The Products of Change Conference serves an important function in our industry, bringing together voices and stakeholders from its breadth and depths to all work together on the singular, but undoubtedly complex, issue of sustainability. But without the supporters of our Conference, it could never happen.
The companies that pledge their support are each playing a part in the education and advancement of our industry on its path towards sustainability, to whom we are very grateful. See below for a list of the supporting companies and a little insight into what great work they are doing:
The Wombles
First aired in 1973, The Wombles tells the story of a secretive group of creatures who live beneath Wimbledon Common. The original environmental champions, their adventures involved recycling and reusing the discarded things left behind by humans on the Common.
The characters were brought out of hibernation in 2020 and have since inspired a new generation with their sustainability and positive environmental messages, encouraging them to think about the impact littering has on their own environment.
The BBC
In 2022, the BBC and its commercial subsidiaries, including BBC Studios – a Products of Change member – committed to setting Long Term Targets and the adoption of Science Based Targets Net Zero standard by the SBTi, the official body for the validation of climate goals.
The broadcasting corporation’s Near Term Targets now stand at a commitment to reduce absolute scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 base year and reduce its scope 3 emissions 28% within the same timeframe. In the Long-Term, the BBC has committed to reduce absolute scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2050.
Dreamtex
Major sustainability plans have been put into action by licensed bedding specialist Dreamtex. From the inside out, the Dreamtex team has been implementing steps ranging from early engagement with and exploration of new natural fibres such as bamboo for bedding to Scope 1 and 2 data collection and Scope 3 mapping, as the business continues to ‘move the needle’ of industry sustainability.
Among the measures being taken, Dreamtex has too been vocal on the importance of industry collaboration powered by the creation of open forums in which to share knowledge and insight.
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in London is to undergo a major ‘transformation’ that will mark “a step-change” in the institution’s mission to become a “catalyst for change” in response to the climate emergency.
The scheme to renovate the museum’s celebrated Victorian building and develop a new research and storage facility will build on its aim to turn visitors into “advocates for the planet”, an educational initiative it made public back in 2020.
Since 2020, the Natural History Museum’s consumer products and licensing division has been on a similar journey to help ‘create advocates for the planet’ by integrating the ethos and mission statement of the Museum into its licensing partnerships.
Open Beijing
Beijing recently issued an action plan for the city’s municipally administered, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to promote carbon peaking and drive its green and low-carbon development.
According to the action plan, by 2030, the consumption of renewable energy by Beijing SOEs will take around 25% of their total energy consumption, and their emissions of carbon dioxide will peak and begin to decline steadily. Moreover, the size and proportion of green and low-carbon industry will also significantly increase by 2030.
The action plan also asks state-owned capital to be weighted toward green, low carbon, and other emerging industries.
The Smurfs
Since June 2019, IMPS – the licence holder for The Smurfs – has worked with the United Nations as part of the UN’s Media Pact to act as ambassadors of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Under the agreement, the brand routinely calls out these goals through activations and campaigns, such as European Beach Clean-Ups and more.
The development goals are recognised as building blocks towards a better and more sustainable way of life for people and the planet. The UN is on a mission to help integrate these goals into the everyday life of citizens the world over.
Fabacus
Fabacus first introduced its Digital Product Passport capabilities in 2023 via a collection of clothing produced by its sister company, the ethical fashion label Nobody’s Child.
Product data is stored on a scannable QR code through which customers are offered an in-depth level of transparency across around 100 data points from the creation to consumption of each garment.
Through its pilot technology, Fabacus has made a commitment to “redefine the future of fashion and retail”, using its technology to “craft new, engaging, and innovative channels for consumer interaction.”
Mattel
Mattel is exploring a variety of new circular economy and business model innovations to extend the life of its products and keep materials in use for longer through resource recovery, the company’s lead engineer for quality and compliance.
The initiative is an extension of the work being carried out by the Mattel Playback programme which encourages families to send their well-loved toys back to Mattel where the team will repurpose and reuse materials recovered.
Poetic Brands
Poetic Brands was established in 2015 as part of the PDS Multinational Group to expand and concentrate on specific retail channels.
Poetic Brands has been working with Upcycle Labs, a pioneering outfit that takes waste materials – namely waste textiles, headstock, unsold, and returned clothing no longer in any condition to be resold – and upcycles it in to new products. These can be any and all manner of gifts and housewares products – all made on site at the company’s Nottingham HQ – and all limited only by the imagination.
Upcycle Labs also happens to be part of a pioneering new chain, fostered by the PDS Group (the parent company of Poetic Brands and many others) that started all the way back at the clothing manufacturing sites in Sri Lanka under the Norlanka name. It’s here where Poetic Brands’ own baby wear collections are produced before they move through Poetic and onto the rails at George at Asda.
Items that are unsold by the end of their run are recaptured by the clothing reuse and resale specialist, Yellow Octopus – another PDS Group entity – which brings items that cannot be shifted elsewhere into the Upcycling process at Upcycle Labs.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Discovery is a member of the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance (SEA), a consortium of the world’s leading film, television and streaming companies dedicated to advancing sustainability initiatives. It is also a contributor to the Green Production Guide, a set of tools and resources established in 2010 to help reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and environmental impact across production.
Warner Bros advocates that stories with environmental subject matter educate and inform audiences, encourage positive behaviours, and provide inspiration on topics such as the climate and environmental sustainability.
Warner Bros. Discovery is a member of albert, a UK – based, BAFTA-owned organisation dedicated to empowering the industry to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future and enabling the industry to make positive contributions to the environment. Consistent with local production requirements, all Warner Bros. Discovery U.K. & Ireland commissioned productions are asked to use the albert tools and methodologies to reduce their carbon footprint.
Character World Brands
Character World Brands is committed to championing and delivering its sustainability strategy with ambitious goals to reduce its impact on the planet, looking at product development, packaging, post consumer care and reducing its carbon footprint.
Packaging: Making it easy for consumers to recycle. It has eliminated hard-to-recycle material from its duvet packaging and doesn’t use foil or plastic coatings.
Fabric: Its team have a clear mission to offer sustainable and regenerated fabric options for all its customers.
Post-consumer: Character World Brands wants its customers to love its products for many years. When the time does come to say goodbye, its wants to make it easy for customers to recycle.
Bravado (Universal Music Group)
Universal Music Group has been turning the volume way up on its plans to reduce its environmental impact, across the live music sector, the physical music industry, and within its music merchandise and consumer products space.
Integral to those plans is Bravado, UMG’s music Merch division and avenue of engagement with its scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.
This year, Universal Music Group became the first major standalone music company to announce science-based targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, which means an outlined pathway to:
- Reduce its absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions 58% by 2032 from a 2019 base year.
- Reduce scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions from purchased goods and services; capital goods; fuel and energy related activities; waste generated in operations; business travel; and employee commuting by 62% within the same timeframe.
Bravado is a key driver of UMG’s decarbonisation programme, especially as it relates to scope 3 emissions. And it is working together to engage artists, fans, and supply chain partners in its efforts, and to evolve its merchandise model to meet the needs of the future.
TDP Textiles
TDP Textiles’ journey with sustainability started a few years ago when among the earliest steps the business was its conversion in 2021 and 2022 to electric cars. Today, all company cars are electric. TDP is now fully-committed to making positive change by working with suppliers, retailers, and licensing partners to make improvements large and small where it is possible.
Back in Spring 2020, TDP successful converted its Indian office and factory to become fully solar-powered, a switch that accounted for some major reductions of the business’ greenhouse gas emissions.
Ambitions for 2024:
This year, the focus of TDP Textiles is to drive plastic out and reduce all waste within its product packaging. The business is conscious of and striving to meet the demands of a new generation of consumers now more environmentally engaged and with higher expectations of sustainability in the brands and products they buy into.
