Product Of Change Summer 2024

MADE DIFFERENT. MADE BETTER.*

Introducing SMILEY FUTURE POSITIVE CREATORS FUND: Empowering innovative designers worldwide to embrace sustainability.

This year, we proudly supported Saul Nash at London Fashion Week AW2024. Born from Smiley’s Future Positive program, our initiative mentors emerging talents toward ethical, circular design practices.

Each season, our designers unveil their Future Positive collections on global fashion stages, sparking vital discussions with the media. This year, we’re thrilled to partner with Positive Luxury, elevating standards for people and nature.

Join us in shaping a brighter fashion future.

HOW’S THIS FOR A GLOW UP?

First things first… does this count as a glow up? Because here we are, back in print, back on the scene, and back where we belong – in your hands and on your screen – with a bold new look and style that, we must admit, we’re feeling pretty darn chuffed with.

If you’re new to the party, then welcome to the Products of Change of 2024. We’ve been working away on a rebrand – both in print and across the online POC platform – to better reflect the dynamism, constant evolution, and always forward-thinking attitudes of the global brand, licensing, and retail industry. And we think we’ve got the look down.

But scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find we are wearing our purpose on every layer. There’s a reason that in this issue of the POC magazine you’ll find our focus firmly on the bold new future of brand licensing because this is a global industry right now going through an incredibly exciting transition. And we know you can feel it too.

Whether it’s a change being driven by legislation, by consumer demand, by growing awareness and increased education, or by the generation of talent coming through the ranks and taking on positions of leadership within the global industry – the global business of brand licensing feels poised for something big.

Chances are, you’re reading this in the lead up to Las Vegas Licensing Expo where eyes will be peering towards what the future has in-store for the industry: be that technology, diversity, sustainability, even what the concept of brand licensing is itself. And it’s incredibly exciting to share in this industry mood with you all. We get to create the next iteration of this vastly creative and hugely innovative business. That’s something to shout about. Let’s all give the global brand licensing industry the glow-up it deserves.

For general enquiries contact: helena@productsofchange.com

For press enquiries please contact the editor: rob@productsofchange.com

For advertising enquiries please contact: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk robw@max-publishing.co.uk

INSET: POC editor, Rob Hutchins and POC founder, Helena Mansell-Stopher.

Robert Hutchins Editor

Helena MansellStopher CEO

Rob Willis Director

Ian Hyder Director

Jakki Brown Director

MEET THE TEAM

Samantha Loveday Group Editor

07 NEWS

The latest in sustainability updates from across the industries.

12 GOING GREEN ON THE MUSIC SCENE

We dive into the global music scene and check out the artists and brands pushing for real change.

15 LEGISLATION NATION

With a ‘tsunami’ of regulations heading our way, we explore the rules turning business on its head.

18 MAPPING PROGRESS

POC kicks off a bold new project to track and map the brand licensing industry’s ESG targets and progress.

23 YOUTH, DIVERSITY, & THE PURPOSE ECONOMY

With a future focused look at the brand and licensing industry we ask what the next generation is really looking for in a job.

29 LEAN, GREEN & KEEN

Products of Change celebrates the young leaders of sustainable change driving forward the industry of tomorrow.

34 GLOBAL INDUSTRY ACTION

Whether it’s the UN Global Plastic Treaty of the UK’s first ever Water Week, here’s how brands and business can drive change.

39 IT’S SHOWTIME

Industry transformation is the name of the game when POC lands in Vegas for Licensing Expo.

44 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

We celebrate the inspiring women in sustainability across brands, licensing, and retail.

Founded in 2014 at Tanith’s kitchen table, we design and source the highest quality products for retail and hospitality

Our Sustainable Values

Certified B Corp since 2022, we truly care about the way we do business

Working closely with our stakeholders, we design, manufacture and promote products that are innovative, responsibly sourced, and made to last longer

Bringing Joy to the Table

KEEPING

YOU

UP TO

DATE

WITH THE LATEST STORIES

LEGO SIGNS $2.4M CARBON REMOVAL DEAL WITH CLIMEWORKS

The LEGO Group has entered a $2.4 million agreement with the pioneering carbon-removal company, Climeworks in its latest push towards net zero carbon emissions.

The agreement is to use Climeworks’ direct air capture and storage technology for the permanent removal of hard-to-abate CO2 emissions from the air and will be just one of the initiatives adopted by LEGO to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

In 2023, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change agreed the use of ‘carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be necessary to achieve net negative CO2 emissions.’

Climeworks opened the world’s first and largest direct air capture and storage commercial plant, called Orca, in Iceland in 2021 to capture CO2 from the air and store it directly underground.

The process draws air into large collector containers where CO2 is captured through a filter. This CO2 is then stored underground by Climeworks’ storage partner, Carbfix which injects it deep into the ground where it is transformed into stone through an accelerated natural process.

The filtered air is then released back into the atmosphere.

Annette Stube, chief sustainability officer at the LEGO Group, said: “We were the first large toy company to announce a science-based emissions reduction target in 2020 and we want to continue to lead the way in finding innovative solutions for the challenges we face.

“This is why we’re working with Climeworks – their technology as part of a varied programme of initiatives, can help us and society as a whole realise the net zero future that is needed to protect our planet for generations to come.”

RSPB AND BIRD EYEWEAR’S SWIFT RESPONSE TO CONSERVATION CONCERNS

The RSPB has partnered with Bird Eyewear to protect one of Britain’s best-loved birds through the launch of a new range of sunglasses inspired by the Swift.

Recently added to the highest priority Red List as a Bird Conservation Concern, the Swift is facing growing threat due to continued habitat loss at the hands of persistent development over Britain’s green spaces.

Working with the RSPB, Bird Eyewear has created a new pair of sunglasses based on the curved lines and characteristics of the endangered bird. The range has been produced using a plant-based bio-acetate that utilises plant cellulose rather than relying on crude oil-based plastics. Bird Eyewear will donate 10% of every sale of The Swift to the RSPB.

“We’re delighted to work with the RSPB which is such a natural collaboration for myself and the team at Bird Eyewear,” said Ed Bird, ceo and founder of Bird Eyewear. “The mission of making Eyewear for a Better World couldn’t be more suited to championing one of the UK’s most loved species.”

Louisa Skevington, product licensing manager at the RSPB, added: “This partnership helps to support the effort of the RSPB which is working to boost the number of nest sites for Swifts across the UK, as well as with partners along migratory flyways to ensure Swifts remain a familiar sight in our summer skies.”

PUFFIN ROCK SPREADS WINGS TO US WITH SUSTAINABLE LICENSING STRATEGY

Puffin Rock and the New Friends, the latest short feature from Cartoon Saloon is launching to the North American market with a strategy to adopt only the most sustainable licensing and merchandising programme.

Exploring themes of courage and friendship as well as social displacement and global warming, Puffin Rock is the latest in a brace of award-winning animated features produced by the studio to convey messages of the environment and biodiversity.

Now, with growing demand for licensed product from audiences within Ireland, the UK, and the US markets, Cartoon Saloon is looking to develop a Puffin Rock licensing programme that embodies both the ethos of the IP as well as its own values.

Located in Kilkenny, in Ireland, and now in its 25th year, Cartoon Saloon engaged with Tipperary Energy Agency last year to develop a roadmap to carbon neutrality by reducing its scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. This plan includes its strategy to bring licensed product to market.

“Demand for Puffin Rock is huge,” said Brian Tyrrell, general manager of licensing and merchandise at Cartoon Saloon. “The series has a wonderful following with a strong want for products that tie into it.

“This means it’s a crucial time for us to stick to our guns and stand by our ethos and values as we look at new opportunities to expand. We’re a small company but we need to do our bit – or, at the very least – start the process.”

CAROUSEL CALENDARS TAPS GLOBAL SUPPLIERS INTO SCIENCE BASED TARGETS EMISSIONS MISSION

Carousel Calendars has engaged its first suppliers in China to commit to Science Based Targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the publishers’ boldest move yet to address its own scope 3.

Its Hong Kong-based partner, Anpak Printing Ltd first started measuring its scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions in 2021 and managed to drive down its scope 3 emissions by “a very impressive” 13% within its first year.

It follows a swathe of successes the brand has had in engaging its main European supply base with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). In alignment with Carousel Calendar’s own commitment, Anpak has committed to a near-term target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030.

Carousel Calendars signed up with the SBTi around two years ago. It has since set the formally approved target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions 46% by 2030.

“The tougher goal for us, as a publisher, is to reduce our Scope 3 which makes up 90% of our greenhouse gas emissions,” said Steve Plackett, md, Carousel Calendars. “The largest volume of which (over 75%) comes from our manufacturers around the world.

“So, the biggest impact we can have is in convincing our manufacturers to sign up to the Science Based Targets initiative, too.”

Other recent successes at Carousel Calendars includes the removal of shrink wrap across 75% of the business’ entire calendar range, saving over three million bits of plastic shrink wrap in the last year alone.

LEFT: The RSPB x Bird Eyewear Swift design is inspired by characteristics of Britain’s beloved bird.

ABOVE: Puffin Rock and The New Friends is launching to the US market with an eye for a sustainable licensing strategy.

ABOVE: Climeworks’ direct air capture and storage plant in Iceland.

ABOVE: Steve Plackett, md, Carousel Calendars.

REFRIED APPAREL SCORES EARTH DAY COLLECTION WITH CHAMPION

The textiles specialist, Refried Apparel celebrated Earth Day in style last month when it launched a unique collection of upcycled clothing in partnership with the US sports brand, Champion.

A Products of Change member based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Refried Apparel’s team of fashion designers and seamstresses work to rescue deadstock and damaged clothing from landfill or incineration and use it as feedstock in the creation of new items.

Part of its mission to provide a solution to the 17 million tonnes of textile waste produced in the US each year, Refried Apparel now works with some of the best-known brands on the planet - including Major League Baseball, the NFL, Macy’s, and the Girl Scouts of America –to create unique items of clothing, bags, or accessories, and sell it back to retail at a premium.

Refried Apparel launched its special Earth Day collection with Champion on 22 April.

“Through this amazing partnership and our shared commitment to reducing landfill waste, we are giving new life to unsalable or excess clothing that’s invariably ripe for creative design and upcycle potential,” said Mark Litos, co-founder of Refried Apparel.

“Thanks to the leadership at Champion for your vision, passion, and opportunity to co-create refreshing styles and one-of-a-kind pieces for in-store programmes and limited capsules collections for a unique online offering.”

TONY’S CHOCOLONELY EYES EXCITING US EXPANSION WITH WALMART

The ethical chocolate company, Tony’s Chocolonely is expanding its US presence thanks to notable investment and a new development with the retail giant, Walmart.

An ‘impact brand’ on a mission to end exploitation in the cocoa supply chain, Tony’s has recorded key revenue growth in the US in the last two years where its presence has now quadrupled since 2020.

Now, with new investment from the former Starbucks chief executive, Howard Schultz and a new partnership with Walmart, the brand will be available in 20% more stores than the year prior. Walmart joins a brace of US retail partners including Whole Foods, Target, Safeway, and CVS.

This increased presence is good news for the supply chain. Tony’s commits to paying a living income for all its cocoa and tackles child labour and deforestation issues with full transparency. According to its figures, its US expansion benefitted more than 18,000 small holder farming families last year.

“We are incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made in the US market,” said Douglas Lamont, ceo of Tony’s Chocolonely. “Our expanded retail presence, coupled with strategic investments in production and our exciting new investment partnerships, are all part of our larger ambition to end exploitation in the global cocoa industry.”

There are still 1.6 million cases of child labour and widespread deforestation present in the chocolate industry in Ghana and Ivory Coast. It’s the brand’s mission to show the world that chocolate can be made differently.

MOOSE TOYS GOES BEYOND BEST PRACTICE IN 2023 PACKAGING TABLE

Moose Toys has been praised by the Australian authority on packaging sustainability for its approach to innovative design that ‘enriches the local recycling system.’

The international toy company was listed within the Beyond Best Practice category of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation’s 2023 Annual Report. The team achieved a Level 5 ranking – the highest score possible.

Each year, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) assesses its members’ packaging sustainability according to indicators including leadership, packaging outcomes, and operations. Moose joined the APCO in 2012 and has been reporting its initiatives each year since.

Its 2023 ranking marks the strongest result in the toy company’s history.

Joost Poulus, Moose Toys’ chief product officer, said: “This is an incredibly proud moment for the entire team at Moose.

It is a testament to our long-term commitment to sustainability that includes a pledge to be Net Zero across our value chain by 2040.

“While we recognise there is a journey to go on, to receive the recognition for the effort so far will continue to motivate us as we move forward.”

TIME TO DITCH THE PLASTIC BOTTLE FIBRES, URGES TEXTILE EXCHANGE

The fashion and textiles industry needs to ‘rapidly divest’ from new fossil fuel extraction and the use of rPET from plastic bottles if it’s to meet its climate targets, a new report from Textile Exchange has urged.

The report – the Future of Synthetics – has called upon brands to instead increase investment in ‘viable alternatives’ that include scaling textile-to-textile recycling and preferred bio-synthetics.

Textile Exchange has debunked claims that clothing made from recycled plastic bottles are ‘circular’, highlighting the practice “uses waste from another industry” and “only impedes circularity efforts elsewhere.” Fibres from recycled PET are also notorious for shedding microplastics into the environment.

Synthetic materials have dominated the global fibre production landscape since the mid-1990s and in 2022, polyester alone contributed the highest amount of greenhouse gas emissions in a single fibre. However, a total shift away from synthetics to land-based raw materials – particularly at current production rates – could lead to an overreliance on - and depletion of - natural ecosystems.

Ways must therefore be found of repurposing existing synthetic materials.

“The industry must take responsibility for the textile waste it has created and must do its part to build a truly circular system into the future,” said Beth Jensen, senior director, climate and nature impact, at the Textile Exchange.

“To do this, we need to reduce the overall volume of new materials being extracted and produced, and where synthetic materials are used, ensure that feedstock from new fossil fuel extraction are not entering the supply chain.”

LEFT: Textile Exchange is urging fashion brands move to recycled synthetics over new

or

ABOVE: Skilled designers and seamstresses at work in Refried Apparel’s US factory.

fossil fuel

rPET fibres.

ABOVE: Moose Toys’ director of sustainable product development, Greg Simmons pictured with the Moose Toys team.

ABOVE: Tony’s Chocolonely eyes major US expansion with Walmart.

CHINTI & PARKER PILOTS DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT WITH FABACUS AND PEANUTS

The British luxury knitwear brand, Chinti & Parker has partnered with Fabacus to pilot its supply chain transparency tool, the Digital Product Passport across a new Peanuts apparel collection.

By scanning its QR code, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) gives customers access to detailed information about the materials and production process used, as well as the environmental characteristics of each garment in the collection.

The first product range from Chinti & Parker to feature the technology is an exclusive Peanuts capsule collection, launched to mark Earth Day earlier this year.

Using Fabacus’ technology, the DPP empowers customers to shop conscientiously by tracking approximately 100 data points from the creation to consumption of each garment in the range.

“Launching our Digital Product Passport initiative is a pivotal moment for Chinti & Parker. It’s a bold step towards a more transparent and sustainable future in fashion,” said Rachael Wood, co-founder and ceo of Chinti & Parker.

“By providing our customers with unprecedented access to the journey of each garment, we empower them to make conscious choices that align with their values.

“We’re delighted to launch this initiative with our new Peanuts collection. This programme not only reflects our commitment to transparency but reinforces our dedication to environmental responsibility. We’re redefining what it means to shop with purpose.”

Pure’s Rockfish collection includes 30% recycled ceramic mugs and bowls.

ROCKFISH IS CATCH OF THE DAY FOR PURE TABLE TOP

The B Corp housewares specialist, Pure Table Top has teamed with Dunelm and the Cornish seafood business, Rockfish to create a collection of tableware and kitchen textiles that embody the brand’s commitment to the environment.

Founded by Mitch Tonks, Rockfish is a unique business which catches, processes, and serves local seafood at nine coastal locations across the Southwest with a mission to change the way people experience fresh fish through sustainably managed fishing.

To uphold the brand’s environmental ethos, Pure has created a collection of 30% recycled ceramic mugs and nibble bowls and recycled mix cotton and polyester kitchen textiles presented in plastic-free, FSC or recycled card packaging.

LEFT: Chinti & Parker’s Peanuts collection was launched on Earth Day to pilot the DPP. CONTINUED

A GOOD THING DIVERTS 1.8 MILLION ITEMS FROM LANDFILL

The circular economy social enterprise, A Good Thing is celebrating a bumper 2023 in which it diverted over 1.8 million items from landfill or incineration to see them donated to charities across the UK.

Established to act as a ‘marketplace’ for rehoming pre-loved or unwanted items with charity organisations across the country, A Good Thing’s model is to facilitate and expedite the growth of the reuse market by connecting items with new users.

Over the course of 2023, A Good Thing listed a record number of items from 92 different organisations from across the country. More than 1.8 million items were placed with some 270 UK charities, saving them more than £600,000.

The not-for-profit has reported a surge in the number of businesses and charities now signing up with A Good Thing as a part of their waste management processes. Last year, the platform averaged one new listing posted to the ‘marketplace’ each day. In the first two months of 2024 alone, A Good Thing has already doubled that average to two listings a day.

Part of its mission to reduce the impact of its packaging and encourage eco-design, Pure recently submitted its waste packaging data in line with UK government EPR regulations. The business also engages with the Science Based Targets initiative to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

In October 2023, Pure Table Top worked with the Products of Change team to showcase its environmentally conscious ranges at Brand Licensing Europe.

“Being part of Products of Change gives us access to industry experts who are able to share knowledge and challenge our ways of thinking,” said Lucie Taff, Pure’s head of sales and marketing.

ADDO PLAY DIALS UP ITS 2024 SUSTAINABILITY AMBITIONS

The international toy brand, Addo Play has detailed its 2024 ambitions to make all product packaging kerbside recyclable and introduce a minimum 30% recycled content to all of its plastic packaging.

“Even we were surprised when we did the maths and discovered that 1.8 million items had been donated via A Good Thing in 2023. It’s just incredible,” Cathy Benwell, co-founder of A Good Thing told Products of Change.

“We are looking forward to an even bigger and better year in 2024: only a few months in, and we are already looking at double the numbers of matches each month.”

Among the company’s 2023 highlights, A Good Thing has given special mention to The Giftware Association which was able to donate “a huge range of different giftware items”, while ‘hundreds of thousands’ of stress-relief squishy toys were gladly received by the team and grew to become a very popular item among its users.

“Businesses are having an impact on so many wonderful UK charities through their donations – charities that are under more pressure than ever in 2024, doing much-needed work in communities right across the country,” said Cathy.

The Amersham headquartered business will also increase volumes of sustainably sourced or recycled materials across its plush toy range and work to a 2025 goal to ensure all paperboard packaging materials are 100% sustainably sourced or recycled.

“Our strategy continues to focus on sustainable product and packaging design; responsible business operations; ethical trading principles; community focus; and a caring, diverse, and inclusive organisational culture,” said Pete Fuller, marketing manager at Addo Play.

Feeding into Addo Play’s three pillar sustainable strategy focusing on sustainable design, responsible operations, and community while supporting the business’ Code of Ethics, the brand will also ensure all its manufacturing sites are independently assessed against approved social compliance audits.

“We will continue to analyse and reduce the environmental impact of our operations and – aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 – we will establish a plan to progressively reduce carbon emissions throughout our supply chain,” said Pete.

ABOVE:

BELOW: Dave Martin (left) and Mary Price (right), co-founders of Addo Play.

LEADING THE WAY IN CALENDAR PLASTIC FREE PACKAGING

Continuing our commitment to reducing plastic, now nearly 88% of our calendars and diaries are plastic free, encompassing most of our wall and slim calendars, and all desk calendars and diaries. Additionally, all Carousel products are printed on FSC certified paper.

• Making progress towards our SBTi target of reducing emissions by 46% by 2030.

• Anticipated enrolment of 70% of our suppliers in Net Zero targets by 2024.

RECOGNITION FOR CLIMATE ACTION!

We were among the four winners at the inaugural Products of Change Sustainable Development Goals Members Awards 2023, recognised for climate action, pioneering innovation, sharing our processes, and being the first in our sector to obtain approval for our science-based targets from SBTi.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR WORK IN REDUCING PLASTIC AND OUR DRIVE TO BE A CARBON NEUTRAL COMPANY – SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS ON ‘WHAT WE CARE ABOUT’

With artists like Billie Eilish and Coldplay releasing their own sustainability strategies and impact reports, the music scene is picking up an exciting new sound just by listening to the planet.

UP ITS ACT MUSIC’S CLEANING

At Overheated, her 2023 London climate conference, the singersongwriter and activist, Billie Eilish invited her audience to ask themselves ‘can the planet feel?’ before running a multitude of panel sessions encouraging her followers to become activists.

Once upon a time, it was rock ‘n’ roll to be a nihilist. Today, artists are singing the virtues of second hand shopping, encouraging us to eat organic, or (in the case of Coldplay) finding ways to use a crowd’s kinetic energy to power their gigs. Today, it’s cool to care.

In November 2023, Universal Music Group had its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets formally approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, among which are its commitments to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 58% by 2032 and reduce its scope 3 emissions by 62% within the same timeframe.

So, when Billie (supported by her mother, Maggie Baird, herself a campaigner and founder of Support + Feed) announced that her new album – Hit Me Hard and Soft – would land with its own environmental strategy to minimise impact this year... well, it couldn’t have been better aligned.

“I will happily say that Universal has really come a long way,” Maggie told Billboard in a recent interview. “We had three Universal Music Group Sustainability Summits last year: one in London, one in LA, and one in New York with just UMG employees talking about all the various issues.

“[…]Gradually, they have started to [discuss sustainability strategies] which I think is very encouraging.”

The standard variant of Billie’s new album is made using 100% recycled black vinyl. The remaining seven variants will be made from Eco-Mix or BioVinyl. The former is a 100% recycled compound of leftover records of any colour, the latter is vinyl produced using biomaterial like cooking oil or industrial waste gasses rather than fossil fuel materials.

In addition, all vinyl packaging is made using FSC-certified recycled paper, board made 100% from post-consumer waste, or recycled pre-consumer fibres. Even the ink used is water-based... when it’s not already made from plants. Part of the Music Industry Climate Collective – a working

RIGHT: Support + Feed is a social impact initiative created by Maggie Baird to promote plant-based food options at live events.

RIGHT: Maggie Baird is an activist, campaigner, founder of Support + Feed, and mother to international music sensation, Billie Eilish.

group comprising Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group to promote sustainability in the music industry – UMG continues to ramp up activity to reduce its environmental impact, whether that’s across live music and events, its own operations, or across its merchandise – led by Bravado.

“Bravado is a key driver of UMG’s decarbonisation programme, especially as it relates to scope 3 emissions,” Veronica Dullack, senior vice president, global ESG and sustainability at UMG tells Products of Change. “We are working together to engage artists, fans, and supply chain partners in our efforts and to evolve our merchandise model to meet the needs of the future.”

Executed by Bravado, Billie’s own plan includes producing all her official merchandise and clothing using residual deadstock from prior productions, opting for organic or

recycled polyester or cotton, introducing non-toxic dye inputs, and designing for product circularity.

“The demand for more sustainable merchandise is coming from both sides – artists and consumers,” says David Boyne, managing director at Bravado International Group. “In many cases, artists are aware this is not only important to them but to their fans and they use their influence to accelerate industry change and catalyse new types of products.”

Last year, Warner Music Group launched a partnership with MIT, LiveNation, Hope Solutions, and Coldplay to research and adopt changes to reduce the environmental impact of live music. In January this year, Coldplay became the first band in the world to release its own sustainability report. With results assessed and valued by MIT, the British pop band managed to reduce its carbon emissions by 47% compared to their last tour (2016-2017) via actions including batterypowered concerts, and kinetic energy storage powered by dancing fans.

“Without artists pushing for these kinds of changes, I’m not sure the industry would have progressed as quickly as it has,” says Bravado’s David.

All-the-while, this cool, new ethos has begun cascading through music’s varying value chains. Most recently, this took hold in a partnership between Forest Green Rovers and the Warner Music group artist, Grateful Dead who – working with the sustainable clothing brand I Dress Myself – launched

a range of responsibly-made, licensed apparel.

“This certainly wasn’t the start and it won’t be the end of the WMX sustainable approach to licensing and merchandising,” Alex Mitchell, licensing manager at WMX tells Products of Change. “It is at the heart of the consideration to take any deal forward. We’re finding artists simply will not entertain deals that do not have sustainability at the centre of the project.”

There’s still a long way to go, of course.

It’s true that not every artist is committed to releasing only recycled vinyl or sign off on a postcard collection made from ‘treefree’ upcycled agricultural waste

“When looking at the industry as a whole, there is still a heavy reliance on fossil-fuels and plastics, from synthetic materials used for hoodies and t-shirts, to plastic mailers used for direct-to-consumer shipping,” says Bravado’s David. “However, with an increasing focus on the social and environmental sustainability of the supply chain, we foresee a move back to the basic – with the future of merchandise grounded in natural fibres and closed loop processes that keep the materials that exist in circulation for years to come.”

This is an entirely new era for music. And it sounds good ■

ABOVE: David Boyne, managing director at Bravado the music licensing and merchandising of UMG.

LEFT: The artist pictured getting stuck in with her mother’s Support + Feed plant-based food campaigning.

FAR LEFT: International artist, Billie Eilish receiving an award for music industry sustainability.

LEFT: Coldplay’s 2021 album, Music of the Spheres was released on 100% recycled vinyl.

“WE

BRING CREATIVE IDEAS AND STORIES TO LIFE THROUGH BESPOKE MERCHANDISE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KEEP FOR YEARS”

95% OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE WITHOUT SINGLE USE PLASTIC PACKAGING

Whether through designing for deconstruction, designing in mono or recycled materials, minimising packaging, or finding ways to stack/interlock our products to reduce space, we’re always looking for ways to improve further.

From EVA Foam to Corrugated Card From 36 Cups per Carton to 80 Cups per Carton

NEW WORLD (DIS)ORDER?

Right across the globe, the business landscape is facing an avalanche of legislation, from the European Green Deal to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s newly adopted climate disclosure rules. It’s a complex matrix of regulation that’s going to need some careful unpicking.

On 23 April, 2024, a new law was adopted by the European Parliament to forcibly prohibit the destruction of unsold clothing, accessories, or footwear across the market.

The aim of the legislation – a revised version of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation coming into force in 2026 – is to ensure all products sold in the EU are reusable, repairable, upgradable, and recyclable by 2030. It’s a key element of the European Green Deal, the proverbial sledgehammer moving the EU towards a circular economy in its bid to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

A GREEN DEAL TO GO CIRCULAR

“The EU Green Deal has a very strong objective to

‘decouple economic growth from resource use’,” says Mark Edridge, a consultant at the Swiss textiles supply chain solutions specialist, Bluesign.

“It’s working under the proviso that you shouldn’t have to drive economic growth through mining, deforestation, harvesting, or drilling but that everything you could possibly need in the future can be made from what we already have.”

As a framework of legislation, the EU Green Deal is the strongest and most robust. Within it sit regulations devised to deliver on the EU’s ultimate ambition of a net zero circular economy. These include (but are not limited to) the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and its companion Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD); Ecodesign for Sustainable Products; the Green Claims Directive; the Waste Framework Directive; Extended Producer Responsibility; and an initiative to ban products linked to Deforestation.

“There’s a tsunami of legislation coming up and it’s coming thick and fast,” says Anna Halford, associate principal council, The Walt Disney Company. “We talk about ‘the carrot or the stick’, but I think the time for the carrot is behind us.

At Disney, we’re reaching to licensing partners who haven’t set their emissions targets yet […] because generally, there’s an expectation that

ABOVE: The European Parliament adopts yet another piece of legislation under the EU Green Deal.

sustainability engineer,

LEFT: Elizabeth Eaves, lead

Mattel EMEA.

licensees really ought to know their product and really know their supply chain.”

The European Green Deal isn’t playing around. Referring to the line of text within the Waste Framework Directive in which producers of apparel are labelled ‘polluters’ who must be “accountable for cleaning up their pollution when it reaches the end of its useful life,” Mark says simply: “The EU is taking this seriously.”

A GLOBAL TAPESTRY OF TAXATION

Yet, it was by rescue mission alone - involving the significant reduction of its scope of impact - that the CSDDD was finally adopted by European Parliament on 15 March this year, indicative of the rising push back against the legislative onslaught in the EU market right now.

With CSDDD came the formal introduction of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) – a consumer-facing tool that will demand complete supply chain transparency across every product on the market. All the while, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is evolving rapidly. All three are going to have global reverberations.

“EPR is spreading, and it’s spreading into certain US states, it’s coming into Asia as well, and in sectors like packaging and electronics, it’s spreading globally,” says Elizabeth Eaves, lead sustainability engineer at Mattel EMEA.

“EPR is a really powerful legislative tool, but the biggest issue is that there’s so much fragmentation in terms of scopes, criteria, and data requirements that the administrative burden is enormous and becoming more so as these schemes spread and become more sophisticated.”

More sophisticated and more complex.

It was at long last and to not much fanfare that on 6 March, 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally adopted its climate disclosure rules requiring domestic companies and foreign private issuers (FPIs) to talk transparently about their greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate-related information in the US has, before now, been offered up only

voluntarily or by the businesses falling within the scope of the 2023 California Climate Disclosure Laws or the rules (comparatively speaking) long established by the European Union.

6 March, therefore, was a flag in the ground moment for a nation now quickly on the catch-up, requiring that businesses include all ‘qualitative and quantitative climate-related information’ in periodic reports and that all this information be in alignment with internationally recognised frameworks, including the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS?

The complexity arises in the differences between the US legislative frameworks and the European. US companies falling within the scope of the EU’s CSDDD will face additional climaterelated obligations, including ‘a mandatory requirement to adopt a climate transition plan’. And, while the SEC has scaled back on requirements for companies to report on their GHG emissions, limiting disclosures to just scopes 1 and 2, the California climate disclosure laws and the EU’s CSRD require the additional disclosure of scope 3 emissions.

Increasingly, there’s becoming less room for businesses to hide their emissions data. And that’s what this will ultimately come down to: the collection of data.

“Collaboration and access to data is going to be key,” says Nicola Torode, head of operational compliance and sustainability at DK Books. “It’s about knowing our supply chain; interrogating our supply chain; the sources of our substrates, the materials used and where they come from and how they’ve been made; and it is key for us to work with our full supply chain.

“Ninety-nine percent of our scope 3 emissions sit within the supply chain, so we need to work with those supply chain actors and bring them all on this journey with us so that we can report what we need for current legislation and for the legislation that is coming our way.” ■

LEFT: Anne

is the

LEFT: Mark Edridge, a consultant at the textiles supply chain specialist, Bluesign Technologies.

LEFT: A special licensing industry panel at SiLC 2023 discusses the “tsunami” of European and North American legislative changes heading our way over the next few years.

ABOVE: The European Parliament recently strengthened its stance on the Right to Repair.

Halford

associate principal council at The Walt Disney Company.

MAPPING AN

ABOVE: Products of Change is kickstarting a new project to map and track the targets of the brand licensing industry.

We analyse the global brand and licensing industry’s commitment to emissions reduction as we kickstart a new project to map and track targets.

INDUSTRY’S ESG

The business of global brand licensing is a high value, high impact industry. You can’t put a price on emotions, but you can certainly put a value on emotional attachment driven by brands. In late 2023, the Global Licensing Group released its Global Top 100 Licensors Report, putting that value firmly on paper.

The total value of the Top Ten Global Brand Owners alone – a table comprising The Walt Disney Company, Dot Dash Meredith, Authentic Brands Group, Mattel, Hasbro, Warner Bros Discovery, and others - stands at a not insignificant $249.2bn.

That’s a lot of money. It’s a lot of product. And ultimately, it’s a lot of impact, too. In a calculation of the latest available data – taken from the most recent figures published across their most recent ESG reports, the total greenhouse gas emissions – by metric tonnage – of the Top Ten Global Brand Owners, is 29,671,583.

year to 50.6 gigatons (that’s 50.6 billion metric tonnes of CO2e) putting a slightly kinder perspective on our industry’s contribution. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less a concern.

There is – if not solace – perhaps, encouragement in the fact that efforts are being made across our industry of beloved brands, to drive those emissions down. Of the Top Ten Global Brand Owners by value listed in the GLG 2023 report, 60% declare publicly that they are engaging stakeholders and suppliers in the measurement and reduction of emissions to address their own scope 3 GHG emissions.

SCIENCE BASED TARGETS

29,671,583 metric tonnes

29,671,583 metric tonnes

That figure, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator is the equivalent to over seven million petrol-powered vehicles driven for one year. To offset that total would require some five-hundred-million trees to be planted and grown over the next ten years, which – as we all know - is ten years too long.

total reported GHG emissions across the top 10 global licensors.

total reported GHG emissions across the top 10 global licensors.

The Walt Disney Company, for instance, has made some pretty firm commitments that include to align 20% of its supply chain (across purchased goods and services) and 72% of its customers (licensees) by franchise with the Science Based Targets initiative by 2027. In doing so, Disney has committed to reduce absolute scope 3 emissions from areas including purchased goods and services; capital goods; fuel and energy; operational waste; business travel; and franchises 27.5% by 2030.

Preliminary estimates suggest that in 2022, global greenhouse gas emissions rose 1.1% from

To work in alignment with the SBTi, Disney is obligated to engage suppliers with the SBTi themselves, which is a good demarcation of the strength of commitment.

But of the Top Ten biggest global brands (by value), Disney stands as one of only a handful to be SBTi approved. Just 30% of the world’s largest brand owners are SBTi committed, with Hasbro (valued at $11.5bn in 2022 data) and NBCUniversal ($10.5bn) making up that small pool. Outside of the Top Ten, The LEGO Group, Microsoft, and Netflix are among the brands leading the industry on climate action with commitments made for 2025, 2027,

2030, 2035, and 2050. The Walt Disney Company stands alone as the only brand in the global Top Ten to have made commitments to reach Net Zero by 2030, while only three (Disney, Mattel, and Hasbro) have made any form of 2030 commitments at all.

A TOY INDUSTRY, COMMITTED

More encouraging still, global toy brands appear to be on board. Mattel has already committed to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 (compared to a 2019 baseline), while Hasbro has now had its target to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 47.5% and reduce scope 3 emissions by 42% by 2030 approved by the SBTi.

Meanwhile, the LEGO Group has set

30% of world's largest brand owners (by value) are committed to SBTi. 60% of world's largest brand owners are engaging stakeholders and suppliers in scope 3 emissions measuring and reduction.

a science-based target to reduce emissions by 37% by 2032 and will hit net zero emissions by 2050; Spin Master (whose 2023 scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions totalled 79,694 metric tonnes) is committed to hitting net zero scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050; Games Workshop (whose 2023 scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions totalled 57,336 metric tonnes) is committed to reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55% by 2032; and Crayola which – through its parent company Hallmark – is part of the SBTi with shared goals to reduce emissions created by its own facilities by 46.2% and reduce emissions from its business operations by 27.5% by 2030.

It’s true, the sustainability conversation is starting to infiltrate all areas of business within toys.

“We announced a new goal under our Sustainable Design and Development pillar to reduce plastic packaging by 25% per product by 2030,” said Ynon Kreiz, chairman and ceo of Mattel in the company’s latest ESG report. “With respect to Responsible Sourcing and Production, we further developed actions plans to help achieve our scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction and zero manufacturing waste goals.”

THE REST STILL UNWRITTEN…

So where are the rest? Dot Dash Meredith, Authentic Brands Group, Bluestar Alliance, and WHP Global are yet to make public their reported emissions for 2023 and still to commit firmly to science-based reduction targets.

With a combined value of $69.8bn, these are influential companies boasting some of the most recognisable brands around the world - not just within the industry but across the global audiences they reach – the potential is vast for headway to be made in the industry’s combined efforts to reduce its environmental impact.

With the clock now at five and a half years until 2030, now is the time to expedite those actions ■

ABOVE:

Responsible for 25% of the world’s global emissions, the retail sector carries a big global footprint. 98% of that is made up of emissions from across its extensive value chain. Retail’s role of influencer cannot be overestimated.

FOOTPRINT RETAIL’S GLOBAL

In 2017, Walmart launched Project Gigaton – an initiative to encourage its suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint, aiming to avoid, reduce, or sequester one billion tonnes of emissions by 2030.

By February this year, the company said that its suppliers had achieved that goal. What’s more, it said that 75% of net US sales in fiscal 2023 came from suppliers enlisted in that project. As a notifier, there’s a clear message: the role retail has to play in the global net zero mission should not be underestimated.

The retail industry carries a big global footprint. It also plays a crucial role in the global economy. In 2022, the global retail market generated an impressive $27 trillion in sales and is projected to exceed $30 trillion by the end of 2024. This is an economic success that comes, however, with a significant environmental cost.

The retail sector is one of the top ten most carbon-intensive industries, responsible for approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these emissions arise from the extensive retail value chain, which accounts for up to 98% of a retailer’s total emissions. This may start to put those one billion tonnes of supplier emissions into a little more perspective.

THE FOOTPRINTS OF GIANTS

In its full-year 2023 ESG report, Walmart recorded an impressive 23.2% reduction in combined scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions versus a 2015 baseline to 14.62

Yet while data accrued from Project Gigaton has helped edge it nearer, the retail behemoth still hasn’t got a firm grasp on its scope 3 emissions. It’s why you won’t find them in any Walmart ESG report just yet. Walmart’s scope 3, as yet, remains vastly unknown. Best estimates, made back in 2017 –at the launch of Project Gigaton – suggest they were ‘probably 20 times the combined total of its scope 1 and 2.’ By this logic, Walmart’s 2023 scope 3 emissions could be estimated at around 292.4 million metric tonnes of CO2e.

In a blog post announcing the early success of Project Gigaton, Walmart’s chief sustainability officer, Kathleen McLaughlin said the company plans to “assess which elements of its scope 3 footprint are addressable and which are too far out of its control.”

RETAIL AS INFLUENCER

The retail sector is uniquely positioned to lead transformational change. Its capacity for significant influence is vast. Retail can positively address and meet increasing regulatory requirements; shift stakeholder values; and achieve emissions reduction targets; as well as drive societal shifts in consumption patterns among customers.

It’s a position the world’s largest retail groups appear to be willing to hold. Encouragingly, 80% of the top ten biggest retail brands on the planet are now aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative while 60% are committed to a net zero target of between 2035 and 2050.

Walmart, the Schwarz Group, Aldi South, Target, The Home Depot, the Kroger Company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and even China’s JD.com are all SBTi aligned. Noticeable in its absence from this list is Amazon. The online juggernaut (and second largest retailer in the world, valued at $239.15bn) was, at one point, fully aligned with the SBTi, until a tightening of the platform’s reporting criteria prompted the retailer’s exit from the

Products of Change analyses the sustainability strategies across the world’s top ten biggest retailers by value.

programme. Meanwhile, Costco (the world’s third largest at $195.93bn) is facing mounting pressure to join the initiative from stakeholders and advisors.

Both Amazon and Costco have made not insignificant levels of commitment. Outlined in its most recent ESG report, Costco is on a pathway to reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions 39% by 2030 (compared to a 2020 baseline); is engaging its suppliers on supply chain traceability and supporting them in ‘minimising the risk of sourcing from areas of deforestation’; and is “committed to supporting nature-based solutions, such as regenerative agriculture.”

80% of the world's top ten biggest retailers are now aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative.

80% of the world's top ten biggest retailers are now aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative.

30% of the world’s top ten biggest retailers are committed to net zero by 2040.

30% of the world’s top ten biggest retailers are committed to net zero by 2040.

Meanwhile, Amazon “wants to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040” and has – at the start of the year – updated its Supply Chain Standards to require suppliers share their emissions data and set carbon goals.

Yet as noble as the intentions sound, there’s a chasm between these commitments and other global retail groups that is becoming increasingly evident.

NATURE’S HELPING HAND

In 2023, the British supermarket Tesco became one of the first grocers in the world to have its Forests, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) and non-FLAG net zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Those targets include the reduction of absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 85% by 2030 and a 55% reduction of absolute scope 3 emissions from energy and industrial sources and scope 3 emissions from FLAG emissions by 39% by 2032. That’s not all, because also in 2023 Tesco joined the Science Based Targets for Nature and the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures pilots, placing biodiversity high on its agenda.

It’s according to WWF research that the global food system is responsible for more than 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and 60% of biodiversity loss, underscoring the “essential role retailers have to play in reshaping the system.” Meanwhile, a recent article published in Nature has shown strong evidence for the first time of the positive impact FSC-certified forest management has had on large mammals, compared to non-FSC areas. It’s indicative that programmes do work, and the more retailers can align, the higher – and better – prospects our biodiversity has, too.

In its 2022/23 report, Tesco plc recorded its total gross carbon emissions at 1,614,333 metric tonnes. It may be a fraction of a brand like Walmart’s but no less a priority ■

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: SAVVY, FRESH, CREATIVE AND DIVERSE… HOW ARE WE EMBRACING THE FUTURE?

Youth and diversity in any industry is fundamental to its survival, bringing with it fresh perspectives and new ways of approaching subjects – some of which you may not even realise are on the agenda.

Within the business of brand licensing, it’s an absolute no-brainer. We are in an industry serving consumers of all ages and audiences of incredible diversity. We need to be on the pulse of fresh ideas and creativity. And where do those ideas come from? From narratives of all backgrounds and from the future generation.

Being a millennial myself, I’m not close enough to some of the new consumer trends of the Alpha Generation. I’m not on Fortnite (sorry to disappoint you) and TikTok isn’t my second home. I know I can’t be an idea generator for that age group of consumers, just as much as I can’t for the generation before me. So, how do we tap into the stories of the ages and authentically represent the experience of these communities?

Acknowledging that is quite freeing. Because we then get to see what the next generation is offering our industry. They are coming through with a completely different perspective on life, in general, and I find that very encouraging and enriching.

At Informa Markets, we are now one year into our partnership with Diversity.org, a US-headquartered, global organisation responsible for bringing students aged 12 to 18 from schools and universities to provide opportunity and exposure to industries and jobs they maybe never would have thought to enter.

It’s offered a reciprocal benefit. Brands involved in mentoring these students were able to gain direct insight through the questions these individuals asked them. Questions they hadn’t yet thought to ask themselves, and ones that were often quite challenging. Fascinating to point out, is the relationship the incoming wave of professionals have with sustainability.

Youth, creativity, and the sustainable development of the licensing industry. It all plays into the rich tapestry that is a welcoming, diverse, and forward-thinking sector. Anna Clarke, senior vice president of Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets explores brand, licensing, and retail’s new - green - frontier.

It’s embedded into everything they say, do, or think without question. It’s not something that needs prompting, it’s just innately there with expectation. This is the difference between the generations coming through and the older categories. While we are educating ourselves on the changes we need to see, those coming through simply expect it. They are aware, they are climate savvy, and they are purpose driven. And if you’re not, then why not?

The closing day of Las Vegas Licensing Expo this year will be dedicated to welcoming the future of the brand licensing industry: whether that is in purpose-driven partnerships; how to build the developing workforce; the advance of technology and AI within business and consumer trends; or in the sustainable development of an industry reaching into new territory and breaking new ground every day. And helping to pioneer in those spaces, we must thank our industry’s young leaders. They are carving out the future for this business of brands.

“Even within my own generation, I’m simply not close enough to some of the new consumer trends taking the forefront in the Alpha Generation. I’m not on Fortnite (sorry to disappoint you) and TikTok isn’t my second home.”

This evolution isn’t being spearheaded by individuals, just as sustainability isn’t the effort of one chief sustainability officer in one company. Rather, sustainability is becoming embedded in every single function that is trying to achieve it. Every decision has a perspective to the sustainable future. And this is coming not just from the top-down but also the bottom-up. More and more, the youth coming into the industry are inspiring the older generations to think differently. And this is exactly the way it should be ■

ABOVE: Anna Clarke, senior vice president of Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets shares her take on the generation coming up in the industry.

With over half Gen Z workers now researching a company’s ESG before taking on a role, chances are your youngest employees have already got your number. POC explores the dawning of the ‘purpose economy’.

THE PURPOSE ECONOMY

When talking about the collective aspirations of the next

generation of employees,

Paul Randle – co-author of the business improvement book, Sustainable Marketing – likes to reference the state of the tobacco industry.

In recent years, he will recount, the tobacco industry has been forced to turn to AI to automate its marketing departments.

“The reason being, that tobacco companies can no longer retain the talent – they can only get the rubbish people,” he tells us. “And if you take the talent out of an industry, its competition depletes too.”

Paul, a sustainable marketing consultant and tutor of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, is one half of the co-authorship behind Sustainable Marketing, a guide – written with his colleague Alexis Eyre – on how marketing can be used as a power for influencing planet positive behaviour. As such, both he and Alexis know what makes businesses tick.

“A business is 56% more likely to outperform competitors and peers on talent attraction when you’re an employer with a sustainability strategy in place,” he continues. “These are figures that are going to hit the medium

to long-term competitiveness of your business.”

There’s a long line of reports, papers, and research into the topic. Concern over environmental issues has pushed Gen Z and Millennial employees to become more vocal about their workplace principles which, ultimately, influence where they go.

Research from Deloitte found that out of almost 23,000 respondents, 55% of Gen Z workers and 54% of Millennials have gone so far as to research a company’s “environmental impact and policies before accepting a job from them.”

Furthermore, 17% of Gen Z respondents have already switched jobs – some switching sectors altogether – in favour of careers aligned with their values; a further 25% claim they plan on making the switch at some point in the future.

“The most refreshing thing we are seeing across the business, even the industry right now, in terms of compliance teams, is that we have young people coming out of university with

FAR RIGHT: The creative agency

NOSY switched tack in 2023 to work only with companies acting towards sustainable development. RIGHT: Volunteering days are becoming as much a part of a company identity and culture as their brand.

degrees in relevant sciences to do the work that now needs to be done,” says Jeremy Orriss, director of licensing at Difuzed.

“And the best thing I’ve seen is the people with white hair having to listen to young people on these matters.”

GREEN INVESTMENTS

Sustainability is an undeniably crucial factor when thinking about how to best invest in your business. Last year, the UK’s net zero economy grew 9% in stark contrast to the 0.1% growth seen in the economy overall. According to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit and the Confederation of British Industry, the green economy was responsible for £74bn in goods and services and 765,000 jobs.

It’s evidence as to why businesses really ought to be taking the net zero transition seriously as a profit-generating market.

A 2023 Global Executive Survey from the executive search firm, Boyden points out that 17% of companies today have a chief sustainability officer on the books; 23% have a dedicated sustainability lead; while

46% have sustainability led by a board of executive committee – a ‘green team’.

Also worth noting is that by sector, the strongest believers in sustainability are private equity, also at 46%. It’s becoming an argument well-versed that the private sector will be the one to lead the sustainability transformation and the transition to net zero. Government and legislative measures – those like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in the European market and the eventual arrival of the SEC Climate Disclosure Regulations in the US - will simply sweep up the rest.

GREEN JOBS IN THE LICENSING INDUSTRY

With a “tsunami of legislation” destined to change the operational landscape for all businesses now a matter of months from coming into force, around half (46%) of the global brand licensing industry believes it is still missing a “top-down strategy” for sustainable development within their business.

This is according to responses to a Sustainability in Licensing Conference survey sent out across industry attendees towards the end of 2023.

The good news is that the majority (83%) feel their business has the senior management buy-in to start the process of building those strategies into their operations. However, there are concerns over ‘lack of ownership to drive progress’, alongside a ‘lack of resource and

headcount’ that are still hampering some.

A recent report carried out by the Sustainable Toys Action Consulting Team found that 23% of their own respondents across the global toy industry lack the resource or headcount themselves to implement a defined sustainability strategy.

Yet the positive takeaway here remains. There is a clear direction of travel across the brand and licensing industries and 54% of businesses now claim to have a dedicated sustainability team in place.

But what is it spurring brands to act? With many still largely unaware of impending legislative changes, it’s most likely through the generation they are employing in junior levels.

“A lot of the time – and this is something we are seeing - newcomers coming into a business are beginning to inspire companies to start thinking differently anyway,” says Anna Clarke, svp licensing at Global Licensing Group. “So, in the licensing industry, we really are starting to see things happen top-down and bottom-up.”

And it is they, the individuals now shaping company culture and direction, who will ultimately shape what the licensing industry of tomorrow looks like. So, let’s get to work meeting our young leaders of business. ■

LEFT: This Isle of Wightbased business visits the local beekeeper to learn about biodiversity.

LEFT: Giving back to the community and to nature is being built into a new generation of business leaders.

Lush’s latest licensed partnership with Dreamworks’ Shrek means relaxation, ogre-style.

Plastic waste collections in action as a part of Lush’s dedication to reducing impact.

LEFT:

LEFT:

YOUNG LEADERS ON THE GREEN SCENE

Youth, creativity, and the sustainable development of the licensing industry. With eyes firmly on the future of the global brand licensing and retail industry, young professionals are turning up armed to the hilt with green skills and a passion for driving change. Products of Change wants to celebrate that exciting direction of travel, so let’s take a look at the individuals helping shape the industry of tomorrow.

Tiffany Light Sustainability lead

Roy Lowe & Sons

Having joined the family-owned licensed apparel and accessories specialist back in 2022 as an assistant garment technologist, Tiffany’s flair for data monitoring and legislation saw her promptly given the title sustainability lead at the start of this year.

In this position, it is Tiffany’s responsibility to keep Roy Lowe & Sons on track to reach a series of ambitious new climate goals while helping the team “remain accountable for what we are doing.” Tiffany not only crunches the data but keeps an informed eye on all the legislative updates, relaying the critical issues back to the team.

“More and more, the spotlight is becoming fixed on sustainability and we, as a business, want to make sure we are constantly moving forward with our own sustainability journey,” says Tiffany.

“It’s very important that we conduct our daily activities with sustainable development in mind. It is my position to establish not only what we need to be doing to meet legislation, but to see how we can progress this further.

“These are exciting times for business.

There is so much drive out there for change. We love a challenge and are excited to contribute to a better future.”

Jakob Max Hamann business development and sustainability governance of LEGO partnerships, licensing, and publishing, The LEGO Group

For someone with a master thesis project on the circular economy under their belt; a Science Masters in sustainable product development from the University of Southern Denmark; and an accreditation in executive education, leading sustainability: High Impact Leadership from the University of Cambridge, Jakob Max Hamann sure spends a lot of time playing with LEGO. Luckily it comes with the territory. For the past five years, Jakob has been building a career with the Danish play and entertainment brand where he joined as a student working across the Group’s environmental product innovation division. By the end of 2022, Jakob had been made the LEGO Group’s sustainability governance lead, overseeing the sustainability transformation of LEGO brand, consumer product, and publishing partnerships business.

In August last year, his role was expanded to take on the dual position of senior business development manager and sustainability governance lead. All that, and he still has youth on his side. No wonder he’s happy.

Corinne Duckworth, commercial executive, Dreamtex

Part of a close-knit and busy team at Dreamtex, Corinne’s role as commercial executive means she is pulled across marketing, sales and licensing, consumer press, and PR just as much as she handles accounts while managing the company’s marketing.

It’s a role, therefore, that gives Corinne a unique perspective of each area of the business, and when and where change can be made to reduce the company’s environmental impact.

“I definitely like to wave the sustainability flag at every opportunity,” she tells Products of Change. “Our sustainability strategy is something we are constantly developing, so when a better way comes along, we’ll always strive to implement it into our day-to-day operations.”

Among the team’s many strides along its pathway towards sustainable development is its 100% BCI sourced cotton range with Bluey.

“The character is growing and growing so being able to develop sustainable products to support this is a great feeling,” says Corinne. “Every day the industry is moving towards a more sustainable future. Little changes make a huge difference, especially when it comes down from the big brands at the top. I think we’re in the most exciting, pivotal point of the industry’s sustainability journey and it will only get better.”

YOUNG LEADERS ON THE GREEN SCENE

Fergal Doran Ethical and sustainability coordinator, Sambro

In his position as ethical and sustainability coordinator at Sambro, Fergal finds his time split between supply chain management and sustainable projects - working closely with all 61 vendors and factories within the company portfolio; and assessing Sambro’s own sustainability operations. This spans waste management on site and through the supply chain; analysing the company’s carbon footprint; and chairing Sambro’s monthly ESG committee meetings. He may even find time to eat every now and then.

Still relatively new to the role himself, Fergal has spearheaded an initiative known as ‘behaviours’ as a means of driving the sustainability conversation throughout the company culture as well as with partners and potential clients. In just six months of starting, Fergal has already helped Sambro achieve a record score in the company’s APEX ESG audit.

“There are so many little changes we are seeing at the moment, not only from a legislative point of view but also from a customer point of view, and I am really excited to be a part of that change,” says Fergal.

“Meeting people with the same mind-set always gives me hope that the world can change regardless of all the dreadful things we hear. Products of Change is providing the platform to help push the message forwards.”

Jason Signh Head of sustainability, Pure Table Top

As head of sustainability at Pure Table Top, it’s with a full degree of legitimacy that Jason can chalk up the company’s B Corp accreditation as one of his greatest moments of professional success.

Brought on board to formulate and implement the Pure Sustainability Plan, Jason’s responsibility spans the regulatory, technical, and ethical compliance of the company, as well as staff and stakeholder sustainability education.

In between all this, Jason researches new strategies, technologies, and regulations while also looking at new ways to commercialise the opportunities they bring.

“The sustainable strategy at Pure Table Top has been a key part of the business for many years, especially with regards to ethical sourcing, community, and transparency,’ says Jason. “I’m able to help maintain and expand these established principles while researching and innovating within new areas amid an ever-evolving landscape.

“It’s a challenge due to the processes required to make our products, but I’ve learned it’s about making small steps count: introducing renewable energy sources into our supply chain, using recycled materials, hitting FSC across our entire business, and investigating the world of carbon capture over carbon credits… the list is long.”

Courtney Ward-Hunting Sustainability Manager, The Jamie Oliver Group

Having flown the nest (left the flock?) and made the jump from her four and a half-year tenure at Penguin Random House UK in March this year, Courtney has taken on the role of sustainability manager at The Jamie Oliver Group where she will help develop and deliver the brand’s sustainability pledge and mission to achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2040.

The Jamie Oliver Group has campaigned for a fairer, more sustainable food system for many years, while its social purpose work is at the heart of everything it does. In 2020 it become a B Corp certified business.

In November 2022, Courtney received the Booksellers FutureBook Sustainability Award for Penguin Random House UK’s Sustainability Production Toolkit, an initiative launched by the book publisher to demystify the challenges around responsible sourcing and educate PRH staff to produce books more sustainably.

Sustainable Alice Batman & Batgirl

The Flash

Pirate

Goldilocks

Matilda

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Sustainable Rosie Riding Hood

Superman & Supergirl Bluey

Sustainable Police Officer & Firefighter

YOUNG LEADERS ON THE GREEN SCENE

Nishali Malik ESG strategy lead, Bioworld Merchandising

Working with the Bioworld US team to drive forward its sustainable development and deliver its sustainable strategy, Nishali has been across a number of projects to have helped give the business a competitive edge when it comes to sustainability in licensing. Bioworld is currently working to reduce the energy output and carbon footprint in everything it does.

Nishali has played an active role in helping Bioworld make the switch to post consumer recycled polyester in its sleepwear, hosiery, carried accessories, headwear, and more. By 2025, the business aims to have 100% of its used cotton fall under Cotton USA, Organic Cotton Standard, Global Organic Textile Standard, or Better Cotton Initiative programmes. Bioworld hopes to launch its first recycled cotton programme this year.

Rishi Jain Director of impact, Liverpool FC

It’s no small task to lead the sustainability efforts across a Premier League football club as celebrated as Liverpool FC, let alone deliver to such a standard that the team is consistently the table leader when it comes to sustainable development.

The privilege of leading such efforts –all falling under the club’s strategy, The Red Way – belongs to Rishi Jain whose role it is to lead his team and colleagues across the business to deliver against the weighty ambitions of Liverpool FC.

Rishi’s work in delivering the team’s second ever ESG report, The Red Way Report 2023, played a major part in the Club winning the Environmental Sustainability Award at the FEVO Sport Industry Awards in April this year and has been chalked up by Rishi as his greatest achievement with Liverpool FC to date.

“It’s the second report we’ve published, and we were really driven on making sure it was authentic, transparent, and importantly, demonstrated the progress we’ve made over the last three years,” he says. “I really feel we did this, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“The spirit of collaboration across the industry is exciting. So many people have an unwavering commitment to challenge some of the biggest issues the world is facing around climate change, and we know as a football club with a brand recognisable in almost every household in the world, we can play our part in that fight.”

Anna Dyet

Net zero and zero waste coordinator, LUSH

Having started her career with LUSH as a sales assistant working in its Oxford store, Anna Dyet made the jump to become the purpose-led cosmetics company’s net zero and zero waste coordinator in 2021. Anna now works as part of LUSH’s Earth Care and property teams, responsible for monitoring and reducing the waste and utilities across the retailer’s UK and Ireland stores and – through efficiency and improvement projects and training –maintains LUSH on its steady course towards reaching its climate positive targets.

In her spare time, Anna is studying for a Masters in Sustainable Development in which net zero planning and data monitoring are key focal points. As a part of the LUSH Earth Care team, Anna works with Ruth Andrade, Earth Care strategy lead at LUSH Cosmetics.

A GLOBAL PLASTIC TREATY

The UN’s Global Plastic Treaty has just concluded its fourth round of negotiations in Ottawa, Canada where tensions between NGOs, governments, industry, and lobbyists remain high…

ABOVE RIGHT: The fourth round of discussions over the UN Plastic Treaty were held last month in Ottawa, Canada.

Atopic that has brought everyone to the table - from NGOs and governments to manufacturers, industry, and plastic and fossil fuel lobbyists – the Global Plastic Treaty has set out to provide an answer to the question ‘what will the world do about its plastic pollution crisis?’

With the fourth round of discussions – which took place in Ottawa, Canada this past month – now drawn to a close, the answer remains to be written.

More than 2,500 delegates participated in INC4’s hard-fought revision of the treaty’s draft text, and while Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) remains optimistic the latest discussions have laid the groundwork “for even greater progress” at the fifth and final session in Busan, South Korea this November, there’s a nervousness among some over the ambitions of the final draft.

“UNEP have been led, until now, by the passionate speeches on the necessity to simply ‘turn off the plastic tap’ voiced by the NGOs,” says the LEGO Group’s environmental policy lead, Louise Smith. “And as a result, we’re seeing push back from entities –countries like China and Russia – that are suggesting plastic production is not an issue.

“But we need to follow the science. If we follow the science, with representation from business, we will be able to land upon an agreed draft that will be a stepping stone towards - or a foundation to be built onwhatever comes after these Treaty negotiations.”

and host of the UK’s preliminary Treaty talks on behalf of the UK government), suggests that much of the division rests in the depth of understanding the issue with plastics.

“The challenge of plastic pollution demands a comprehensive and collaborative response,” says James. “By fostering a culture of stewardship,

innovation, and accountability we can build a circular economy that eliminates waste, conserves resources, and safeguards the health of our planet and its inhabitants.”

Products of Change’s advisor and circular economy ambassador, James George (a member of the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network

It’s estimated that, currently, out of the 430 million tonnes of plastic produced each year, around two-thirds is simply thrown away. According to the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, 11 million tonnes of that waste ends up in our seas each year, polluting and damaging both the environment and the global food chain.

It’s also estimated that the impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems, climate, the economy, and human health costs the planet between $300bn and $600bn a year. Meanwhile, the global production of plastic is expected to double in the next 20 years if action isn’t taken.

“A holistic approach to waste management encompasses not only recycling and waste reduction but also pollution prevention and product stewardship,” continues James.

“Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes incentivise manufacturers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products. By internalising the environmental costs of plastic production and incentivising eco-design, frameworks like this can drive innovation and promote the adoption of more sustainable practices across industries.”

RIGHT: The Ocean Plastics Leadership Network is an activist group turned industry collaborator to turn the tide on plastic pollution.

RIGHT: POC advisor and ambassador on the circular economy, James George

BELOW: A timeline of the Plastic Treaty discussions.

WHAT A WIN FOR WATER WEEK

TWastebuster and Products of Change celebrate the first swathe of media and entertainment partners to support the UK’s first ever Water Week in collaboration with the United Nations and the UN Water Decade.

he Wombles Community Charity, CNN, and Open Planet (the content sharing platform launched by Studio Silverback) have been named among the first in a swathe of media and entertainment groups to support the UK’s first ever Water Week.

An initiative launched in November last year, Water Week will be working with industry to inform, inspire, and empower children through storytelling and the global challenges we currently face surrounding water.

A first for the UK, the campaign is being run by Wastebuster which – with support from Products of Change – will harness the power of entertainment for social change while inspiring the next generation to become water stewards.

“We are all aware of the importance of water. However, people often overlook the simple things we can do to help,” says The Wombles Community Charity’s official spokesperson, Great Uncle Bulgaria.

A 2024 United Nations World Water Development Report published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water has raised concerns that 2.2 billion people still live without access to safely managed drinking water, while 3.5 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation.

including documentaries, inspirational talks, natural history and feature films, factual programmes, animation, games, and music.

Both The Wombles and Products of Change are among the initiative’s founding partners, while through Open Planet.org – the content sharing platform launched by Studio Silverback (the team behind Blue Planet) in 2020 – Water Week will make use of stunning, hard-hitting, and empowering footage from across the natural world.

“Water connects us all and we all know water is life. The campaign is called ‘Water Week’ but really, every week should be water week,” continues The Wombles’ spokesperson. “The Wombles’ aim is to inspire people to get involved and start improving things one step at a time. Because one step at a time, no action is too small. Join us and let’s make a difference together.”

Meanwhile, ocean plastic pollution is on the rise with 11 million tonnes of plastic waste entering the world’s waterways each year. This has a vast impact on accessibility to clean water, driving water scarcity.

The UN has said that, currently, its Sustainable Development Goal to ensure access to water for all by 2030 ‘is far from being attained’ and that there is now reason to fear ‘these inequalities may continue to rise.’ The deterioration of living conditions, heightened food insecurity, health risks, and ultimately the increased risk of conflict have all been detailed as highlevel impacts of continued water scarcity.

Working with purpose-driven partners across the global entertainment industry, Water Week will curate some of the most compelling and engaging content from all forms of media,

While a first for the UK, Water Week – which will kick off a six-month UK roadshow from 3 June this year – feeds directly into the United Nations’ Water Action Decade. The campaign aims to align stakeholders across industry, government, NGOs, and academics with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN launched its Water Decade in 2018 as a means of encouraging collaboration to achieve its sustainable water management goals.

“Water Week 2024 aims to bring together multiple forces to spark change around Sustainable Development Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), 14 (life below water), and 4 (quality education),” says Caroline Petit, deputy director, United Nations Regional Information Centre for Europe.

“We are over halfway to the 2030 deadline to achieve the SDGs, so there is no time to waste. The campaign seeks to give children and young people a voice in their future, and showcases that no matter how small an action, we can all be part of the solution.”

ABOVE LEFT: The United Nations’ Act Now for Life Below Water correlates directly with SDG number 14..

LEFT:

Wastebuster’s Katy Newnham, The UN’s Caroline Petit, and POC’s Helena MansellStopher.

BELOW: The Wombles Community Charity are supporting the UK’s first ever Water Week in partnership with the UN.

IT’S SHOWTIME!

From the LEGO Group’s Build the Change and Smiley’s Future Positive mission to transform the industry from within, to the evolving technology helping brands embrace product sustainability and customer engagement; when the announcement was made that this year’s Licensing Expo was to explore the theme ‘brands at play’, Products of Change understood the assignment.

BUILDING THE CHANGE

At the tail end of March this year, the United Nations finally set an official date in the diary for the first ever International Day of Play.

Recent research surveying more than 25,000 children from across 36 countries reveals that 75% of young people don’t believe adults take play seriously enough. This is the drum the LEGO Group has beaten for the last 17 years, ever since the launch of Build the Change.

A global, nonprofit sustainability education programme now funded by the LEGO Foundation, Build the Change is the LEGO Group’s acknowledgement that the brain learns best through play. Last year, it reached over two million children.

“It’s about listening to kids, getting their ideas on how to solve real world problems, and then amplifying that message,” says Anders Juul, senior global programme manager at the LEGO Group. “We can encourage communication, creative thinking, and collaboration while using our power to knock on doors and amplify kids’ voices.”

In 2021, for example, the LEGO Group played an active role in Glasgow’s COP26 climate conference by presenting its Build the Change campaign to dignitaries and representatives.

Detailed within was not only the LEGO Group’s manifesto to empower children but the demands and expectations of children today from those currently shaping their future. As such, Build the Change has become the forum for the youngest generation to speak their minds about sustainability.

Most recently, the LEGO Group attended the fourth round of intergovernmental Negotiations by Committee in Ottawa, Canada as part of the United Nation’s endeavour to draw up a Global Plastics Treaty and provide a legally binding text on the world’s approach to the plastic pollution crisis.

A “megaphone for the voices of children”, the LEGO Group might just be one of the strongest envoys the future generation has at such discussions. And that’s a chance to really Build the Change.

CHANGING SYSTEMS FROM WITHIN

It will take more than one scribe to rewrite the future and Smiley’s Future Positive is working to change the brand licensing industry from within. Corresponding with its partnership with the United Nations to deliver UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: responsible production and consumption, Future Positive is about striking balance.

It’s an initiative that demands more of consumer products by bringing brands together to curate a collection of more responsible products and a 10year plan to positively and sustainably transform 100% of Smiley’s licensing portfolio.

“Consumer goods are an absolute necessity to the livelihoods of billions of people. They create our cultures,” says Nicolas Loufrani, ceo at The Smiley Company. “But the problems we create are enormous. We must absolutely change the way we produce and recycle everything.”

Future Positive already works with partners across fashion and apparel, bags, books, greeting cards, gifts and home products, and beverages.

The plan, however, is to extend its ethos across all the product categories Smiley currently spans.

“There has been great reaction to the movement, and we have only had positive comments,” says Nicolas. “But this is going to require massive efforts and investments to transform into concrete actions by licensees and retailers.

“But I always tell everyone that progress beats perfection, and I celebrate our progress.”

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

IT’S SHOWTIME!

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE… AND LICENSING

With laws including the Right to Repair, the CSDDD’s Ecodesign Regulation, and Extended Producer Responsibility trickling into industry over the coming years, greater onus is going to start being placed on the end of product life processes being adopted.

At the end of March 2024, Mark Litos, the co-founder of Refried Apparel rescued 50,000 pairs of denim jeans from going up in flames. An overseas mass retailer had over-ordered on their stock for that season and was looking for a means to ditch its ‘waste’.

Refried Apparel, a Massachusetts textiles expert bringing skilled seamstress work and apparel manufacturing back to the USA, fields calls like this nearly every day. As one of the country’s most prestigious fashion upcycling businesses, Refried Apparel sees the value in waste. Deadstock, damages, failed designs on garments, and over orders caused by ‘glitches in systems’ are resources to be treasured, used, and sold back to retail in the shape of unique, one-off pieces, all at a premium.

“Giving items of unsaleable clothing a new, upcycled, upmarket, and unique lease of life just captures everyone’s

attention,” says Mark. “We operate on the dead stock we can get our hands on. So, it’s about being flexible and the brands we work with understanding our nontraditional processes and

methods. And the brands we work with today? They have been amazing. They really see the benefit of what we do.”

Today, Refried Apparel works in licensed and nonlicensed goods with resorts, professional sports brands (including the MLB, NFL, NHL, and others), even corporate brands. With a team of home-grown, skilled creative talent, the Refried Apparel appeal has spread like wildfire across the scene.

TRANSPARENT WITH THE TRUTH

With word out that Chinti + Parker has partnered with the technology provider, Fabacus to pilot its Digital Product Passport across a collection of Peanuts apparel, so the licensing industry got its next taste of the future of fashion. And, with the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive now approved in European Parliament, requirement of all textile producers to provide digital product passports will begin as early as 2026.

Described as digital product identifiers that “log the end-to-end lifecycle and journey information” (encompassing materials and manufacturing processes used; supply chain partners; and the environmental implications of a product), Digital Product Passports are tools enabling consumers to make more informed decisions about the products they buy.

“And in line with the ‘brands at play’ theme of this year’s Licensing Expo, we want to re-frame Digital Product Passports as not only being an emerging regulatory requirement, but also an innovative business opportunity,” says Jonathan Baker, cco at Fabacus.

Last summer, Fabacus partnered with the responsible fashion brand, Nobody’s Child to launch its first iteration of the Passport, disclosing circular product information including carbon and water footprints in line with the developing EU regulations.

“DPPs represent more than a mandated short-term brand legislation,” says Jonathan. “They signify long-term opportunities to connect with audiences and will play a pivotal role in extending the life of a product, creating value within the circular economy, for example, by integrating digital links to pre-loved platforms and how to repair and recycle the product.”

IT’S SHOWTIME!

ROOM FOR DISCUSSION

SCOPE 3 METHODOLOGY

On Tuesday, 21 May Products of Change will delve into the newest research on developing a scope 3 methodology tailored for the brand and licensing industry. Collaborating with the Green House Gas Protocol, our community of brand owners, licensed manufacturers, and retailers will engage in an open dialogue as we explore the strategies for effectively tracking carbon emissions within our industry.

The POC Carbon Roundtable will take place at the POC Booth S226 from 1.45pm to 2.45pm

INNOVATION ROUNDTABLE

The following day, Wednesday 22 May the POC membership will uncover

the ground-breaking innovations shaping our industry landscape, talking with Fabacus about its Digital Product Passport; chatting with Dayrize about its technology for tracking product impact data; delving into the creative innovations at Upcycle Labs and Refried Apparel giving old product new life; and exploring the industry advance of positive change.

The POC Innovation Roundtable will be held at the POC Booth from 1.45pm to 2.45pm

THE FUTURE OF RETAIL

Later that day, Products of Change will host a session diving into the Future of Sustainable Retail held at The License Global Stage from 3.00pm to 3.30pm

This session will dive into the latest trends and innovative products revolutionising the retail landscape while minimising environmental impact.

EXPLORE THE LIBRARY OF INNOVATIONS

Visitors to the Products of Change booth (S226) will be able to explore a library of industry shaping innovation, including a breakdown of some of the more sustainable materials product developers and designers can be using to create the industry of tomorrow; as well as a showcase of the companies and products that are pushing new boundaries in licensing today.

The Natural History Museum will be showcasing a selection of products developed in partnership with the award-winning home specialist retailer, Dunelm. The retail brand was shortlisted in this year’s Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards’ sustainability category for its pursuit of responsible production and consumption while making use of more sustainable materials and resources – including recycled polyester, 100% cotton, and even hollowfibre - in the development of its NHM collection.

Not only this, the collection takes inspiration directly from the flora and fauna found in some of the UK’s most vulnerable wetlands and other natural areas.

Finally, the booth (S266) will also play host to this year’s shortlisted finalists in the Licensing International Excellence Awards’ Best Sustainability Initiative category: Delipap’s Moomin Baby Diapers; Groundtruth’s Ed Stafford Sustainable Duffle Bag; Boxed Water’s Minions range; The Narwhal Ocean Research Centre x Erdos collection of clothing; Recycle to Read’s Tesco partnership; and the Landmark Project’s National Wildlife Federation apparel collection.

BALANCING THE EQUATION

Products of Change has been celebrating International Women’s Day throughout the month of March to ‘inspire inclusion’ and spotlight some inspirational women in sustainability in brands, licensing, and retail.

This year’s International Women’s Day (which took place, officially on Friday, 8 March) encouraged us all to ‘Inspire Inclusion’, yet across the industry, latest figures within the scope of Diversity and Inclusion offer some interesting reading. Career opportunities within the UK’s net zero economy grew last year by 9% - faster and stronger than markets not attached to sustainability. However, within the green economy’s technology and engineering sectors, only 20% of its roles are filled by women.

MAXINE LISTER Head of Licensing

Natural History Museum

We find ourselves at the point where the green jobs market is rapidly outpacing the skilled workforce to fill it, but still gender bias exists that deter women and girls from pursuing careers within STEM and STEM-related fields.

So, in the spirit of ‘inspiring inclusion’, Products of Change is continuing International Women’s Day celebrations by spotlighting just some of the inspiring women in business across our own brand, licensing, and retail sectors to hear from the individuals leading sustainable development, equity, and equality across the global landscape. ■

As head of licensing at the Natural History Museum, Maxine manages the strategy for the entirety of the Museum’s licensing programme, which encompasses a 2031 plan to embed the sustainability of the Museum as a whole, as well as the work of all its teams, into everything Natural History Museum does.

Maxine has thus played an instrumental role in establishing, reviewing, and reinforcing the ‘Museum’s robust set of sustainability guidelines for when working with partners.

“It’s not only looking at how we can improve the sustainability of the products themselves, but also the stories we can tell about the natural world to inspire consumers, to help them become more aware of the wonderful, diverse world we live in,” says Maxine.

“A lot of small change can make a huge difference. The Museum’s vision is to create a future where people and the planet can thrive simultaneously. To do this, we really aim to create advocates for our planet.”

SAPHIA MAXAMED Founder London Entertainment & Black Lives

Matter

Licensing Movement

Saphia is the founder of both London Entertainment Inc and the Black Lives Matter Licensing Movement, a social enterprise and industry movement to support representation as well as black communities through the power of brand licensing.

“I strongly feel it is my duty,” she says. “Imagine, being in that vulnerable position as a black woman who has to be a full-on strong woman. I was forever expected to be a superwoman to be at the same table as the juniors of my counterparts.

“But the industry is a leader of change and having this uncomfortable conversation has been humbling because the industry really wants to be a force of change. We know our power and we are ready to use it for good.”

ANITA MAHJU Head of licensing and sustainability lead for brands and licensing BBC Studios

Working extensively across all BBC Studios brands, including Bluey and BBC Earth, Anita collaborates with partners to bring environmentally considered and more sustainable choices to consumers.

Through her work, Anita has helped lead projects such as BBC Earth’s partner strategy and drive conversation around sustainable products, while supporting BBC Studios’ plan to “create a greener consumer products division.”

“This industry is so rich with content, talent, and new ideas. It’s what makes it an inspiring space to be in. But for our industry to keep providing this service we must do things differently,” says Anita. “Our industry has thrived on change and, for me, this transformational change makes our industry a better place.”

ELIZABETH EAVES

Lead Sustainability Engineer

Mattel EMEA

Growing up on a farm in the Southwest of England, Elizabeth’s love for nature and the environment blended with her study of chemistry and materials engineering gave her the tools to explore, make impact, and start protecting the natural world she has always loved.

As the lead sustainability engineer at Mattel EMEA, she now gets to dive into the “complex foundation of data” that underpins everything involved in sustainability, while working with some of the biggest brand names on the planet (as well as the kind of polymers we can’t even pronounce).

“For me, the interest is in chemistry and materials, but there are fascinating developments being made in marketing, communications, product development, legal frameworks, agriculture, entertainment… every industry and function has something new and inspiring happening around sustainability,” says Elizabeth.

“I believe a robust ESG strategy should eventually become as important to a brand as its logo or the quality of its products.”

TANITH SELLICKS Founder and ceo Pure Table Top

For Tanith, running her B-Corp accredited homewares business from a place of purpose, people, and planet first means going the length to deliver a new experience for the market while nurturing a company culture that cares.

The business recently launched Purer Home to ‘deliver a “slow fashion” alternative to the homewares market’ by providing and promoting sustainable alternatives.

“Sustainability-focused companies face big challenges,” says Tanith. “And the first is in navigating what we can do to reduce our environmental impact. In my view, it’s essential that we invest in people and resources to do this.

“I urge people to take a longer-term view and understand the benefits of working with purpose.”

Join Our Mission

Community Collaboration

Work alongside brand owners, manufacturers, retailers, and supporting services in our mission for a greener future.

Educational Empowerment

Access exclusive online modules, direct support from industry experts, and a wealth of sustainability resources.

Event and Media Engagement

Keep connected through influential media channels and don’t miss our Sustainability in Licensing Conference.

Be Part of the Change

Engage with our dedicated Products of Change Advisors to tailor your journey towards sustainable development.

As part of our community, help us shape a better tomorrow. Join us on November 6th for Sustainability in Licensing Conference, an event filled with expert discussions and networking opportunities, both in-person and online. Experience the synergy of industry leaders committed to sustainability.

LYNNE WALKER Director Primark Cares

In her role, Lynne Walker has spearheaded swathe after swathe of progressive and positive changes to redress the brand’s relationship with fashion. Projects launched under her watch include Primark’s first circular collection, its durability and repair initiatives, and the continued expansion of its Sustainable Cotton Programme.

“Change is not just an option but a necessity for the industry’s long-term viability,” says Lynne. “And driving that change within fashion requires not only rethinking where we source our products and how they are made but fostering a shift in consumer behaviour and challenging industry norms.

“We’re influencing what products consumers buy, how they buy them, and what they do with them at the end of their life. Prioritising sustainability and ethics should be a core business principle.”

CATRINA O’BRIEN

Director of UK licensing consumer products

Hasbro

Catrina has been the architect of some of Hasbro UK consumer products division’s most inspiring and forwardthinking partnerships and purpose-driven activities, including a collaborative ocean clean-up activation between Peppa Pig, Cleaner Seas, Poetic Brands, and George at Asda.

With a varied and successful career in brand licensing to date, Catrina wields an expert knowledge in the power of brand partnership and how it can be utilised to drive change.

“I wholeheartedly believe in the positive change that we, as an industry, are making towards sustainable practices. Equally, I am a huge supporter of Products of Change who has pioneered and led the licensing industry on this journey,” she says. “By working with our partners and key organisations – such as Products of Change, Cleaner Seas, and Ecologi – we can bring everything together with a strategic retailer that shares in our vision.”

CLAIRE BATES

Senior marketing & sustainability manager

Danilo

Claire is the senior marketing and sustainability manager for the greetings specialist, Danilo and one of the industry’s keenest and proudest advocates of sustainable development.

Whether managing Danilo’s internal green team or implementing the initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, Claire has both laid the foundations for and continues to build upon the company’s vision for a positive and sustainable way of operating.

“Every day, I try to work towards embedding sustainability, ensuring our marketing efforts authentically reflect our commitment to social and environmental responsibility,” says Claire.

“Business models such as reuse, resale, and rental to extend product lifecycles and minimise waste will become increasingly important and in my role, I advocate for the adoption of circular economy principles across the value chain.”