<
https://theconversation.com/legos-esg-dilemma-why-an-abandoned-plan-to-use-recycled-plastic-bottles-is-a-wake-up-call-for-supply-chain-sustainability-214573>
"Lego, the world’s largest toy manufacturer, has built a reputation not only
for the durability of its bricks, designed to last for decades, but also for
its substantial investment in sustainability. The company has pledged US$1.4
billion to reduce carbon emissions by 2025, despite netting annual profits of
just over $2 billion in 2022.
This commitment isn’t just for show. Lego sees its core customers as children
and their parents, and sustainability is fundamentally about ensuring that
future generations inherit a planet as hospitable as the one we enjoy today.
So it was surprising when the
Financial Times reported on Sept. 25, 2023,
that Lego had pulled out of its widely publicized “Bottles to Bricks”
initiative.
This ambitious project aimed to replace traditional Lego plastic with a new
material made from recycled plastic bottles. However, when Lego assessed the
project’s environmental impact throughout its supply chain, it found that
producing bricks with the recycled plastic would require extra materials and
energy to make them durable enough. Because this conversion process would
result in higher carbon emissions, the company decided to stick with its
current fossil fuel-based materials while continuing to search for more
sustainable alternatives.
As experts in global supply chains and sustainability, we believe Lego’s pivot
is the beginning of a larger trend toward developing sustainable solutions for
entire supply chains in a circular economy. New regulations in the European
Union – and expected in California – are about to speed things up."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
