The Lego Group announced it is setting requirements on its suppliers in order to lower its scope 3 emissions.
The Danish toy maker was responsible for 119,089 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions in 2023, according to its 2023 Sustainability Progress Report. It said, however, that 99% of those emissions are scope 3, meaning they come from outside its operations.
The manufacturer of the world’s most famous plastic brick is committed to reducing its emissions by 37% by 2032 and achieving net-zero by 2050. That will require its suppliers to ‘take significant steps to reduce their own emissions’, Lego said in a statement.
“To put it simply, a net-zero world is simply not possible unless we find solutions that are greater than our own operations,” said Annette Stube, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Lego Group. “We will not be able to meet our sustainability targets alone – we have to work in partnership with our suppliers. We want children to inherit a healthy planet and there’s no time to waste.”
To that end, the company will require suppliers to:
- Provide specific data on the amount of carbon associated with the products and services the Lego Group purchases;
- Set near term targets showing emission savings related to production of these products by 2026, and further by 2028;
- Identify and develop the actions and initiatives they will need to take in order to meet the reduction goals set by the Lego Group. This includes improving the efficiency of their facilities to use less resources, switching to renewable energy sources wherever possible, or finding less carbon-intensive ways to transport materials.
Legos’ Supplier Sustainability Programme requires suppliers to share reports starting in 2024, and every year from then onwards.
In 2023, the company procured 124,426 tonnes of plastic resin. It produced 24,497 tonnes of waste, 21,991 tonnes of which was recycled, 44 tonnes reused, 139 tonnes incinerated, and 9 tonnes landfilled.
Of the total resin purchased,18% was ISCC Plus or RSB certified according to mass balance principles. The toy manufacturer admitted to paying a premium of up to 70% for alternatives to oil-based plastics in the hope to convince industry to ramp up production capacity.
The company is also working to measurably reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its own operations, which requires reducing energy consumption and accelerating transition to renewable energy. Examples include increasing solar capacity by 16% versus 2022, with plans to double it by 2026. This year the company also introduced an annual Carbon KPI, which measures emissions across factories, stores, and offices to help ensure short-term progress.
Last year, Lego came under scrutiny after it ditched its plans to switch to recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) for its bricks. It said doing so would have required significant changes to its manufacturing equipment and therefore would have led to higher carbon emissions over the product’s lifetime.