Emily Samuels is an award-winning charity fundraiser who has turned life-changing problems of severe epilepsy and partial sight into a remarkable call to action by raising millions of pounds for a raft of charities in the UK and overseas.

Not only that, but Emily is also the founder of Annie Mals, a new children’s IP for three to eight year olds, that uses storytelling and beautiful illustration to tackle some of the biggest topics affecting the lives of the younger generations today. Among her collection of children’s books is Freddie the Jellyfish, a kids’ story that acts to address the topic of plastic pollution in our oceans head on.

It is Emily’s ambition to create an internationally recognised brand that packs a powerful punch in the children’s industry by helping to embed sustainable thinking in our next generation. We catch up with Emily to talk all things Annie Mals and the team’s sustainable aspirations.

Hi Emily, it’s great to have you guys join the Products of Change platform. Can you tell us about Annie Mals and the brand’s relationship with sustainability to date? 

We’ve all seen how our world is changing. From an increased need to take care of each other, to the ongoing concerns of the future of our planet, children today face a barrage of challenges and additional worries.

My vision is to use Annie Mals as an enabler to empower children aged three to eight to face today’s evolving world without fear and adopt behaviours that we all hope are embedded in our next generation. A generation that will, of course, include our future leaders, individuals who need to think and respond differently to achieve a better future for us all. Sustainability sits at the core of those behavioural changes.

Part of that learning is to understand that everyone has the ability to impact change. That should be embedded in young children’s learning so that they grow up believing anything is possible. Currently there is extensive focus on educating our secondary school aged children on environmental topics which is incredibly important, but we have to be careful that we don’t become a generation that is purely responsive to a growing need to re-think how we encourage our children to do better.

Our vision is to support a wave of change within young children. Perhaps some will say it’s too idealistic but I believe we all have an opportunity to be impactful. Why shouldn’t we be bold and think big?

I also know two heads are better than one and collaboration is key in driving significant change. POC has already showcased the opportunity for like-minded companies to work together to be part of the solution rather than the problem. It makes perfect sense for Annie Mals to support such a movement.

What drives your own passion for environmental action and education? How is this reflected through the Annie Mals world? How is this reflected in the way the business currently operates? 

I believe we all have a duty to protect our planet. As a parent, I am incredibly passionate about educating our next generation in a proactive and age-appropriate way. I believe environmental studies from a young age must become an integral part of classroom learning if we want to create a basic understanding of such a vast topic.

But, we must also remember children’s learning extends outside of the classroom. That understanding of a child’s learning journey in multiple environments including their home has provided Annie Mals with an opportunity to create something truly special.

Like many start-ups we’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to entwine sustainability into day-to-day decision making from day one, ensuring that positive impact is at the core of our business model. From website hosting to supplier baseline credentials, the Annie Mals team are very transparent when speaking with service providers and partners.

What makes Annie Mals different? How are the messages packaged and how do Annie Mals books encourage kids to explore their understanding of the topic around sustainability and the environment?

I believe the magic of storytelling can strengthen messages with young children. Entwining a message into the excitement of an adventure and igniting the reader’s imagination captures the audience’s attention while delivering meaningful content. Following the pandemic, we’re seeing more parents and carers embracing considered content that is put in front of their children at home – that has offered an opportunity for us to explore.

We’ve a adopted an approach that considers a change in home learning and entertainment viewing. Our first book – Freddie the Jellyfish – tackles the ongoing issue of ocean pollution and we will be utilising education channels to support the release as well as encouraging conversations to continue at home.

Ocean pollution continues to be a topic of choice for many when discussing environmental impact with children as children have a natural admiration of sea creatures and the ability to adopt small changes in their routine that can deliver a positive result. We must also remember that children are brilliant at influencing those around them and they can play a crucial role in creating small ripples of change.

As part of our soft launch we have asked businesses in the UK to fund book donations of our first book into primary schools through a unique business partnership initiative. We’ve been delighted at the interest already raised by many who are introducing new environmental and societal initiatives this year.

How are you working to expand the offering outside of books? What categories are you looking to tap into and how will you work to ensure these meet your sustainability standards? Why is driving this message important in the toy space right now?

Our message is relevant in every corner of the world and this year we are exploring how we can take Annie Mals to children worldwide using multiple mediums. We know that children are different and learn through many different channels and methods of play, that’s important to build into our long-term planning.

Our work will continue this year in understanding what products could act to reinforce our messages and any products developed in the future with the Annie Mals brand will be created with very clear sustainability guidelines.

On a wider scale the toy sector continues to grow. Many manufacturers and global brands are working towards better production methods but there is always more we can do. That’s why organisations like Products of Change are so important in pro-actively inspiring change across multiple businesses.

For more information about Annie Mals visit: www.anniemals.com