Water, Business Stays and Business Travel. The more data we have, the more opportunity we have for improvement.
We are also researching alternative materials to diversify our ranges, namely cosmetics and plant-based plastic alternatives. Our Buying and Design teams are focusing on making as much of our packaging as interactive as possible – giving it a secondary use and an extra element of play. We have already done this over a variety of key products, and it has gone down really well with customers.
Additionally we are increasing the amount of cardboard packaging that comes from FSC sources, aiming for 60% of the card that we use to be FSC Certified by the end of the year. Crucially, we are also introducing a set of ‘Behaviours’ for the business to drive our ESG agenda and ensure it is at the forefront of daily activity. These include things like ensuring that all customer meetings acknowledge and demonstrate our ESG deliverables, tracking ESG engagement with customers and Licensors and costing all new lines in a more sustainable packaging option, as well as/instead of traditional packaging.”
How do you ensure you work closely with brands and partners to meet their sustainability needs?
“We have weekly meetings with our Licensors to discuss all aspects of the products we are developing with them, as well as upcoming releases and opportunities for new ranges. We always ensure that ESG topics are covered in these meetings, be that packaging initiatives, or new rules and regulations. All our Licensors, and most of our customers, have their own systems to track Ethical Compliance, and so we have to ensure that all the factories we use to make our product adhere to the ETI Base Code and are audited annually. In the interest of Supply Chain transparency, we submit these audits to our brands and partners so they have full visibility on where we produce their goods. We encourage open discussion with all our partners regarding ESG topics and are keen to work with them to help them reach their goals.”
How receptive have customers and retailers been to these sustainability initiatives?
“Really receptive! I think there has been a real push recently, not just from our partners, but from actual consumers, in wanting to see a change. People are much more aware of where their goods are made, what ingredients / materials are used and what ‘best practices’ are at play, so I think it’s really important to keep pushing forward in this field. ESG is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it is business critical. Many of our customers have their own ESG goals, regarding supply chain transparency, packaging reduction or plastic use, and are keen to work with Suppliers who have similar aims. At the end of the day managing the products we create, how they are packaged and the impact they have on the environment should be key considerations for all of us.”
What will be the big sustainability drivers in the toy industry over the next 12 months?
“To be honest, I think it will be led by legislation. We are already seeing new regulations come into play – the European Commission ban on micro plastics for example. Sambro has already made the move to biodegradable glitter to combat this, ensuring that all the glitter used in our cosmetic products will naturally decompose. We are also seeing our Licensors roll out new Sustainability guidelines – Disney have just released a Sustainability Toolkit to help suppliers meet their goals on Products, Packaging and Manufacturing. Consumers are looking for more environmentally friendly options across a broad range of products, and toys is no exception.”
Is there anything you’d like to shout about or add?
“Yes – the fab work our Buying and Design teams have done on re-engineering some of our packaging, moving away from plastic entirely and focusing solely on cardboard and the enhanced play- pattern it can offer. One of our bestselling lines, the Peppa Pig Create Your Own Character was moved out of a disposable plastic egg and into a new cardboard home, saving 12,791 KG (12.8 tonnes) of plastic a year. This new packaging has cut-out-and-keep elements, and is fully recyclable, unlike its plastic predecessor. Our collectable Bops n Tops range is now available in a biodegradable paper bag, rather than the non-recyclable foil option and our new Puzzle Pals ranges for Spongebob Squarepants, Minions and Gaby’s Dollshouse are also in cleverly engineered cardboard boxes, rather than the usual plastic tubs. We are rolling out this change to our other ranges as well. I’m really pleased with the progress we have made at Sambro and the changes we continue to make.”
