POC Sping Summer 2025

SPRING/SUMMER 2025: SUSTAINABILITY EDIT

IN THIS ISSUE:

Your guide to green Spotlighting the sustainable path forward Licensing Expo: What’s on and who’s there?

Style and substance: The fashion brands changing the outlook Packaging with purpose: POC’s guide to navigating EPR

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100% RPET

RECYCLED POLYESTER *Compared to other Smiley® products

Smiley’s Future Positive Initiative is our effort to drive change within the licensing and consumer products industry by creating products that are made with sustainability in mind. All of the Future Positive products are made with responsiblysourced materials and the whole project and brand guidelines are in line with future US & EU regulations.

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Future Positive is the only globally trademarked brand with a consistent program around creating sustainable products in every category, it is a unique message to engage with the public, and demonstrate Smiley’s support for better practice in the licensing industry.

To work with Future Positive and build your own range of sustainable products reach out to one of the team at sales@smiley.com.

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WELCOME

MOVING EVER FORWARD O

MEET THE TEAM

ver at POC we have been nonstop since our last magazine came out in the autumn – but what a fantastically crazy Kathryn Brand few months it has been Editor and Content with numerous trade shows, Manger awards, and most recently our members in-person fashion meeting at The Mills Fabrica.

And, of course, it has been pretty hectic in the wider industry and indeed the global scene, with new legislation Nicola Webster, Social Media and and amendments being Community Manager announced in some regions, and legislation and sustainable progress being reversed in others, causing some uncertainty as we traverse closer to our 2030 targets.

But the perseverance and adaptability of organisations has been palpable and invigorating Helena Mansellwith great strides being taken every day across the brand and licensing industry.

Stopher At POC, we are looking forward to showcasing a handful of these at Licensing Expo this year, CEO as part of our SDG Zone on the show floor. As this is a special Expo edition, you can find our show preview on page 37, detailing the educational offerings we’ll have for you at the show, as well as a list of all our fantastic members that will be exhibiting at this year’s Licensing Expo.

From groundbreaking innovations in the fashion space, a toy industry that is reimagining the status quo, an expert insight into legislation updates on both sides of the pond, and a glimpse into POC’s brand new Packaging Guide, this edition offers a bit of everything and will arm you as we Rob Willis Director head into the midway point of 2025, with information, connection, and hopefully a bit of inspiration.

Products Of Change Media Ltd United House, North Road, London, N7 9DP

Ian Hyder Director

For general enquiries contact: nicola@productsofchange.com For press or content enquiries please contact the editor: kathryn@productsofchange.com

Jakki Brown Director

For advertising enquiries please contact: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright© 2025. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of publication, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

Samantha Loveday Group Editor

Company Number: 12564033 ICO Registration: ZA777043

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In collaboration with Source By Net

Creators of Bedrooms, Weavers of Dreams

www.dreamtexltd.com

BLUEY TM and BLUEY character logos TM & © Ludo Studio Pty Ltd 2018.

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 06 NEWS

32 A FRUITY FORAY

The latest sustainability updates f rom across the industry and the POC Member network.

Products of Change caught up with Liz Baker and Ian Clark from Tiptree, on the company’s sustainability efforts and how this is shaping its approach to its new licensing programme.

14 BEHIND THE SEAMS The apparel and textile industry may be infamous for its environmental impact, but change is afoot, and brands and innovators are making strides – some even leaps – forward to change the outlook.

18 SHE SHAPES THE FUTURE To celebrate International Women’s Day earlier this year, we are spotlighting just a few of the incredible women in the industry, as well as the fantastic work they have been doing.

22 THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Packaging is taking the spotlight in global environmental action – and POC has your guide to navigating smart and sustainable changes in your packaging.

34 NAVIGATING THE STORM As the planet grapples with the escalating consequences of climate change, global regulatory f rameworks are rapidly evolving.

POC Advisor, Andrea Green, provides the rundown on the latest updates f rom both sides of the pond.

37 DRIVING CHANGE AT LICENSING EXPO

14

18

Products of Change continues its impactful partnership with the Global Licensing Group (GLG) to promote sustainability, cost savings, and business resilience at Licensing Expo 2025.

22

25 BEYOND THE PLAY PEN In the face of mounting plastic waste, the toy industry is getting serious about circularity. By rethinking design, recycling, and repair, the sector is piecing together a future where play doesn’t have to cost the Earth.

25

28 TURNING THE PAGE ON SUSTAINABILITY Products of Change’s lead advisor, James George, sat down with David Sprei, commercial director at Penguin Ventures to share its sustainability story and progress so far.

30

30 GENERATION GREEN The POC Young Green Leaders group has been making its debut over the last few months, with the first official meeting held at the end of February, and plenty more plans in the pipeline for this budding movement.

32

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KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST STORIES

PRIMARK LAUNCHES ADAPTIVE FASHION RANGE WITH VICTORIA JENKINS

ETHICAL SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAM NAMED AS SOCIAL PARTNER OF PRODUCTS OF CHANGE

Adaptive fashion brand, Unhidden, founded by Victoria Jenkins and part of POC’s Retail Ambassador, Damian Hopkins’ The Brand Group, has collaborated with Primark to launch a 49-piece men and women’s adaptive fashion clothing range, based on wardrobe staples and Primark’s bestsellers, all with features to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities.

The range is part of Primark’s plans to improve accessibility for customers and colleagues, from accessible products, inclusive store environments, a culture of accessibility, and diverse representation across its campaigns.

Primark’s range features magnetic zips, snap fastenings, waist loops, NaviLens signage information to support the visually impaired or non-domestic language speakers, and hidden openings for tube, stoma or catheter access.

To ensure the range was as functional in practice, Primark and Victoria Jenkins consulted members of the disabled community through focus groups.

INSET: Primark’s accessible adaptive fashion range.

ABOVE: The ESCP supports companies in strengthening their ethical standards.

The Ethical Supply Chain Program (ESCP) and Products of Change have partnered to help companies strengthen social and sustainability standards across global supply chains.

Through the partnership, members of both organisations will be able to access a range of complementary resources that cover the different aspects of social and sustainability compliance.

These tools include ESCP’s Social Impact assessments, Worker Well-Being initiatives and Factory Certification programme – all of which aim to raise labour standards. While Products of Change will offer a Maturity Index Tool that assesses sustainable practices within product development and operations.

The two organisations also support businesses with data collection and reporting to help members meet social and environmental regulations – at a national and international level.

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE NAMES ITS CHARITY PARTNER AS SEBBY’S CORNER Taking place at the ExCel Centre London from 7-9 October, Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), has elected Sebby’s Corner to be its charity partner for 2025.

Sebby’s Corner works with vulnerable families across London, offering support, donations and referrals. This can include those escaping domestic abuse, refugees, asylum seekers, and victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. Its partnership will allow BLE exhibitors to donate product samples from their stands to the charity, make financial donations, or even volunteer.

In April, the BLE team will visit Sebby’s Corner to volunteer at the centre, and, in October, the Sebby’s Corner team will attend BLE and talk to exhibitors about how they can support the charity, whether that’s through donating BLE display and sample products at the end of the show or through financial donations and/or volunteering.

Information about Sebby’s Corner and how and what to donate will be included in the BLE exhibitor manual, on the BLE website and in BLE exhibitor marketing communications.

LEFT: Sebby’s Corner supports vulnerable families across London.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

GIBSONS GAMES HAS ACHIEVED A KING’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE Gibsons Games has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.

Gibsons is one of 197 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise.

Announced today (6 May), Gibsons has been recognised for its excellence in Sustainable Development.

ABOVE: Gibsons RHS Gibsons Games is a 4th licensed collection. generation family business founded in 1919, a small team based in Surrey, committed to bringing people together with the fun and joy of puzzles and games.

“This award is an incredible honour for Gibsons. It celebrates the ongoing efforts of our team, past and present, who have shaped our sustainability model and prioritised how we can do business better. I couldn’t be prouder!” said MD Kate Gibson.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK business. The Award programme, now in its 59th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.

HEIDI FLORENCE GIVES US THE LATEST FROM B LAB FOR B CORP MONTH B Lab UK has just published a new five-year strategy with ambitious changes to its economic system.

The goal is that, within 10 years, all UK businesses act as a ‘force for good’ by default. B Lab ABOVE: POC’s own roster of B Corp members UK has recognised includes Dayrize, Gibsons, Pure Table that to get every Top, Talking Tables, and Creature & Co. business in the UK on this journey, cultural and structural levers need to be pulled that have the potential to affect system change.

B Lab UK is pushing for this through the Better Business Act. The Better Business Act would transform the way Britain does business; it’s backed by a coalition of over 2,900 businesses with a mission to change UK law to ensure every company in the UK aligns the interests of their shareholders with that of wider society and the environment. The objective is to amend section 172 of the Companies Act in line with these principles. All certified B Corp businesses have already made this change within their company articles of association.

CONTINUED INSET: POC forms partnership with the FSPA.

POC TO PROVIDE ITS SUSTAINABILITY ADVICE AND EDUCATION SERVICES TO THE FEDERATION OF SPORTS AND PLAY ASSOCIATIONS Products of Change (POC), has partnered with the Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA). The partnership will enable FSPA’s members to utilise the POC educational resources and information platform.

Nick Palmer, FSPA CEO, commented on the partnership: “We are well aware that there are many challenges that businesses are facing with the current landscape, and there is more to come that our members may not even know about. We want to make sure that they are equipped ahead of upcoming regulations.”

FSPA and POC will host regular meetings for its members throughout the year, ensuring the sports and play associations are informed and supported throughout the partnership.

FSPA is launching a Community Hub on its new website for this purpose, to bring its members together as a collaborative network. With POC, FSPA members will be able to engage with the Products of Change platform and with one another to share challenges and work together on solutions.

THE LEGO GROUP AND VAN GOGH MUSEUM UNVEIL SUNFLOWERS LEGO SET Working in close collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, The LEGO Group has produced a LEGO Art set inspired

by Vincent van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers. Both companies are POC Members.

The brick-built painting captures the iconic brushstrokes of Van Gogh’s masterpiece, painted in 1889 during his time in Arles, France.

The set features the 16 sunflowers of the painting with adjustable petals, a removable frame, a tile with Van Gogh’s signature and a hanger element for display.

ABOVE: Van Gogh’s Sunflowers LEGO set.

LEGO builders can listen to a podcast created with the Van Gogh Museum, featuring senior curator Nienke Bakker and LEGO designer Stijn Oom. The podcast touches on the collaboration between the LEGO Group and the Museum in designing the set and the story of how Vincent became known as the painter of sunflowers.

Throughout this year, fun LEGO activities will be organised in partnership with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, such as a brickbuilt LEGO installation and a virtual curated tour LEGO enthusiasts worldwide can enjoy from the comfort of their homes.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HORRIBLE HISTORIES LICENSED FOR NATIONAL TRUST’S OSTERLEY PARK

CONTINUED

Rocket Licensing, UK and Ireland licensing agent and POC member, has teamed up with the UK National Trust to bring Horrible Histories to West London’s Osterley Park and House.

With a focus on its ‘Gorgeous Georgians’ segment, the partnership with Europe’s largest conservation charity will create an interactive family-friendly trail exploring the history of the Georgian manor house and estate.

The children’s history brand, Horrible Histories, has become a much-loved BAFTA-award-winning TV series, feature film, and licensing campaign.

Licensees include Tonie story characters based on Rotten Romans, Terrible Tudors and Vicious Vikings; board games and card games from University Games; Top Trumps and Monopoly games from Winning Moves; and collectable coins from Group 288. More products are on the way this year including a new Monopoly game from Winning Moves.

The Osterley Park trail adds to the brand’s portfolio of family activity areas, such as its Roman-themed trail at The British Museum, a maze at Warwick Castle, Horrible Histories Pirates at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool, and escape rooms in Liverpool and Coventry. The spin-off book, Horrible Science, has also licensed for trails in Kew Gardens and Wakehurst.

ABOVE: Osterley Park has introduced a ‘Gorgeous Georgians’ trail.

POC CONFERENCE 2025 SET TO SHOWCASE AN INDUSTRY STRIVING FOR CHANGE The date is set for the 2025 Products of Change Conference on 5 November, where, once again, the brand and licensing industry will gather to curate and secure the sustainable future of business.

Returning to the historic and prestigious Royal Geographical Society in London, the 2025 POC Conference will feature a stellar lineup of speakers, the POC Sustainability Awards, and ample opportunities for ABOVE: The Products of Change networking among Conference returns for 2025. industry peers.

As 2025 marks a pivotal year for many sustainability targets, and a halfway point to the EU Sustainable Development Goals 2030, this year’s POC Conference is especially crucial. It will focus on tools for sustainable business, partnerships and collaborations, material innovations, circular design, legislative updates, and a showcase of the very best practice and accomplishments towards sustainable change.

Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and CEO of Products of Change, commented: “2025 is the year of opportunity. The systems and data are available, and the knowledge on why we need to change is embedded within industry. We now need to collaborate and share with one another to build the infrastructure of what a sustainable industry can and will look like.”

The POC Sustainability Awards will be a held for its third year, celebrating the outstanding achievements being made to craft impactful and long-lasting sustainable change in the brand and licensing industry.

Each year, the Products of Change Conference is supported by an exemplary line-up of companies, pledging their support and playing a part in the education and advancement of our industry on its path towards sustainability. There are supporter packages available for this year, get in touch with the POC team for more details.

POC members can also secure an additional 20% discount when logged into the platform. Keep up to date on Conference updates and speaker and agenda announcements at productsofchange.com and by subscribing to our newsletter.

Any enquiries, please email: hello@productsofchange.com.

RHS PARTNERS WITH SOPHIE ALLPORT FOR ITS 2025 LICENSED CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW COLLECTION The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has partnered with homeware designer, Sophie Allport, for its 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show licensed collection.

Each year, the RHS, which in recent months has become a Products of Change Member, hosts the Chelsea Flower Show and creates an exclusive RHS-licensed collection to commemorate the event. This year’s range has been expanded to celebrate the official partnership with Sophie Allport and includes a mug (available in standard and large sizes), a small tray, a cotton tea towel, a signed print, and a cotton tote bag.

Designer and company founder, Sophie Allport, draws from her love of English cottage gardens for the collection with florals and a vegetable patch, as well as a nod to the BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden, a first-of-its-kind dogfriendly space designed by BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don, with the playful addition of Jack Russell, Golden Retriever, and Yorkshire Terrier illustrations.

LEFT: The RHS Chelsea Flower Show collection with Sophie Allport’s designs.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

THE WORKS PARTNERS WITH BARNARDO’S FOR TOY AND STATIONERY TAKEBACK SCHEME Value stationery and book retailer – and POC Member – The Works, has launched a takeback scheme to raise money for the Barnardo’s children’s charity by recycling stationery, toys and games.

The Play It Forward scheme allows people to donate pre-loved items – and new ones if they wish – to help children in need, and the partnership starts this month following a successful trial in 2024.

The call-out is for stationery, books, games and jigsaws in good, reusable condition which can be dropped off at the designated donation bins inside 466 selected The Works stores across the UK. Barnardo’s will collect the products and resell them in its charity shops to raise funds to help young people, children, parents and carers across the UK. Any products donated not in a resalable condition will be recycled preventing items ending up in landfill and supporting The ABOVE: The Work’s takeback scheme Works’ wider commitment to raises money for Barnardo’s. reduce carbon footprint.

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM UNVEILS MARINE-INSPIRED CLOTHING COLLABORATION WITH PALAVA Palava, has launched its first ever collaboration with a collection inspired by marine life, in partnership with The Natural History Museum.

Access to the Museum‘s archive and rare books library provided inspiration, where Palava founder, designer and nature lover Bryony Richardson poured over a treasure of illustrations filled with ocean creatures. The result is a unique capsule collection of three, marine life inspired prints – ‘coastal migration’, ‘ocean jellyfish’ and ‘the coral reef’ – which will feature on Palava’s signature silhouettes.

Each season, nature inspires the Palava collections, with the prints often telling stories about the natural world and our exploration of it, making the collaboration a natural fit for both the brand and Museum.

Fascinated by discovering the archive from an almost 150-year-old Museum, Palava was inspired by drawings and illustrations dating from the 19th century. The collection pays homage to the talented illustrators and scientists whose important work has helped develop our understanding of the natural world.

INSET: Palava took inspiration from Natural History Museum archives.

CONTINUED

PETER RABBIT IS TYNESIDE BOUND IN 2026 FOR NEW SCULPTURE TRAIL

ABOVE: Penguin Ventures brings Peter Rabbit to Tyneside.

In celebration of St Oswald’s 40th and Beatrix Potter’s 160th anniversaries, POC Member, Penguin Ventures, is bringing Peter Rabbit to Tyneside, with a summer public art trail being planned for 2026.

Peter Rabbit: Tales of the Tyne will see 40 individually decorated sculptures of the character placed in streets, parks and public areas for nine weeks – from Wednesday 15 July to Monday 14 September 2026.

St Oswald’s Hospice – which is presenting the trail in partnership with Wild in Art and The World of Peter Rabbit – is now inviting groups and individuals to sponsor a sculpture. Sponsors will then be matched with an artist, who will decorate it ensuring that each sculpture is completely unique.

Peter Rabbit: Tales on the Tyne will also be supported by a region-wide learning programme for schools and children’s groups with smaller Peter Rabbit sculptures forming a second trail across the city.

The event will culminate with an autumn auction of the Peter Rabbit sculptures to raise funds for Gosforth-based St Oswald’s Hospice.

LIVERPOOL FC SHOWCASES ITS LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY WITH LATEST THE RED WAY REPORT Liverpool FC has released its latest The Red Way (TRW) report, its third annual report of this kind which marks the club’s ongoing mission to become a truly sustainable organisation.

The strategy is aligned with 16 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development ABOVE: Liverpool’s The Red Way report Goals (SDGs) and annually charts its sustainability journey. tracks the club’s longterm commitment to driving positive change through strong governance, innovation, and collective action.

Over the 2023/24 season, The Red Way was recognised with nine major sustainability awards – including Front Office Sports’ ‘Most Sustainable in Sport’ and the Sports Industry Award for Environmental Sustainability – highlighting the progress being made across every part of the club, from its operations to its retail and travel divisions.

Liverpool FC’s influence in the global sustainability conversation is growing too, with representatives attending 24 international events over the 2023/24 season, including COP28 and the UN’s Global Eradicate Hate Summit.

To see the full report, visit www.liverpoolfc.com/theredway.

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COME SEE PRODUCTS OF CHANGE AT LICENSING EXPO, BOOTH D226 CATCH UP WITH THE TEAM AND LEARN HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU ON YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY. CONTACT NICOLA@PRODUCTSOFCHANGE.COM TO BOOK IN A MEETING. SEE YOU THERE!

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INDUSTRY NEWS

CLEAN & TIDY HOME SHOW EXPANDS ITS MISSION WITH A REBRAND

ABOVE: Clean & Tidy Home Show rebrands to Home, Life & You.

CONTINUED THE POC MATURITY INDEX HAS BEGUN ITS INDUSTRY ROLL OUT

Home optimisation event, Clean & Tidy Home Show, enters a new era as it evolves into Home, Life & You Live.

Now in its fourth year, this reimagined event expands its mission to explore the deeper connection between our

The Products of Change Maturity Index has been developed to help brand owners, licensed manufacturers, and retailers gain clear insights into their own and their partners’ progress on reducing environmental impact. This innovative tool provides a structured framework for ABOVE: The POC Maturity understanding sustainability Index will capture and showcase maturity across the industry, environmental maturity data. offering much-needed clarity and transparency at a time when credible data is essential for driving meaningful change.

Funded collaboratively by the industry itself, with no cost to licensees, the Maturity Index is designed to support the licensing sector’s transition toward lower-impact practices. Early feedback has been extremely positive.

Initial test data collected from 350 licensed partners revealed that 81% already have a dedicated sustainability team, with 73% of those teams working as part of broader cross-functional initiatives.

Furthermore, 70% of respondents have set sustainability targets, though only 48% currently track their progress in a systematic way.

The Maturity Index works by assessing baseline commitments, positive actions, and measurable results, offering companies a clear picture of where they stand on their sustainability journey.

Starting in May 2025, the Index will roll out globally across all major product categories, giving us – for the first time – a comprehensive view of the global licensing industry’s maturity regarding sustainability ambitions and progress.

Products of Change (POC) will use the insights gathered to focus educational efforts on areas where data and understanding are currently low. In doing so, POC will actively support brand owners, manufacturers, and retailers in not only setting but also achieving their environmental goals, helping drive transformation across the entire industry.

homes, our lives and ourselves.

Taking place on 18–19 October 2025 at ExCel London, Home, Life & You Live promises a weekend of transformation across all areas of your life and the home.

The show will feature a line-up of keynote talks and expert panels featuring leading voices in lifestyle, design, organisation and wellness. A wide range of hands-on workshops will offer practical guidance on everything from decluttering and habitbuilding to personal styling.

The show will also feature over 100 inspiring brands, showcasing innovative products and solutions from household names to emerging startups. The event will conclude with the Clean & Tidy Awards on Sunday 19 October, celebrating standout brands, products, and changemakers in home living.

REFILLABLE PEN COMPANY CREATES UPCYCLED PLASTIC PEN LIDS

LONDON ZOO MARKS BICENTENARY WITH 1904 HISTORICAL RECREATION

ABOVE: Tom’s Studio Wren pen featurng recycled plastic cap.

Tom’s Studio, the stationery brand challenging throwaway culture, has launched The Wren Write Off, a pen crafted with lids made from upcycled plastic waste; primarily discarded pens.

Every year, an estimated nine billion disposable pens are discarded globally, contributing to plastic pollution and landfill.

After years of creating refillable pens, Tom’s Studio saw an opportunity to go further, closing the loop and giving singleuse pens a second life. Working with UK schools to collect discarded stationery, and Brothers Make, an independent design duo specialising in repurposing plastic waste, the team has transformed used pens, DVD cases, and other plastics into pen lids for the Write Off range.

The lids come in five colourways, each made from a different blend of waste plastic, ensuring every single lid is unique. Just like the original Wren, the Write Off delivers a premium writing experience while ensuring fewer pens end up in landfill.

POC Member, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), has launched a stunningly detailed recreation of London Zoo as it stood in 1904 – all within the popular wildlife simulation game, Planet Zoo. The digital project lands ahead of the conservation charity’s 200th anniversary in 2026, offering wildlife fans and digital conservationists alike a unique opportunity to explore the Zoo as it looked over a century ago.

The immersive model, now available on Steam, was crafted over three years by ZSL engagement officer, Ralph Stickley, utilising archive materials to faithfully reconstruct the Zoo’s 1904 layout, architecture, and exhibits.

The recreation showcases now-lost structures, such as the original reptile house (now Blackburn Pavilion) and the camel house, still standing today as the Zoo’s first aid post – complete with its iconic Clock Tower.

ZSL will mark its bicentenary in 2026 with a yearlong programme championing 200 years of conservation impact.

LEFT: Planet Zoo Screenshot of the giraffe house – one of the oldest zoo buildings in the world still used to house its intended residents.

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THE FUTURE OF FASHION

BEHIND

THE SEAMS The apparel and textile industry may be infamous for its environmental impact, but change is afoot, and brands and innovators are making strides – some even leaps – forward to change the outlook.

ABOVE: Nobody’s Child’s latest collection will feature DPPs across the range.

S

“ BELOW: Colorifix engineers microorganisms to dye textiles.

ometimes it feels like a monumental task and like you’re pushing water uphill,” said Julia Redman, POC’s ambassador for fashion, in a webinar we hosted recently on the global impact of the fashion industry. It is fortunate (although some would disagree) that the heavy price the environment pays for our love of clothes

is pretty well publicised and generally quite present in the mind of consumers these days.

This leads to a challenge for brands – as well as an opportunity – to differentiate themselves amidst the sea of high street to high-end labels and appeal to the consumers that are already conscious of the issue, and educate those who are not, while providing them with a solution – or at least the beginnings of one.

The fashion and apparel industry is a significant part of the brand licensing space, and therefore a big part of the Products of Change community – as well as the sector with the biggest environmental impact – making it a crucial part of the POC agenda. In addition to an ongoing Fashion webinar series online, POC hosted an exclusive fashion event at The Mills Fabrica on 29 April 2025. Bringing together brand owners, retailers, innovators and manufacturers to discuss key sustainability challenges and explore collective solutions. The event facilitated open and frank discussions on best practices, industry needs, and future strategies for embedding sustainability within the fashion supply chain.

Fashion is the second most polluting industry (after the behemoth that is the oil and gas sector), sending 92 million tons of waste to landfill each year. It is also responsible for 10% of carbon emissions and 20% of industrial water pollution. A sobering set of statistics from Optitex. But knowledge is power and identifying the problem is the first step.

STITCHING A PATH FORWARD While legislative bodies are working heads down to bring out regulations to encourage better practice, the forerunners and future-focused businesses have been making changes over

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THE FUTURE OF FASHION the last few years, affording themselves both a head start before the legislative landslide begins, and a differentiator in the market.

Take Nobody’s Child, for example: founded in 2015 by Andrew Xeni, it is a thriving women’s fashion brand that’s purpose is to create ethical clothing at an affordable price point. “I wanted to lead the charge,” said Andrew, which he very much did, hand-in-hand with his other company, Fabacus, a global technology business working within the licensing and retail industries.

“When I started Fabacus the primary objective was to build a platform helping brands and retailers achieve full visibility and control of their supply chain. Very early on this journey, I discovered the licensing industry had a challenge that wasn’t being addressed, whereby licensors are too disconnected from the value chains of their licensed products. I’m passionate about solving problems, so we set off to fix this problem, building the technology and service,” explained Andrew.

The data technology Fabacus developed would lend itself to a (then) new piece of legislation being proposed involving Digital Products Passports (DPPs). The DPP is part of the EU Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) which has set out a phased introduction of the passports, category by category based on priority, beginning with textiles, furniture, steel, aluminium, tyres and key electronics.

Andrew’s role with Nobody’s Child meant that they could debut this very new bit of technology into retail, way ahead of the curve.

“At the same time, we had started to develop the new product range for the Fearne Cotton collection, and it felt like the perfect opportunity with the perfect ambassador, to really drive this initiative. I then gave my teams in both businesses a little under six months to deliver it.

This was a particularly proud moment where two of my companies collaborated to deliver something I believe will really have a positive impact,” said Andrew.

Since debuting in January 2023, Nobody’s Child is now on its fifth generation of passport, with all of Nobody’s Child’s products going into production ready for autumn/ winter 2025, sporting a DPP, and Fabacus working with numerous other companies to develop their DPPs. “Without doubt the implementation of digital product passports has given the brand a lovely halo effect,” said Andrew about Nobody’s Child, “The consumer feedback has been amazing and we can already see that the authenticity and honesty the digital product passports demonstrate have delivered a return on investment through customer loyalty and engagement.”

While Fabacus and Nobody’s Child may have been among the first, other companies are now taking up the mantle of the DPP. Apparel and lifestyle products licensee, Difuzed has been rolling out the DPP across its product ranges, opening up transparency in its supply chain. Eelco Olivier Boelstra, director of sourcing, buying and logistics at Difuzed, explained that there is no detailed regulation yet on what the DPP will actually

require, however Difuzed is looking to include product materials and composition, where it was produced, and the impact of the product.

TRANSFORMING TRANSPARENCY Giving your customers and end-consumers visibility of your supply chain and entire product footprint has to come with a level of accountability. It will be easy to see if a company is not playing its part to reduce its impact and customers may look elsewhere.

Therefore, the DPP encourages better practice and for companies to level-up in preparation. This often comes in the form of circularity – efforts to close the loop on our textile and fashion workstream, generally through a combination of using recycled or recyclable materials in manufacturing, and then ensuring they have an end-of-life solution, whether that be through recycling, repairing, or rehoming.

This is an ideal Primark has been working on for several years now. Currently 66% of Primark’s clothing units sold contain recycled or more sustainably sourced materials, with a goal of 100% by 2030, and all clothes to be recyclable by design by 2027. For this, it has been working closely with WRAP, the Textile Exchange, and CottonConnect as part of its Cotton Project.

Not only has Primark been looking at the beginnings and ends of its product lifecycle, but also the bit in-between – in other words, the time for which the consumer owns and is wearing the garments.

Primark has developed a Durability Framework to assess the lifespan of its clothing and make improvements where needed to the design, materials, or manufacturing.

But when a garment does come to the end of its wearable life, Primark has been working with textile recycling projects, with the help of its recycling partner, Yellow Octopus Circular Solutions. And for the clothing that the owner just doesn’t want or need anymore, Primark is making pre-loved clothing more accessible in partnership with WornWell, setting up concessions in a select number of its stores.

ABOVE: POC’s members fashion meeting at The Mills Fabrica.

LEFT: Modern Synthesis has been used

by Ganni to create a handbag.

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THE FUTURE OF FASHION CIRCLING DESIGN Circularity is also now woven into the business model at Nobody’s Child. “Nobody’s Child aligns circular design with circular business models by using mono-materials, recycled/deadstock inputs, and designing for disassembly. In FY24, 51.4% of our clothing was mono-material and we launched the Jeancode Blueprint denim capsule collection, featuring removable hardware and over 75% recycled cotton,” explained Andrew.

The brand is a signatory of Textiles 2030 to shape industry progress is working with the Ellen MacArthur foundation on building a circular economy.

Like Primark, Nobody’s Child is paying close attention to end-oflife solutions; “Repair, rental, and resale are core to our strategy to extend garment life,” explained Andrew. Nobody’s Child now has a number of initiatives on the go. Its rental programme began back in 2021, working with Hirestreet, Zoa, and HURR, through which its garments have spent 5,909 days in rental. And partnering with SOJO, Nobody’s Child offers door-to-door repairs and alternations, and launched a take-back trial with Reskinned earlier this year, offering customers up to £30 off for returns; over 200 pieces have been collected for resale/recycling via its eBay store to date.

THE FUTURE IS NOW As these major brands demonstrate, there are initiatives, projects and innovations out there that are laying the groundwork and sculpting the future of the fashion and apparel industry.

Partnering with them enables their introduction into the mainstream and for the much-needed scaling of new solutions. The Mills Fabrica does just that, as a global innovation platform to accelerate start-ups in textile and food sectors with a focus on environmental and social impact.

Products of Change was delighted to be hosted by The Mills Fabrica in London for our exclusive POC fashion meeting, in a fitting location surrounded by so much groundbreaking innovation. Not only does The Mills Fabrica invest in start-ups, but it opens its doors as a collaborative space for co-working, creating a community of like-minded organisations, as well as showcasing the cutting-edge innovations being created at Fabrica X, to inspire, educate and inform the public and the industry.

Some of the innovators that are working with The Mills Fabrica are Colorifix, Modern Synthetics, and Nanoloom, each shaping the future with their technologies.

Colorifix is engineering biologically occurring colours in microorganisms to make, deposit and

fix colours onto surfaces, such as textiles. With the global textile dyeing industry using more than five trillion litres of water per year, and over 70 different toxic chemicals, Colorifix aims to reduce this and improve the water quality and livelihoods of people in polluted textile dyeing regions.

Meanwhile, Nanoloom is bringing a new material to the textile industry: graphene, a strong, versatile and lightweight material which can replace traditional synthetic materials, such as elastane. Non-toxic and chemically recyclable, graphene can be blended with other materials into existing production lines for a more sustainable and durable alternative.

Also driving the material innovation space forward is Modern Synthesis, a material science company transforming nanocellulose – a natural byproduct of fermentation – into a new class of responsible textiles and coatings.

Designed for application in the fashion industry and beyond, its bio-based products not only displace animal leathers and plastic-based textiles but also generate novel textile possibilities for designers.

The fashion industry is one of the most pressing environmental burdens, and it is still having vast impacts on communities and eco-systems globally; there is no underestimating the scale of the issue, however there are solutions out there. Brands and retailers are beginning to take action, legal regulations will bring the rest up to speed, and incredible minds are presenting innovations, each of which are steps towards the goal of a more sustainable fashion industry.

“It’s like we have all the ingredients, but we need everyone in the supply chain, everyone in the industry, to come together, and figure out the best way to work together and collaborate,” said Amy Tsang, head of Europe at The Mills Fabrica. Collaboration is the drum we keep banging at Products of Change, but it is the answer and the purpose of our organisation: to bring whole value chains together, putting aside competition, and working towards a planet that we can safeguard for many more generations to come. ■

LEFT: Nobody’s Child is now on its fifth generation of passport.

BELOW: Modern Synthesis creates textiles from nanocellulose.

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WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY

SHE SHAPES THE FUTURE

U

N Women states that at the current pace of progress, a girl born today will be almost 40 before as many women hold seats in parliaments as men, while UN Environment finds that women are disproportionately impacted by climate change, reporting that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women.

Meanwhile, the lending arm of the European Union, the European

The world today often feels like it is moving backwards (or at best, stagnating) towards gender equality. While major corporations, and indeed certain global powers, backtrack on diversity and inclusivity policies, marking, celebrating, and truly understanding the need for International Women’s Day (8 March) is more important than ever.

Investment Bank, writes in an article

by Barbara Balke and Thomas Östros, that “The best way to meet climate goals – and boost profits – is to put women in charge.” Its report found that women-led firms have higher environmental, social, and governance scores than other companies, and that businesses with greater representation of women in leadership positions have better track records of adopting environmentally friendly practices.

Caroline Petit, deputy director, United Nations Regional Information Center for Western Europe (UNRIC) “I am proud to work for the United Nations, where we are committed to marching forward on women’s rights and gender equality. While progress has been made, it has been fragile and uneven. With just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we need all hands-on deck.

We can change mindsets and habits.

Each one of us can contribute to building a future of rights, equality and empowerment, for ALL women and girls. The entertainment industry demonstrates how creative and empowered women can lead the way.”

Women are inextricably linked with sustainability, whether it is because they are being impacted due to a lack of it or playing a crucial role in spearheading a sustainable future for generations to come.

At Products of Change, we are privileged to know and work alongside a great many of such women, so to celebrate International Women’s Day earlier this year, we are spotlighting just a few of them, as well as the fantastic work they have been doing.

Harini Manivannan, managing consultant, environmental impact accounting, South Pole As a managing consultant at South Pole, Harini helps businesses measure their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, set ambitious climate targets, and turn sustainability commitments into real impact. Sustainability isn’t just about risk management, it’s about unlocking future opportunities, says Harini. Companies that embed sustainability at their core won’t just outperform their competitors, they’ll shape the future of business and the world we want to live in. Harini sees sustainability not just as an ethical imperative but as a driver of innovation, resilience, and long-term success.

“Sustainability is the key to long-term business success. The companies that lead tomorrow won’t be those that treat it as a checkbox, but those that weave it into their DNA – driving innovation, resilience, and lasting impact. My hope is that one day, sustainability won’t be just a department – it will be how business is done.”

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WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY

Brenda Seto, POC Ambassador for Canada and North America

“Working in this industry to help drive sustainability is both a professional commitment and a personal mission, inspired by my upbringing in an immigrant family with a deep respect for the earth, providing a better life for future generations. As the Ambassador for Products of Change in Canada & North America, I am dedicated to integrating sustainability and DEI strategies into projects, believing these are vital for positive global and local impact. As a woman in the industry, it allows me to lead and inspire others to make a difference no matter how big or small to foster lasting change and economic well-being. Empowering businesses and individuals for a sustainable impact is not just my role – it’s my passion.”

Nicola Torode, head of operational compliance and sustainability, DK Books

Nicola has been spearheading DK’s sustainability journey, as it measures and reduces its carbon impact, setting a climate neutral target.

“A focus right now is on supporting and educating our colleagues around sustainability and the actions they can take. We’re promoting the notion of collective responsibility as we recognise that the creation of sustainable products and ability to reach our climate neutral target is not something that one person, one team or one department can achieve alone.

“We want to embed sustainable design at the heart of all we do and are developing some really interesting internal training and tools to support our colleagues on this journey.”

Jo Seddon, design manager, Dunlem “Switching materials to more responsibly sourced ones will only take us so far on our path to zero.

We need creative thinking and collaboration to take us further. It’s so inspiring to connect with people who are driving innovation in circularity and material science within this industry.

“Following an established career designing products for the home, I am now using my creativity in a different role. My focus areas are Homes of the Future as we adapt to climate change, driving engagement on designing for circularity and collaborating on new technologies in manufacturing which can lower our impact.”

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We specialise in simplifying sustainability and guiding you on your journey.

As a purpose-driven global organisation, we are dedicated to fostering sustainable change across the brand and licensing industry.

Join us and collaborate in building a better future. www.productsofchange.com

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WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY

Katy Newnham, founder and director of Wastebuster

Katy founded the educational platform, Wastebuster, to equip and inspire children with resources and an active and positive mindset towards creating a more sustainable future. The resources on Wastebuster are used in schools across the UK, in assemblies, lesson plans, and team activities, using film and storytelling to bring the subject to life.

Ten years since its founding, Wastebusters has grown into a thriving not-for-profit, providing free environmental education resources to over 27,000 schools and leading impactful programmes.

Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and CEO of POC, says: “Katy’s energy, passion, and sheer determination are nothing short of phenomenal.

Now, more than ever, we need businesses to support her work and help build a future we can all be proud of.”

Jade Snart, senior manager, non-food sustainability, compliance and packaging, ASDA “I am deeply passionate about the role I play, not only within our company but also within the wider sustainability community. Being a part of this network has expanded my understanding of the immense climate crisis we face. It also provides me with the opportunity to collaborate with likeminded individuals, industry experts, and work more closely with our customers, colleagues, and supply base. It truly is an honour to be an active member of this community within our industry.”

And just to end with the UN Women’s theme for this year: “For ALL women and girls: Rights.

Equality. Empowerment.”

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PACKAGING FOCUS

Packaging is taking the spotlight in global environmental action – and POC has your guide to lead the way.

THINKING OUTSIDE ABOVE: EPR schemes are broadening their focus from recycling to repair and reuse.

W

THE BOX

ith packaging using 50% of all paper and 40% of all plastics produced globally, it’s not just a waste issue – it’s a climate issue. In fact, packaging alone could take up 19% of the global carbon budget, contributing to between 36% and 50% of municipal solid waste worldwide.

Which is why Products of Change (POC) teamed up with its incredible community of members to launch a brand-new Packaging Guide, available free to all POC members via the Resources page on the POC website. This industry-agnostic guide brings together the best thinking, data, and tools in one easy-to-use resource, designed to help businesses of all sizes rethink their packaging strategies through a sustainability lens.

Crafted with input from industry leaders including The LEGO Group, Magic Light, Tesco, and the POC Advisor community, the new guide offers practical insights to help you: ■ Understand the environmental impact of your packaging choices; ■ Align with the POC Industry Framework for sustainable transformation; ■ Explore real-world alternatives and emerging materials; ■ Drive better packaging design – without the guesswork.

We know there’s no one-size-fitsall solution

when it comes to packaging, which is why our packaging guide focuses on empowering you to make informed, balanced decisions, considering both environmental and economic outcomes.

“Here’s the good news: sustainable packaging isn’t just better for the planet, it makes business sense too. Economic benefits will naturally follow as we reduce waste, innovate across supply chains, and meet growing consumer demand for responsible products,” said Helena MansellStopher, founder and CEO of Products of Change.

BUSINESS CASE FORWARD For those who attended the very popular webinar POC hosted earlier this year as part of its packaging working group series, led by Christian Lanckman, LEGO’s sustainable packaging manager, this will be a familiar message. Christian and his team put together a packaging optimisation programme for LEGO’s supply chain partners, with the objective to have more sustainable packaging by reducing material use, and by doing so have the opportunity to generate large financial savings.

“What we do is that we share concrete examples and proven results with our partners to help them see the tangible benefits of optimising the packaging. This approach not only reinforces our partnership, but also gives our partners all the cards to achieve significant improvements in cost efficiency and sustainability,” explained Christian.

Examples of packaging optimisation strategies that have seen significant results, Christian listed: material improvement, light weighting, rightsizing, cube optimisation, and harmonisation

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PACKAGING FOCUS of the packaging portfolio. “Each of these strategies not only reduce packaging cost, but they also generate savings in procurement, lower extended producer responsibility (EPR) taxes, and enhance logistic efficiency,” Christian said.

LEGISLATING CHANGE EPR is one part of a wave of legislation that is heading towards the industry as part of the EU Green Deal, and similar (but differing) sets of policies in the UK. “There are some nuances, some differences, and some quite dramatic differences in certain areas, but the general idea is about extended producer responsibility,” explained Mike Swain, POC’s packaging advisor and ambassador, about the EU and UK approaches to EPR. The legislation is moving away from encouraging organisations to be more responsible for their recycling to a restructure of the narrative to instead focus on repair and reuse, in the most recent updates earlier this year, particularly in the EU. Now, what is leading the charge and receiving the most focus in EPR is packaging. “The UK is focusing a lot on packaging, to get it [legislation] working

and get the idea formulated, understand and experience it, so they can roll it out to other products, like white goods and electronics,” said Mike.

The scheme administrator for the UK was appointed in January this year as Pack UK, a non-profit that will control the fees that are paid into the government for producers making and putting packaging into the market. It will pay local authorities and collection mechanisms within the UK to collect the packaging material back. It is focused on recyclability, but there are also now mechanisms in it to develop reusability and reclaim-ability.

THE PACK SHIFT So how is this translating to real companies and their very real packaging? POC caught up with Jamie Dunn, vice president of packaging and e-commerce creative at Mattel.

“Mattel has consistently prioritised packaging development as part of our total product offering, because packaging is the consumer’s first touchpoint in both the purchase and play experience of a toy,” said Jamie.

Over the past five years, Mattel has made some noteworthy advancements in its packaging: in 2022, it substituted the plastic blister in the packaging of its Matchbox Moving Parts line with a moulded pulp tray, and for many of its lower priced doll SKUs Mattel has transitioned to open paper structures, rather than plastic blister card insertions, as well as reassessing its packaging sizes for what is right for the consumer and retail, leading to overall cube size reduction in many cases.

But with a brand as iconic, beloved, and enduring as Mattel, this presents its own unique set of challenges, and that’s the consumer nostalgia factor: “Many people hold on to their favourite childhood memory of opening the biggest box under the tree, or that collectable figure kept mint in a plastic bubble. Our designers have their work cut out for them as they aim to create packaging that delivers that nostalgic experience while integrating modern packaging formats,” explained Jamie.

“Our designers have only a moment to capture shopper’s attention in the visual chaos of the toy aisle, so every design choice must be intentional.

Sometimes that means letting the toy shine with less packaging, other times it means making the packaging part of the play experience with a view to extending its useful life. Mattel designers aim to make packaging decisions that allow our consumers to benefit from packaging options that are more sustainable without sacrificing any of the fun.”

And this reflects the feedback Mattel has received from customers and its internal research; shoppers value more sustainable packaging options but aren’t willing to sacrifice the fun or play value that packaging provides. “By giving our fans the option to buy certain products that are packaged in a more sustainable manner, while still being engaging for a child or desirable for a collector, Mattel hopes to shift this consumer mindset,” added Jamie.

There are a lot of moving parts to consider when evaluating packaging, whether it be for the manufacturer, retailer, or licensor, “Packaging is seen as probably an easy start point,” said Mike, “but effectively it’s a very complex start point,” however, with EPR legislation, momentum must continue.

And bright minds are coming together to solve the challenges and provide solutions and an opportunity to rethink the norm.

Products of Change is continuing to host its packaging working group webinars regularly, which provide expert insights on up-to-date issues related to this topic, and, with our new Packaging Guide, we hope to continue to support the industry on its packaging optimisation journey. ■

LEFT: Mattel’s Matchbox Moving Parts line now includes a moulded pulp tray.

LEFT: The focus of EPR legislation has begun with packaging.

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POC Advisors a Helping Hand.

Navigating the sustainability agenda can be daunting, but it’s essential. Our goal is to assist you in doing what’s right while unlocking future economic opportunities and partnerships.

POC Advisors are here to turn your ambitions into actionable steps, leveraging our industry expertise across the consumer goods and sustainability industry. Whether crafting a sustainability strategy, implementing supply chain transformations, or providing guidance and support, we’re with you every step of the way.

Our Services Sustainability Strategy: Develop and implement a tailored sustainability plan with confidence, engaging stakeholders and partners.

Policy & Reporting: Craft datadriven narratives for industry awareness and compliance with reporting frameworks.

Emission Reduction & Net Zero: Analyse your value chain to reduce carbon emissions and progress toward Net Zero.

Capacity Building: Strengthen organizational resilience and understanding to implement sustainability improvements effectively.

Communications: Share your sustainability journey effectively with clear messaging and accessible language.

Packaging & Material Innovation: Explore practical solutions for sustainable packaging and material choices tailored to your needs.

B Corp: Our programs guide you through becoming a B Corp, enhancing your social and environmental impact.

Got questions or challenges?

We’re dedicated to transforming the brand and licensing industry to meet evolvingeconomic, social, and environmental demands.

Reach out to get in touch.

Email: advisors@productsofchange.com or visit www.productsofchange.com

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TOY CIRCULARITY

BEYOND THE TOY BOX

Can a toy live more than one life? In the face of mounting plastic waste, the toy industry is getting serious about circularity. By rethinking design, recycling, and repair, the sector is piecing together a future where play doesn’t have to cost the Earth.

C

ircularity is a term that is batted around rather a lot in the sustainability sphere and represents something of an ultimate utopia where our whole value chain as we know it, from manufacture to consumer to end-of-life is reimagined into an entirely different model.

As seismic and futuristic as that sounds, the reality is that it is a step-by-step process, a lot of which boils down to thinking about, designing, and providing for the end-of-life of a product. Because when a toy reaches its end-of-life, there needs to be an option available, beside a one-way trip to a landfill.

Epitomising this way of thinking, is of course the Wastebuster Recycle to Read programme. Developed in partnership with Products of Change, the programme educates consumers about toy recycling and creates a new infrastructure for recycling plastic toys, allowing consumers to collect points to win and donate books to local nurseries and primary schools.

The Recycle to Read initiative aims to establish a circular solution for toys that have reached the end of their useful life or toys and that are not fit for donation, with the objective of reducing the number of toys sent to landfill or incineration.

Supported by POC Members, Tesco and Mattel, among others, the programme looks to open the avenue for hard plastic toy recycling in the UK – something for which the infrastructure is currently sorely lacking – and by doing so

undertake essential research into toy circularity.

Mattel’s own PlayBack toy takeback programme lent itself perfectly to the support of the Recycle 2 Read initiative, Mignon Senuta, senior director, global sustainability and social impact at Mattel, explained: “Mattel is happy to be the ambassador sponsor of Wastebuster’s Recycle to Read programme this year.

Working with the Wastebuster campaign was a natural fit, as the programme is designed to help reduce waste, while shaping and educating the next generation through play on sustainability and product stewardship.”

COMPLETING THE LOOP As Recycle to Read works to collect plastic toys for recycling, the Ethical Supply Chain Program (ESCP) is taking up this mantle and helping to close the loop so that recycled plastic can be readily made back into toys. Material usage for toys is strictly controlled for health and safety reasons; they must be able to stand up to gnawing toddler mouths and prolonged contact with children.

Alongside Mattel, the LEGO Group, Crayola, and Target, the ESCP is developing a standardised process, known as the Recycled Materials Chemical Safety Assessment (RCSA).

ABOVE: Gibsons has been working hard to eliminate plastic from its games and puzzles.

LEFT: The Recycle to Read programme collects hard plastic toys for recycling.

LEFT: ESCP is exploring safety assessments for using recycled plastic in toys.

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TOY CIRCULARITY “A standardised approach will have many benefits; it will enable data aggregation, promote sharing and learning across organisations, and achieve efficiencies in costs and resources. It is also hoped that this approach will increase the volume of recycled products available to consumers,” commented Carmel Giblin, ESCP president and CEO. Working Group members for the RSCA have identified over 400 substances and associated testing requirements, as well as the essential information to be collected from material suppliers to ascertain the appropriate testing of specific materials, considering factors such as application and location of use. This will be stored in the RCSA data platform that is being developed.

As the project progresses, ESCP has begun reaching out to testing laboratories and recycling suppliers to gather their input, as engaging all parts of the supply chain is crucial. Concurrently, the development of the RCSA data platform is underway.

A MATERIAL WORLD Material usage in particular, is gaining special attention with legislation such as the eco-design for sustainable products regulation (ESCP) coming into fruition, with recycled materials being a preferred option to virgin, especially when it comes to plastic.

Mattel has been looking at how it can bring recycled plastic into the very narrative of its products with its Barbie Loves the Ocean doll, containing recycled ocean-bound plastic. Befit with plastic-free packaging, the doll is characterised as a beachgoing sea-lover that is doing her bit to protect the ocean by being made of plastic that could otherwise have polluted it. Barbie represents an ideal, and it is hoped that a Barbie that is mindful of her environmental impact, could inspire children to feel the same way.

Also innovating with more sustainable materials in the toy space is Moose. The Australia-based toy company has successfully developed and implemented mineral and plantbased alternatives to microplastic glitter that is found in so many children’s toys, explained Greg Simmons, director of sustainable product development at Moose Toys.

The company is also focused on launching recycled material plush toys, using recycled polyester for both the outer and the filling.

“We’ll be able to start to offer products that are from recycled materials, but then also giving consumers the advice of saying, ‘Hey, this is a plush item, it’s made of polyester – when you finish with it, if you don’t want to give it to anybody, you should really think about trying to recycle it through textile recycling streams as well’,” said Greg.

But what happens if the recycling stream for polyester plush isn’t available in a particular consumer’s region? What if we didn’t make them out of plastic altogether? This is a question biomaterials startup, BioFluff, has been exploring.

“We have created the world’s first plantbased alternative to fur, shearling, and plush. We

use flax, nettle and hemp which we source in Europe, and then produce our materials entirely in Italy,” revealed Roni Gamzon, co-founder and CCO of BioFluff when she brought her innovation to the POC Conference in 2024.

BioFluff does not use any harmful chemicals, is bio-degradable, recyclable, and is already being produced at scale at over 15,000 metres a week.

“Based on our preliminary ACA, our products produce up to 95% less GHG emissions than animal fur and 75% less than plastic faux fur,” said Roni.

Products of Change has been working closely with BioFluff over the last few months to bring this innovation into the industry via our network, through a series of working groups to enable widespread adoption.

ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE Also steering away from plastic is B Corp puzzles and games company, Gibsons. “You can’t look to the future without considering sustainability as a business,” said Megan Bradley, brand marketing manager at Gibsons.

Known for its jigsaws and family games, Gibsons has also made the notable shift (especially for puzzle afficionados) to paper bags for its jigsaw pieces, which themselves are made from FSC recycled cardboard and can be recycled – however this is not how Gibsons is encouraging its customers to dispose of its jigsaws, instead telling them to pass them on. By supporting jigsaw puzzle festivals, the For the Love of Puzzles UK Facebook group, and community board game groups and libraries, Gibsons ensures each jigsaw gets loved over and over again.

Extending the life span of a toy or game as long as possible is always the most sustainable option, whether that means rehoming, as with Gibsons jigsaws, or with Moose’s Circonomy toy takeback – which saw over 98% of the 8,000 toys collected saved and given to refugee families and those escaping domestic violence.

But toys do get broken and damaged before they are ready to be parted with; there is growing pressure towards the Right to Repair movement, where manufacturers should be giving consumers the ability and opportunity to repair their products rather than sending them straight to landfill. A brand that has executed this and even implemented it as part of its storytelling is Mattel, with its American Girl Doll Care Center, which aims to provide care and offer repairs for certain American Girl dolls, keeping them in play by loving owners for longer.

While it may go against commercial instincts where selling more is the priority, it represents a return to practices in decades gone by where people bought less often, and kept things for much longer, repairing when needed – a practice that lends itself to the modern-day pursuit of a circular economy, an essential transition to safeguard the toy industry and the planet, for the generations that still love to play. ■

ABOVE: Moose’s Circonomy toy takeback scheme.

LEFT: Barbie Loves the Ocean doll.

LEFT: Collection points for the Recyle to Read programme can be found in certain Tesco stores.

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ADVISOR INSIGHTS

TURNING THE PAGE ON SUSTAINABILITY

ABOVE: David Sprei (left), commercial director at Penguin Ventures, and James George (right), POC advisor.

W

hen we spoke with David, one thing was clear: this isn’t a story about ticking boxes or polishing a halo. It’s about something far messier – and far more interesting: it’s about starting.

Because let’s be honest – no one’s cracked it yet. Not Penguin, not the industry, not any of us. There’s no glossy playbook for building a more sustainable future; there’s just a determination to take the first, slightly clumsy steps and learn as we go.

At Penguin Ventures, that beginning has been ref reshingly honest: acknowledging that noise is everywhere, that perfection is nowhere, and that asking better questions – of themselves and their partners – is where real progress starts. It’s not about virtue signalling or throwing around buzzwords. It’s about taking responsibility, quietly and consistently, in a world that’s already moving fast.

RIGHT: James caught up with David on Penguin Venture’s sustainability journey so far.

Products of Change’s lead advisor, James George, has been working closely with the team at Penguin Ventures on their sustainability strategy. James sat down with David Sprei, commercial director at Penguin Ventures to share their story and their progress so far.

David, hello! Good to see you again, so an easy one to start with... Starting out on your sustainability journey, what sparked the initial push for Penguin Ventures to embrace environmental responsibility?

“Inspired by the progress that has been made in the publishing side of our business, we decided we also needed to be part of the changing world, and to be accountable for our impact. There’s been so much noise in the industry, and it was time to make a start.

That’s the easiest part, because this is a journey with no initial map. There is no end in our journey.”

What are some early steps you’ve taken to integrate sustainability into your business practices, and what challenges have you encountered along the way?

“Our initial focus has been understanding what our licensees are already doing in this space. To understand this, we need to ensure we’re asking the right questions and collecting consistent and useful data to see what’s being done, what we need to do, and how to achieve this.

We have identified some quick wins which we could implement immediately. For example, we had already begun exploring ways to reduce our footprint even before formally starting this journey.

During lockdown, we reduced the number of physical samples required during the product development process. This not only streamlined

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ADVISOR INSIGHTS our operations but had a ripple effect: less product being made, sent, stored, and ultimately, less waste.

We’ve also made some progress with packaging requirements, although we know there’s more work to be done here.

We’re also speaking to our publishing counterparts within the Penguin Random House family and seeing where their learnings and resources can support us.

That said, challenges remain – time and resource, technological solutions, internal alignment, and building knowledge which all take continuous effort.

Licensee engagement is also a key area, as we need their buy-in to move forward meaningfully.”

How are you measuring the impact of these early sustainability efforts, and what progress have you seen so far?

“We’re not formally measuring the impact in a quantifiable way – but we’re working towards building a model that allows us to do just that. Our current focus is on defining a clear vision: where do we want to get to, what’s our ‘North Star’, and what are the steps needed to get there.

We’re exploring structured approaches across shorter and longer-term frameworks, and as part of this we know we need a robust plan and timeline.

Accountability is also critical – without this, these efforts can easily slip down the priority list, despite their long-term importance.”

Sustainability often involves overcoming hurdles.

What has been the biggest challenge in these initial stages, and how have you addressed it?

“The biggest challenge so far has been knowledge – knowing what we need to do, how to do it, and where to start. Sustainability isn’t just about one thing: it’s multifaceted. It touches every part of the business, and that means we need to plan extensively, and to engage and bring our team on this journey together.

We want to ensure we equip our team to talk about sustainability with confidence, within the industry and the wider world.”

How do you envision balancing commercial success with sustainability goals at this stage of your journey?

“While growth is our strategic focus, balancing commercial success is a very real concern. I do believe that sustainability and commercial success can – and should – coexist. This is a moment of critical transformation across our industry, and while it takes time and investment, I expect it to become second nature in future business practice.

Embedding sustainable thinking into day-to-day activities will be key.”

Are there any innovative sustainable practices or partnerships you’re exploring right now that you’re particularly excited about?

“We’re working with some really exciting partners who have sustainability at their core, such as Crafty Kit Co, The Makerss, Fairy Tong, Nappy Den, Pure Lakes, NotJust, Dreamtex, and Blues. These partnerships are helping us think differently and challenge our assumptions. It’s energising to work with people who are as committed to sustainability as we are.”

What have you learned so far that might surprise others embarking on a similar journey in the publishing and licensing world?

“One surprising lesson is that you’re probably already doing more than you realise. While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything that needs fixing, you might find that you’ve already taken steps in the right direction. That said, with ever-evolving legislation and shifting consumer and retail expectations, it’s vital to remain adaptable and open to change. It’s also really important to share our experiences and knowledge – many of our partners have already made amazing progress in this space, and we’re excited to learn from them and others in the industry. Products of Change is a brilliant way to bring people together on this journey.”

Sustainability is often about small steps making a big impact. Can you share an example of an early initiative that you believe will have a significant effect?

“Reducing the physical sample stage during product development, and cutting down the number of contractual samples, has already made a meaningful difference across multiple points in the supply chain. It’s a great example of how a seemingly small operational tweak can reduce waste, save costs, and improve efficiency.”

Reflecting on your sustainability adventure so far, what’s one piece of advice you would give to other companies just starting out on their own path?

“Set yourselves up for success from the start: be clear on roles and decision-makers and create a clear structure. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or what success looks like to evolve – and connect with Products of Change and speak to their advisors. Noone has all the answers, and we’re learning as we go – we’re all in this together.

As part of this journey, we’d welcome the opportunity to become part of a working group where we can share learnings and work together to drive sustainability and change in the industry and would love to hear from other brand owners and licensors in this space.”

Penguin Ventures’ sustainability story isn’t a finished novel – it’s a work in progress, but if the early pages are anything to go by, the chapters ahead will be bolder still. As regulations tighten, consumer expectations shift, and new innovations emerge, the opportunity to lead – rather than follow – will grow.

At POC Advisory, we’re proud to be part of this unfolding journey – not as critics, but as co-authors.

We’ll continue challenging, supporting, and shaping the narrative alongside Penguin Ventures, helping to turn early ambition into lasting impact ■ LEFT: The Penguin Ventures team at BLE 2024.

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POC YOUNG GREEN LEADERS

The POC Young Green Leaders group has been making its debut over the last few months, with the first official meeting held at the end of February, and plenty more plans in the pipeline for this budding movement.

ABOVE: Some of the Young Green Leaders who attended the Products of Change Conference 2024.

RIGHT: Katie Moran, licensing assistant, Tottenham Hotspur.

GREEN

T

he Young Green Leaders concept found its roots at the Products of Change Conference 2024, when POC offered five young sustainability professionals complimentary tickets to the Conference, with the objective of ensuring young, as well as the more seasoned, professionals were around the table when it came to conversations affecting the shared future of our industry.

The purpose of the group is to drive connection, education, and motivation, by connecting likeminded young professionals and supporting them to drive sustainability within their career. Whether this be through educational workshops, expert guest speakers, shared ideas and collaboration, or networking.

The first meeting was held virtually on 27 February 2025, where over 25 young professionals gathered, all with a keen interest in sustainability, and all representing every area and category of the diverse industry that is brand, licensing, and product, from LEGO, Mattel and Moose, to Paramount, Bravado and the Natural History Museum.

A study by the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at Cardiff University and the University of Bath, found that, while there was a more balanced knowledge and awareness of climate change across the generations in the UK, it is the younger demographics (Millennial and Gen Z) that worry more about climate change and have the strongest emotional engagement with the issue.

Lead author of the study, Professor Wouter Poortinga of Cardiff University, said: “While there is widespread awareness of climate change across all generations, younger generations feel much more threatened by it and have stronger emotional reactions. That is not completely surprising, given that younger generations will feel the brunt of the impacts of climate change, more so than older generations.”

Some young professionals that are part of this POC led group may be in the sustainability team at their company, already championing this narrative in their role, however others may have other titles, but care about it no less, and want to explore ways

they can advocate for sustainable action within their roles and their companies.

Connecting young professionals of this mindset with one another will offer them support, knowledge sharing, network building, and motivation on this pathway, and help them keep abreast of all the latest industry and legislative updates that will affect the future of their business.

If you are a young professional with a penchant for sustainability and would like to get involved in the group and attend the meetings, or even are a company or individual that would like to present to the group, please get in touch with kathryn@productsofchange.com.

In the meantime, we would like to introduce you to one of our existing POC Young Green Leaders, Katie Moran, licensing assistant at Tottenham Hotspur. Katie has been an engaged member of the group from the start, when she attended the POC Conference 2024 as part of the initial burgeoning Young Green Leader contingent.

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POC YOUNG GREEN LEADERS SPURS OF CHANGE: DIARY OF A YOUNG GREEN LEADER “ At first, this might sound disheartening, but my passion for sustainability was born out of deep anxiety about waste and overconsumption.

Wasted food, water, products, resources – essential elements we need to survive – are being unnecessarily discarded. This isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s a crisis contributing to rising CO₂ emissions and the needless destruction of life on our planet.

The thought of this truly unsettles me for what the future holds for resourcefulness, but instead of letting it overwhelm me, I’ve channelled that anxiety into action – both in my personal choices as a consumer, and in my work within licensed product ranges at Tottenham Hotspur.

When I first entered the retail industry, I was shocked to learn that unsold, perfectly good products were often destroyed simply for business reasons. Sustainability must be embedded as a standard practice, not just seen as a trend or movement.

Working at the Premier League’s greenest club offers an exciting opportunity.

Through our licensed product ranges, I want to bring sustainability to life – whether that’s by ensuring we work with ethically responsible factories or supporting licensees in making mindful packaging choices. Our club-wide goal is to reduce operational emissions to net zero by 2040, and for Scope 3 emissions, I’m particularly passionate about integrating circularity into our licensed products. We must leave nature in a better state than we found it.

That’s why I jumped at the chance to join the POC Young Green Leaders group. As emerging professionals, we hold the future in our hands, and collaboration is key – after all, a problem shared is a problem halved. By learning from each other and tackling sustainability challenges together, we can drive meaningful change – making this working group vital.

I believe every industry should have a young green leaders group, pushing through fresh ideas and new ways of working. This is now vitally important in the current business climate, especially with looming carbon emission-cutting deadlines in 2030.

Within the licensing industry, we have a responsibility to ensure consumers know where their products come from and that they are manufactured as ethically and sustainably as possible.

According to a 2024 McKinsey & Company report, while 75% of Gen Z claim to prioritise sustainability, only 55% actually follow through when making purchases. This presents a challenge – and an opportunity. How can we help young consumers align their values with their buying choices? This is exactly why I’m eager to see how the Young Green Leaders group can make an impact across licensing, brand and retail.

Sustainability has long been part of Tottenham Hotspur’s DNA. In 2021, we joined the UN Race

to Zero, committing to halving our carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2040. With 97% of our emissions occurring outside our direct operations, our licensing team is continually looking at how we can drive sustainability across our externally sold products.

For example, one of our newest licensees, Everway Industrial, has created an ecofriendly all-in-one party box made from FSC-certified wood and packaged entirely without plastic. This is a developing conscious approach we are taking when working with existing and potential licensees.

Circularity is a core principle at Spurs, applied across retail, stadium events, and match-day activities. The aim of a circular model is to stop waste being produced in the first place, with our approach following the ‘4Rs’ – reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover. A great example is our Nike shirts, worn by players, and our fan replica jerseys, both of which are made from 100% recycled polyester sourced from plastic bottles.

This shift toward sustainability isn’t just being driven by businesses, it’s fuelled by younger consumers who are more aware than ever of their environmental impact.

LEFT AND BELOW: Tottenham Hotspur recycled polyester kit.

When Spurs fans choose to purchase from us, they do so with growing confidence that the club is acting responsibly.

I see the future of brand licensing in the sports industry becoming inseparable from environmental responsibility. Whether through sustainable manufacturing, consciously partnering with ethical brands, or tracking the carbon footprint of our products via royalty reports, I believe sustainability can no longer be treated as an ‘optional add-on’ – it must be an integral part of the business model.

Real progress will require industry-wide collaboration. From senior management to early-career professionals, we must work together to make sustainability the standard.

Through the POC Young Green Leaders group, we are laying the groundwork today – because we will be the ones leading the future.” ■

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COMPANY PROFILE

Jam and condiment maker, Tiptree, is a lesson in balancing tradition and innovation, where homegrown values, recipes, and heritage blend seamlessly together with an embracement of new technology and meeting the changing needs of both the environment and the community.

A FRUITY FORAY

INTO SUSTAINABILITYDRIVEN LICENSING ABOVE: In 2022, Tiptree planted 166 oak trees and 3km of hedgerow for The Queen’s Green Canopy project.

BELOW RIGHT: Fruit crops on the Tiptree farm include strawberries, raspberries, mulberries, Morello cherries, rhubarb, damson, Victoria plum, greengage, quince, and the curious medlar.

P

roducts of Change recently caught up with Tiptree’s Liz Baker and Ian Clark, with the news that Tiptree is beginning its foray into the world of brand licensing. They also shared the sustainability efforts the brand is undertaking, and has been undertaking, since its founding in 1885, and how this is shaping its approach to licensing.

The Wilkin family began farming in Tiptree, Essex, UK, in 1757, and started its preserves and jam making business in 1885. Tiptree grows a wide range of traditional English fruits for its ever-expanding range of conserves, condiments, and, most recently, liqueurs.

While for many businesses, sustainability may be something of a modern concept, for Tiptree it has been woven into its heritage and identity in some shape or form from the beginning. Its family-run, employee owned, and conscientious culture has lent itself to looking after people and planet for 140 years.

Denoting its heritage, values, and keenness for quality, Tiptree was granted its first Royal Warrant in 1911

by George V, an accolade that has continued since and been recently renewed

by King Charles III. “Sustainability has been a huge

part of the application for the Royal warrants for a long time, but even more so now with the King,” Liz said, referencing King Charles’ longstanding commitment to environmentalism.

CONSERVING GENERATIONS OF JAM Its Royal Warrant is one of the many reasons sustainability is at the heart of Tiptree, but its history and heritage is another. “We’ve been making jam for 140 years, and we hope to be making jam for another 140. We look a long way back, but we also look a long way forward; we always say that we like to leave the business in a better place for the next generations,” said Liz, and to do so the land on which Tiptree farms must be looked after and sustained, and the community of Tiptree in which the farm is located must be cared for, along with the generations of workers it employs.

A LEAF Marque (Linking Environment and Farming) accredited farm, Tiptree prioritises

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COMPANY PROFILE sustainable management of its land and produce.

This involves leaving a proportion of its land ‘wild’ and unfarmed to allow it to regenerate and encourage biodiversity, sowing fields with a pollen and nectar mix for bees and insects, as well as planting three kilometres of hedgerows and 166 oak trees. Tiptree has worked with the RSPB on turtle dove conservation and with the Essex Wildlife Trust to provide nesting boxes for barn owls.

Utilising its resources in the most efficient way possible, Tiptree has invested in technology to conserve water, energy and waste. With its extensive waste management programme onsite, helping it to recycle over 89% of its waste, Tiptree has also recently invested in a number of energy efficiency projects including new boilers, machinery, refrigeration systems and solar power. The first phase of its solar project was completed earlier this year, comprising of 7,000 solar panels to power its jam factory.

“We are very traditional, very much a heritage business. But we also innovate where we need to, so we’ve got some really exciting examples of innovation throughout the business. We are always looking to improve how we do things,” commented Liz.

Its due diligence in its supply chain is also integral, as, while Tiptree grows a lot of its fruit itself on its Essex farm, there are certain fruits that it buys from abroad, such as its Seville oranges for marmalade, which it has been buying from the same family in Spain for over 50 years. “It’s not just about what you’re doing, it’s about who you work with and checking that people are doing what they’re saying,” said Liz. NAVIGATING NEW WATERS WITH TIME-TESTED PRINCIPALS This mindset continues as Tiptree branches into the brand licensing space and has guided the company as it begins this new endeavour.

“We’re looking for the right partner to create new products in adjacent categories. And we’ve been very discerning in terms of sustainability, how they treat people, the ingredients they use, and the way they make things,” Liz explained.

Tiptree is working with licensing agency and POC Member, Pink Key, on this venture.

Richard Pink, MD of Pink Key Licensing, commented that Tiptree’s ethos is having a positive impact when looking for a licensing partner, “If the partner hasn’t got the right credentials for this brand, then we wouldn’t want to work with them anyway.

It’s not exactly like finding a needle in haystack, but what it is doing, is finding the right partners to fit with the brand.”

Among a roster of conversations Tiptree is having with potential partners, it has confirmed one such partner as Elsam,

a health and beauty company.

Speaking to Elsam’s CEO, Dominic Lawrence, he explained: “I immediately felt there was some great synergies with the Tiptree brand and with health and beauty products. A lot of food products have done very well in health and beauty, and Tiptree is such a recognised brand.” The flavours and food products that Tiptree creates lend themselves to being translated into scents for candles, diffusers or bath bombs, for example.

Dominic continued: “I think with ABOVE: The Tiptree New Growing System, captures almost all of the rain that falls on the crop.

any kind of licence that you have, you want to depict the same ethos that the company represents […] We want this product to really depict what Tiptree is all about,” which he added come from both the quality and ingredients, as well as the sustainability. For example, Elsam uses FSC paper and board, avoids single-use plastic, audits its manufacturing facilities well beyond the legal requirements, encourages product refill options, and utilises recycled materials as well as ensuring they are as recyclable as possible.

“We recognise the heritage and history behind the brand and we want to utilise that,” said Dominic, adding that they are working on some really fantastic concept art using the Tiptree branding, for the products.

Tiptree has some other collaborations in the works, hinted Richard, but it is too soon to announce them, but we will be keeping our ears and eyes peeled in the coming months.

“I feel like sustainability is having a positive impact on what we do, from a brand point of view,” said Richard. “It’s being a force for good in terms of the way in which we’re acquiring partners, because we are deliberately reflecting the ethos of the brand.”

Sustainability credentials and priorities offer something of a litmus test when looking for new partners; they demonstrate the values of a company, how forward-thinking they are, and an acknowledgement of the wider context in which they sit. Brands like Tiptree differentiating between their potential partners in this way is a sign of things to come and demonstrates that the competitive advantage of a sustainability agenda is only going to grow, particularly in the brand licensing industry. ■

LEFT: Tiptree products can be found in over 60 countries across the world, and are available in fine retailers, premium hotels, and quality airlines.

FAR LEFT: The Wilkin family has had a farm at Tiptree, Essex, since 1757.

LEFT: Since 1885, Tiptree has been making conserves, condiments, and other treats in its nut-free factory by the farm.

All images courtesy of Tiptree

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NAVIGATING LEGISLATION UPDATE

THE STORM

ABOVE: By aligning licensing practices with environmental priorities, businesses can lead the way in building a more sustainable – and ultimately more profitable – future.

RIGHT: In the UK and EU, licensing agreements must now include clauses on sustainable sourcing, lifecycle analysis, and recyclability under EPR.

As the planet grapples with the escalating consequences of climate change, global regulatory frameworks are rapidly evolving.

POC Advisor, Andrea Green, provides the rundown on the latest updates from both sides of the pond.

HOW GLOBAL CLIMATE LAWS ARE RESHAPING BUSINESS Businesses around the world, especially those operating in international markets or managing intellectual property portfolios, must now contend with a dramatically shifting legal landscape.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the diverging approaches between the United States and the European Union/United Kingdom. Understanding these differences is essential for companies seeking to maintain compliance, safeguard brand integrity, and future-proof their licensing strategies.

CLIMATE LAWS GAIN MOMENTUM Global climate legislation is no longer a fringe concern, becoming central to how companies are expected to operate. With the 2015 Paris Agreement setting a broad global framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, individual jurisdictions are now rolling out their own climate laws with increasing rigor and specificity.

These laws impact businesses on multiple fronts, from production processes to supply chains, marketing claims, and consumer expectations.

A TALE OF TWO LEGAL APPROACHES: US VS EU/UK APPROACHES The global licensing community must pay close attention to the distinct pathways taken by the US and the EU/UK. These differences have immediate implications for licensing agreements, product standards, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) reporting, and brand reputation management.

UNITED STATES: INCENTIVEDRIVEN AND FRAGMENTED Policy framework: The US approach to climate regulation remains largely incentive-based.

The landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 introduced over $370 billion in climate and energy-related investments, offering tax credits and subsidies to companies that transition toward greener operations.

State-level initiatives: Due to the federal system, climate regulation is often state-led.

California, for example, has instituted stringent emissions standards and product labelling laws that will become de facto national standards.

Voluntary reporting (for now): ESG and climate-related disclosures are largely voluntary, but when California’s SB 219 passed, it laid out the need for large companies to track emissions and climate risks starting in 2026. The following year Scope 3 Emissions (licensees!) will be required.

Business implication: For licensors and licensees, this

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LEGISLATION UPDATE means a need to be aware of what is required in California and how it will affect your own business. Licensors will be asking their licensees for info and licensees will have to have it.

EU/UK: REGULATION-HEAVY AND ENFORCEMENT-FOCUSED Mandatory ESG disclosure: The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) mandate detailed reporting on environmental impacts, requiring companies to integrate sustainability into their business models and value chains. Reporting obligations with employees over 1,000 were recently delayed to 2027.

Product standards and labelling: EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) – from eco-design requirements to bans on certain single-use plastics, the EU/UK enforce rigorous product standards, and the onus lies on the brand holder. Licensing agreements must now include clauses on sustainable sourcing, lifecycle analysis, and recyclability.

Enforcement and penalties: Non-compliance can result in significant financial penalties and reputational damage. Companies are subject to audits and third-party verification of their sustainability claims. For example, ESPR (Eco-design for Sustainable Products) deals with physical goods in the EU. The ESPR aims to improve the environmental performance of products by setting requirements related to durability, repairability, recyclability and energy efficiency.

Business implication: For the licensing community, this means embedding sustainability requirements into every aspect of contractual agreements and business practices. Due diligence, supply chain transparency, and verified environmental claims are no longer optional. A noted feature of the ESPR is the DPP (Digital Product Passport), the DPP provides detailed information about a product’s composition, environmental impact and gives guidance on repair and recycling. This initiative seeks to increase transparency and facilitate decision making among consumers and stakeholders. This is a perfect opportunity for us to tell our brand and product stories directly to the consumer.

A new way of thinking – ESPR includes measures to prevent the destruction of unsold consumer products, particularly textiles and footwear, to promote waste reduction and resource efficiency.

IMPACTS ON LICENSING AND IP STRATEGY Climate laws are not just a compliance issue, they are transforming how brands are built, protected, and monetised.

Green IP clauses: Licensing agreements increasingly include specific provisions related to environmental impact. These may cover materials used, carbon footprint limits, packaging recyclability, and energy efficiency.

Reputation management: Licensors must ensure that their licensees uphold environmental commitments.

Missteps can result in brand dilution or greenwashing accusations, which carry steep penalties in the EU/UK. Cross-border complexity: A product licensed in both the US and EU must meet differing regulatory expectations, therefore businesses

must design licensing terms that are adaptable yet compliant across jurisdictions.

Sustainable innovation: As climate regulations encourage greener technologies, the licensing of green patents and sustainable design IP is booming. Companies are monetising innovations that help meet compliance goals.

Audit and monitoring obligations: Licensors may soon audit licensees for environmental compliance, especially under EU law. This has led to the growth of third-party certification as a common licensing requirement.

BEST PRACTICES FOR THE LICENSING COMMUNITY To navigate the evolving climate regulatory landscape, global licensing professionals should consider the following best practices: ■ Incorporate ESG metrics: Embed environmental metrics into licensing KPIs and performance clauses.

■ Update templates: Revise standard licensing agreements to reflect current climate laws and sustainability standards.

■ Invest in legal intelligence: Stay updated on emerging regulations in all operating territories, especially when entering new markets.

■ Conduct environmental due diligence: Evaluate the sustainability performance of potential partners before signing agreements through mechanisms like the Products of Change Maturity Index.

■ Engage experts: Work with environmental specialists (such as the POC Advisors) and compliance advisors to futureproof licensing strategies.

LOOKING AHEAD: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR SUSTAINABILITY Climate regulation is not just a challenge, it is also a catalyst for innovation and differentiation. Companies that integrate sustainability into their licensing strategies will be better positioned to attract ecoconscious consumers, meet investor expectations, and withstand regulatory scrutiny. The divergence between the US and EU/UK approaches offers both a challenge and an opportunity: businesses must be nimble, adaptive, and proactive.

As climate laws continue to evolve, the global licensing community stands at a crossroads. By aligning licensing practices with environmental priorities, businesses can lead the way in building a more sustainable – and ultimately more profitable – future.

So why wouldn’t we all take the inevitable call to action and lean into the impending legal requirements? Change is hard! But it is coming, and your retailers, licensors and consumers are driving the change. Products of Change is here to maximise our collective understanding of where our industry is headed and to minimise you having to reinvent the wheel. We all make ‘stuff,’ no apologies there. We’ve brought together the players, research, resources, and shortcuts to help you navigate and adhere to any upcoming legislation.

Join us on this journey. ■

LEFT: The DPP provides detailed information about a product’s composition, environmental impact and gives guidance on repair and recycling.

BELOW: The UK /EU and US have differing approaches to ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance).

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LICENSING EXPO PREVIEW 2025

DRIVING CHANGE AT LICENSING EXPO Returning for its fourth year, Products of Change (POC) continues its impactful partnership with the Global Licensing Group (GLG) to promote sustainability, cost savings, and business resilience at Licensing Expo 2025. Together, they’ll spark essential conversations through presentations, panel sessions, and interactive experiences – both on the main stage and within the dedicated POC space.

Highlighting the SDGs at Licensing Expo

SDG 14: Life below water – Smurfs

This year, POC hosts the SDG Zone at booth D226, bringing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to life with real-world examples f rom across the brand licensing industry.

SDG 4: Quality education – LEGO LEGO’s Build the Change programme, funded by the LEGO Foundation, empowers children to creatively tackle real-world challenges through play. In March 2024, LEGO helped establish the f irst International Day of Play with the United Nations and attended INC-4 discussions on a Global Plastics Treaty alongside Mattel and Hasbro.

The Smurfs, long advocates for environmental values, have partnered with the UN since 2017 to support the SDGs. Through campaigns like the #EuroBeachCleanup, they inspire Europeans to clean local beaches and riverbanks, highlighting SDG 14: Life Below Water.

DG 2: Zero hunger – Peter S Rabbit/Penguin Ventures To coincide with Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, Peter Rabbit partnered with the UN to promote the #FoodHeroes campaign, encouraging children and families to choose healthy foods, reduce waste, and celebrate sustainable practices.

Build the Change is a social impact program driven by the LEGO Group since 2007.

Its purpose is to engage children on real-world sustainability challenges through learning through play and to amplify their creative ideas for a better future.

Let the children’s voices be heard!

www.LEGO.com/buildthechange LEGO, the LEGO Logo and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2021 The LEGO Group.

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LICENSING EXPO PREVIEW 2025

DG 12: Responsible consumption and S production – Mattel/Wastebuster Wastebuster’s Recycle to Read initiative, backed by Mattel and Tesco, allows families to exchange unwanted toys for book vouchers. This programme aims to reduce landfill waste and educate children about plastic recycling and the circular economy, with plans to expand into 166 Tesco stores across the UK.

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities – Smiley Through its Future Positive initiative, Smiley champions accessible, sustainable products. Collaborations with Anya Hindmarch, MoEa, and Choose Love (a refugee charity) spotlight human rights and environmentally friendly consumption, including DIY up-cycling workshops in partnership with shopping centre giant Klépierre.

SDG 13: Climate action – BBC Studios The TV industry plays a vital role in inspiring, educating, and informing audiences – and BBC Studios embraces this responsibility with intent and ambition. Through landmark productions like Planet Earth III, Frozen Planet II, and Earth, BBC Studios deepens public understanding of climate change and biodiversity.

At COP26, BBC Studios was a founding signatory of the Climate Content Pledge, committing to represent climate considerations across its programming and inspire greener choices.

DG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure S – Eden/Pure Table Top/Fabacus/Dayrize Products of Change Members Pure Table Top, Eden Project, Fabacus, and Dayrize came together to produce the world’s first commercially available Digital Product Passport (DPP) in the homewares sector.

Using its Xelacore technology, Fabacus’ pilot Digital Product Passport tracks approximately 100 data points from the creation to the consumption of product in the ranges.

DG 17: Partnerships for the goals – S Products of Change, Global Licensing Group, and POC members The Global Licensing Group (GLG) has been a strategic partner of Products of Change since the beginning. As part of its FasterForward programme, the Group’s overarching sustainability strategy, Global Licensing Group has committed to a series of specific and ambitious goals and activities that, over a five year period, will help it become an ever more sustainable, high impact business while supporting and accelerating change within the market. GLG’s partnership with POC is aiding the group towards this goal, by bringing the conversation of sustainability to both of its major trade shows, Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe.

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LICENSING EXPO PREVIEW 2025

■ Driving the conversation forward In addition to Products of Change’s SDG activation on the show floor, POC will be driving the conversation in a series of talks and roundtables at Licensing Expo.

■ Tuesday 20 May | 11:00– 11:30am | Networking Hub Designing for Impact: Sustainable Strategies in Toy Manufacturing

Wendi Wing, creative manager: branding & packaging at Moose Toys US, joins POC Advisor James George for a deep dive into the benefits of sustainable product design – both for the planet and business performance.

■ Wednesday 21 May | 3:30–4:15pm | License Global Theatre

Driving Sustainable Transformation: The Business Case for Change Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and CEO of POC; Mignon Senuta, head of global sustainability & social impact at Mattel; and David Sprei, commercial director at Penguin Ventures, will examine how collective industry action can drive operational sustainability, reduce environmental impact, and increase long-term business resilience.

■ Daily | Products of Change booth D226

‘Ask an Advisor: Driving Innovation & Sustainability with Products of Change.’

Attendees are encouraged to drop by to meet the expert advisors at POC and discover how to innovate, reduce environmental impact, and build a more eff icient, resilient business for the future economy. Gain tailored insights on embedding sustainability into your operations while driving long-term success.

Exclusively for attendees to Licensing Expo 2025, POC is creating a bespoke whitepaper on actioning the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals and imbedding them into the industry. Stop by the POC booth D226 or come to one of our sessions to pick up your copy.

CHECK OUT THE POC MEMBERS EXHIBITING BBC Studios N204 Through landmark productions like Planet Earth III, Frozen Planet II, and Earth, BBC Studios deepens public understanding of climate change and biodiversity.

At COP26, BBC Studios was a founding signatory of the Climate Content Pledge.

This commitment is evident across the spectrum – from Planet Earth to Bluey – ensuring that sustainability weaves through entertainment and education alike.

In 2022/23, 98% of BBC Studios’ UK productions put carbon action plans in place, many leading the way with pioneering approaches to sustainability. The organisation is aligned with the BBC Group’s science-based net zero targets and is taking clear steps to reduce its carbon footprint.

Beanstalk G124 For over three decades, global brand licensing expert, Beanstalk, has been working with manufacturers and retailers to build impactful licensing programmes.

Through Beanstalk Hands-On and Beanstalk Charities Programs, the company contributes to various charitable causes and encourages employees to give back.

Beanstalk is dedicated to cultivating a diverse environment, which is comprised of 65% women and 35% diverse ethnicity.

Beanstalk is a female-led agency, with the majority of senior management roles filled by women. As a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), Beanstalk has established an ongoing pledge and plan to foster Antiracism, Allyship and Action (AAA).

Boat Rocker A177 Boat Rocker is an independent, integrated global entertainment company with a mission to tell stories and build iconic entertainment brands, since its founding in 2003. Striving for long-lasting value and impact through storytelling, Boat Rocker works with industry-

leading creators to create content for audiences around the world.

Brandgenuity J140 Brandgenuity creates successful licensing programmes for global brands such as KFC, BMW, Nissan, the SIMS, John Frieda, Paramount, and MTV, bringing insights, creativity and know-how. Founded nearly 20 years ago, Brandgenuity has consistently been ranked as a Top Ten global licensing agency, specialising in corporate trademark licensing but also representing select entertainment brands and influencers.

Bravado D170 The music merchandise division of Universal Music Group, Bravado recognises the cultural power it has working with some of the biggest names in the music industry. The mantra for Universal Music Group (UMG) is: ‘We exist to shape culture through the power of artistry,’ which is never more relevant than when talking about sustainability.

Bravado was the first music company to have science-based target validation and has set itself a goal of reducing Scope 3 by 62% in the next eight years. Its Scope 3 intensity is already down 46%. Bravado partnered with EcoFashion, which put sustainable blanks into retail into North America for the first time, such as in Target and Urban Outfitters.

Dependable Solutions D208 Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Dependable Solutions is equipping businesses with the tools they need to track compliance data and achieve their sustainability goals.

As an active member of Products of Change, Dependable Solutions has developed tools, such as its latest SKU tracking, through collaboration with industry experts and clients. The updated tools enable licensing teams to generate reports on sustainability compliance, track progress over time, and gain insights

to enhance licensing programmes.

Dependable Solutions is committed to reducing its own environmental impact.

By leveraging Microsoft’s Azure data centres, which are soon to be fully powered by renewable energy, the company is minimising its own carbon footprint while empowering its customers to do the same.

The Dependable Solutions team will be at booth D208, where they will be ready to share insights and showcase the future of licensing technology.

Hasbro G170 Giving back to communities has been a cornerstone of Hasbro’s values for over 100 years. Hasbro was the first toy company to launch a toy recycling programme, and since 2018, has recycled over 75,000 pounds of toys globally in partnership with TerraCycle.

As a proud member of Products of Change, Hasbro is committed to advancing sustainability across its licensed consumer products. It collaborates with licensees which share its values. This Earth Day, Hasbro partnered with Sirius Dice to launch a limited-edition FSC-certified Dungeons & Dragons Dice Vault, with proceeds supporting One Tree Planted.

Over the years, Hasbro has leveraged the power of its brands to support impactful initiatives like Recycle to Read with Wastebuster and Tesco; ocean clean up with Cleaner Seas Project and ASDA; and reforestation with Ecologi with ASDA. These collaborations reflect Hasbro’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, ensuring that its products are both innovative and environmentally responsible.

Jazwares S212 Jazwares Cares’ mission is to support children’s health, well-being, and educational development through play. It achieves this through product donations, sponsorships, education-based programmes, and

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the time and talent of its people.

Since its inception, Jazwares has given away millions of toys. Its toy donation programme for non-profit organisations supports families and children in need and its employees can use their Volunteer Time Off benefit to deliver toys to its partnered charities and participate in park and playground cleanups.

Mattel R180 This year, Mattel is celebrating its 80-year anniversary, and its continued mission to empower generations and connect with fans of all ages.

In recent years, Mattel has made improvements in using recycled plastic and paper for packaging, and has incorporated third-party certified content into certain products, such as FSC-certified wood and ISCC-certified bio-circular resins (using the mass balance approach).

The Mattel PlayBack programme, available in the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany, allows consumers to send back certain Mattel toys that have reached the end of their useful life, from which the materials will be converted from waste to energy, into post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, or into new products.

At Licensing Expo 2025, Mattel invites its industry peers to visit booth R180 to learn firsthand how the company continues to work with partners on expanding its franchises.

MyMediaBox E208 MyMediaBox’s licence management software is used by thousands of licensors and agents worldwide, across entertainment, sports, digital gaming, corporate brands, publishing, music, and locationbased entertainment. It also supports specialised licensing categories like characters, celebrities, and museums.

Octane5 C178 Innovation is at the core of Octane5, which has been building technology for the licensing industry since 1998. From product approval systems, a Licensing Software App, and product authentication platforms, Octane 5 has provided key developments to the licensing industry.

Paramount O180 Global media, streaming and entertainment company, Paramount, detailed three main areas of focus in its most recent ESG report: on-screen content & social impact; workforce & culture; and sustainable production & operations.

Paramount’s Emissions Reduction Strategy was highlighted in the report, its Peak Sustainability initiative showing a longterm vision for the company, including benchmarks and a global strategy, bolstered by seven key climate action pledges.

Meanwhile, Paramount is working to reduce its GHG emissions across its global operations. The Paramount Pictures Lot in LA has pledged to reduce its Scope 1 and

Scope 2 emissions by 50% by 2028, which, as of 2023, stood at a 46% reduction.

Penguin Ventures A149 Penguin Ventures is the licensing and consumer products division of Penguin Random House, which is already climate neutral in its direct operations, and will be climate neutral in its global value chain by 2030.

The company ensures 100% of its paper and other core materials are ethically and sustainably sourced and strives to use the power of books and stories to amplify the climate emergency and encourage positive behaviour change.

Perfetti Van Melle F142 Perfetti Van Melle places great value on caring for its people and the communities in which it conducts business. The company’s sustainability governance model improves its environmental impact by targeting its packaging materials, carbon footprint, and water footprint.

Perfetti Van Melle is working to reduce its plastic, avoid non-recycle-ready plastic, and provide all its consumer packs with disposal instructions.

As of last year, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), has officially approved Perfetti Van Melle’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for 2030.

Sega U202 Japanese multinational video games software, hardware development, and animation company, SEGA, supports, sponsors and raises awareness for children’s hospitals, Stand Up to Cancer, sanctuaries for endangered animals, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, War Child Gaming (an initiative to provide education and healthcare to children in war zones) and initiatives to support people with disabilities. Through Humble Bundle, SEGA has raised over $2 million for a variety of different charities.

The LEGO Group G188 Now in its 67th year, the Danish toy maker – currently the largest toy brand in the world – envisions a future in which bricks from its 1978 LEGO Castle are played with by children 67 years on from now. Its campaign ‘Made to be Played’ encourages its customers to pass on their LEGO bricks to new generations so ‘the play never stops’.

The Group has been working to optimise its packaging and improve the sustainability of its famous bricks and LEGO elements, by using a proportion of renewable resources and innovative materials. The company’s goal is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 37% by 2032 against a 2019 baseline and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Smiley Company L218 The Smiley Company and its sustainability

initiative, Future Positive, has launched a number of sustainability-focused products into the market over the past year. One of which is Klépierre, the European leader in shopping centres, to promote an exclusive sustainable fashion tour. The 50m2 activation is aimed at promoting environmentally friendly consumption habits, DIY up-cycling workshops, information, and a space to highlight Future Positive partners.

For Licensing Expo this year, Smiley has announced the start of its anniversary plans for 2027, celebrating 30 years of Smileys. The digital-first brand focused on emotional expression is inviting partners to ‘Express Your World’ as part of a huge global campaign. To hear more about the opportunities for partners to develop sustainable collections, stop by stand L218 and speak to a member of the team.

The Smurfs M214 The original values carried by the little blue characters such as solidarity, tolerance, team spirit, respect for others and for nature, are directly linked to the United Nation’s 17 SDGs. Since 2017, The Smurfs has been championing the SDGs through its work and partnerships, notably with the UN for different campaigns and concrete actions such as the #EuroBeachCleanup, the biggest worldwide cleaning event organised every September/ October with the EU and the UN. The Smurfs have been a supportive member of Products of Change since the beginning, whether that be through media content, tradeshows, or the POC Conference.

Warner Bros Discovery O214 Warner Bros. Discovery has been working with UK-based agency, Supplied, to transition its consumer delivery packaging to a more sustainable alternative. Previously, Warner Bros. Discovery used unbranded poly bags made from grey/black recycled plastic material, but with little to no backwards traceability or confirmation of the level of recycled content.

Now, the company has upgraded to branded paper packaging, the design of which showcases the breadth of IPs on its Store. Made from FSC Mix accredited paper, the new packaging encourages the consumer to recycle it into household paper waste, using industry standard logos to highlight the material quality and sustainability.

WildBrain CPLG J206 As a global leader in kids and family entertainment, Wildbrain strives to reflect and honour the diversity of its global audiences by creating diverse and inclusive content.

WildBrain publishes an annual belonging report, which touches on employee data, ongoing global diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and representation within its content, IP and brands.

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