The dress up and party sector is being led through a sustainable transition right now, and among those leaders of change is Wonder – the parent company of Amscan and its numerous sibling brands – who has this year among the many changes made welcomed its own Group Sustainability Specialist.

Daniel Foster took up the mantle in June this year with the mission to provide support to the individual companies under the Wonder brand and to drive the sustainability agenda across each and every one of them. One of his main focuses is to work with the Group Head of Sustainability, Amscan’s Raluca Runcianu to ensure Wonder maintains its position as a sustainability leader in its field.

Ahead of the Sustainability in Licensing Conference, taking place on Wednesday, 8 November at the Royal Geographical Society in London – of which Amscan are a returning supporter this year – we catch up with Dan to learn a little more about the role and a lot more about Wonder’s sustainable journey.

Hi Dan, it’s great to chat with you and congratulations on the new role. It’s a wonderful reflection of Wonder’s ambition and commitment to sustainable development. What are you looking forward to working on with the team?

I’m actually looking forward to implementing some of our plans within the area of social responsibility, it is vital that we continue to uphold the high standards we have for our business and supply chain. Often, businesses put a lot of resource and emphasis into environment, and social responsibility can fall by the wayside, however, at Wonder we are committed to high work standards, safe working conditions and duty of care to our employees and supply chain.

And what will be your target areas of focus as you work to develop the team’s sustainability strategy/measures etc?

As always reduction is key for sustainability, whether that be emissions reduction, waste reduction or reduction of single use materials. We are looking, as a team, at ways in which we can reduce Wonder’s impact across the supply chain, focusing on our scope 1,2 and 3 emissions, as outlined with Climate Partner. Another key component to any sustainability strategy is clear and accurate communication, internally and externally. We are focusing on how we are presenting data, collecting data, and sharing that with stakeholders, as well as educating both customers and colleagues on sustainability issues.

Ultimately, we need all stakeholders on board to make a real difference, which is why communication is a key area for me.

Amscan were one of the early adopters in the industry and have implemented some great measures and changes to product packaging already… How will you work to build on and enhance these?

As a group, we are continuously looking to develop and improve our products and packaging alike. Currently, we are transitioning our costume packaging to an easily recyclable mono-plastic bag, with 40% recycled content, and header cards being FSC compliant.

We also stock a sustainable costume range, with fully FSC recycled cardboard packaging. In terms of upcoming plans, we are targeting: 40% removal of single use plastic in packaging, 100% recycled cardboard in transport packaging, and 100% removal of unnecessary transport packaging. We are also aiming to achieve a minimum of 35% recycled content in all products and packaging using plastic.

We’d be really keen to learn of any plans you have for advancing circular systems within the business?

We are committed to improving the lifecycle of our products. One example being, that we have significantly increased the amount of machine washable costumes, so they can be reused again and again and changing the perception of dress-up being a single use product. We’ve also partner with Terracycle in the UK and Australia to create a foil balloon collection and recycling program.

What potential does the party and licensing industries have for true circular economic systems?

The party and licensing industries both have huge potential for creating true circular economy systems. We recognize the challenges ahead but are actively working to address them as part of our ongoing efforts to promote a circular economy, and this is at the forefront of all out development.

For example, Wonder is committed to designing and producing durable, high-quality party decorations and props that can be used multiple times. Our aim is to reduce waste by encouraging customers to invest in reusable items rather than disposable ones. That’s why we are dedicated to designing licensed products that are not only visually appealing but also built to last, or alternatively have a secondary use.

By enhancing the durability of our products, we help reduce the need for frequent replacements. We recognize the importance of eco-friendly packaging for our licensed products. Wonder is actively working to continue to adopt sustainable packaging practices to minimize our environmental footprint.

What are the ultimate goals and ambitions being worked towards at Wonder Group/Amscan?

We have recently finalized our 5-year plan, so a lot of exciting projects to come. We have some very ambitious goals, many things that still need to be actioned, but a very dedicated team to make it all happen. It is certainly worth keeping an eye on our social platforms for more updates as they come to fruition.

Amscan is returning as a key supporter of the Sustainability in Licensing Conference this year, and we are totally chuffed with this! Why is this an important event for you to rally behind?

We’re passionate about sustainability. It is extremely important to us at Wonder, to continue to lead the way in our specific category, ensuring our systems and products meet the requirements of the future. Gathering everyone together, discussing this best practice, exchanging knowledge and ideas, is key for us all to bring a greater understanding to the topic and therefore in return, a more sustainable output.

ABOUT SILC 2023

The Sustainability in Licensing Conference will be making its grand return to the Royal Geographical Society in London on Wednesday, 8 November where the industry will convene to showcase and discuss the latest steps being taken towards industry sustainable development.

A full speaker line-up can be found at the Sustainability in Licensing Conference website where both in-person and digital-only tickets can also be purchases. 

SiLC 23 will be live-streamed to audiences around the world as the day’s jam-packed agenda takes the conversation of industry sustainability to a whole new level.