Lego Pledges Supply Chain CO2 Cuts, Joins Climate Savers - Nov. 27, 2013

Lego Group today pledged to work with its suppliers to reduce total carbon emissions as it joins the World Wildlife Federation’s Climate Savers program. - Nov. 27, 2013

If Lego reduced CO2 emissions directly related to toy production at Lego factories by a minimum of 10 percent — the target — this would remove about 10,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, the toy manufacturer says. But only 10 percent of the total CO2 emission related to Lego products originate from processes taking place at Lego factories during production.

The remaining 90 percent stem from supply chain activities such as raw material extraction and refinement, indirect procurement, distribution from Lego factories to toy stores around the world and end-of-life impact when the products are eventually scrapped.

If the company’s supply chain can reduce its CO2 emissions by 10 percent, the total emissions would be reduced by about 100,000 metric tons, says Lego’s Robbert Stecher, senior vice president, corporate affairs.

Highlights from the Climate Savers partnership agreement include:

In 2014 Lego will initiate test projects together with suppliers to co-create best solutions to address the supply chain carbon emission impact.
Lego will develop an environmental strategy for materials, which could include producing products using fewer materials, keeping the recyclability high and using renewable or recycled materials.
Lego will look into how it can best innovate its products to be more sustainable.
By the end of 2016, the energy used to manufacture 1 metric ton of Lego elements must be reduced by, minimum, 10 percent compared to 2012.
Lego has committed to produce more renewable energy than the company uses in its facilities, i.e. be 100 percent renewable by 2016.

The Climate Savers program counts more than 30 member companies, including Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Nike and Hewlett Packard. Between its 1999 launch and 2011, Climate Savers members cut their CO2 emissions by more than 100 million metric tons, WWF announced in 2012.

Source: http://www.environmentalleader.com

Nov. 27, 2013