The $340bn global licensing industry has the chance to lead the sustainable transition of the business landscape from the forefront, should it seize it.
It’s that opportunity that sits at the heart of this year’s Sustainability in Licensing Conference – the brand licensing and consumer product industries’ only event dedicated to collective sustainable development – as it makes its return to the Royal Geographical Society in London on Wednesday, 8 November 2023.
Of course, this year’s Sustainability in Licensing Conference wouldn’t go ahead without the support of the industry, our Products of Change community, and our most honourable list of sponsors, all of which are flying the flag for sector sustainable development while taking great strides themselves.
It’s high time we met the next line-up of industry sustainability champions:
The Smiley Company
Over the last 12 months, the Smiley Future Positive story has experienced significant evolution and growth, and month by month the team has expanded its network of partners, all of whom share a common commitment to making a positive impact on the world. These partners themselves have been responsible for spearheading some “remarkable initiatives” which resonate with Smiley’s core values of positivity, sustainability, and social responsibility.
Meanwhile, audiences and customers have been responding positively to the brand’s commitment to sustainable development as customers become increasingly conscious of the products they choose and the brands they support. Smiley has even received numerous commendations for its transparency in reporting and its efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
Ambitions for 2024:
Smiley already boasts just over 100 partners on board who fit the criteria to produce Future Positive® products, while no other brand owner in the licensing space has such an extensive programme dedicated to driving positive impact in the sector. The company’s long term ambition is to ensure they all develop as many Future Positive® products as possible and Smiley has made it its mission to increase the number of licensees year-on-year until 100% of them have a sustainable offering.
“I think down the line it will be made easier by the fact most of the big retailers have a clear agenda and want all of their supply chain to be sustainable by 2030,” said Nicolas Loufrani, ceo of The Smiley Company.
Nicolas Loufrani, ceo, The Smiley Company:
“Consumer goods are an absolute necessity to the livelihood of billions around the world. They create our cultures. However, the amount of problems we create through them is enormous. We must absolutely change the way we produce and recycle everything.
“If we don’t wake up, a very large portion of consumers will simply end up being fed up and buy second hand goods. This will impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people who live along our supply chains, from raw materials producers to retail shop staff. We live in a very intricate economy – the lockdown crisis showed us that – and our industry impacts so many outside ones, from technology suppliers to car manufacturers.
“By joining the Sustainability in Licensing Conference this year, I hope to have meaningful conversations with retailers and suppliers. From my visit at Global Fashion Agenda or the world retail congress I know most major retailers are making massive efforts to transform their supply chains to be more sustainable. But I also see the lack of progress as far as licensed products are concerned.”
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:
For the coming 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.
Jasmine North, Licensing Coordinator, TDP Textiles:
“We are delighted to continue to support Products of Change and SILC 2023, as this is not a problem that requires a one-shot fix, it’s an ongoing piece of work which requires constant attention and improvements.
SiLC is the focal point for all stake holders to see best practise and the growing bank of resources that Products of Change offers.”
Open Beijing
Beijing, the capital city of China, is a bustling metropolis that has undergone rapid development over the past few decades. As it continues to grow and evolve, so has the importance of sustainability becoming a crucial subject of learning and development for Open Beijing. In fact, in its endeavour to open Beijing to a world-class business environment, sustainability has become a centrepiece.
Home to over 21 million people, Beijing faces significant challenges in terms of air pollution, water scarcity, and waste management. By using renewable energy sources, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting green transportation, the city can begin to improve the quality of life for its residents.
But sustainability is also crucial for the economic growth of Beijing and as China continues to lead the world in technological innovation and green industry, the city has the chance to position itself as a hub for sustainable development.
Ambitions for the Future:
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. The plan details 25 measures that aim to establish a green industry system and a low-carbon energy system while promoting technological innovation for carbon reduction.
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. Other measures include promoting new energy vehicles, increasing the consumption of new energy and renewable energy in the urban heating system, gradually phasing out oil-fueled buses, promoting prefabricated building, and expanding the application of solar panels and other new energy technologies for the green transition.
Fiona Liu, trade and investment coordinator, Open Beijing Project:
“Open Beijing has been associated with SiLC since 2020 and has participated in the conference as a sponsor each year. This year is no exception. Sustainability is a global undertaking that concerns every company and every person, regardless or borders and regions.
“At present, with the rapid development of Beijing, it is also necessary to benchmark ESG internationally-advanced standards and rules It is undeniable that Beijing enterprises need to exchange and learn from their peers to obtain valuable development experiences in packaging, printing, logistics, and other energy-saving and low-carbon fields.
SiLC is gathering a large number of outstanding representative enterprises with common development goals. Therefore, we will continue to maintain our cooperative relationship with SiLC and hope to find more partners on this platform to gain more valuable experience and practices from licensing and other aspects.”
The Wombles
If you hadn’t heard, The Wombles – the original environmental champions – are back! Emerging from their hibernation, The Wombles have made their return to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary with a roster of purpose-driven licensing activity and new content, including a new television series currently in the works. And it’s not a moment too soon.
Within its mission statement, The Wombles IP is making its move on the brand licensing sector with purpose and environmental responsibility at front and centre of everything it does. Its recent roster of licensing partners can attest to its ‘partnerships with purpose’ approach, counting an Age UK and Louis Kennedy collectable (recycled) pin badge range and a collection of street furniture developed by the Environmental Street Furniture and designed to bring new innovation to the waste collection and materials reuse sector, among them.
Think of this as Wombles 2.0 as the brand taps directly into its 50-year heritage of environmental responsibility met with technological and design innovation of today.
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 websitewhere 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.
