CARING FOR THE FUTURE
OUR STRATEGY
Addo Play are committed to making the planet a better place for every child, future generations and the global communities we work with.
Our strategy aims to deliver this commitment through sustainable product and packaging design, responsible business operations, ethical trading principles, community focus and a caring, diverse and inclusive organisational culture.
THE SUSTAINABILITY PILLARS
With focus on our three sustainability pillars, our ethos is all about caring for the future.
Sustainable Design
Reducing the environmental impact of our products through the use of sustainable materials and innovative designs
Packaging Sustainability
Reducing the amount of packaging used, transitioning to sustainable materials and helping consumers recycle packaging more easily.
Product Sustainability
Increasing the use of recycled, sustainable and bio-based materials, and promoting a circular economy.
Responsible Operations
Sourcing ethically and minimising the environmental impact of our operations
Ethical Sourcing
Minimisation of supply chain risks associated with non-compliance with our Code of Ethics, including child labour, human rights, health & safety and corruption.
Environmental Impact
To understand and reduce environmental impacts of internal and external operations.
Community
Working for a positive social impact and supporting our communities
Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity
Ensuring our colleagues, products and communications benefit from and foster diversity & inclusivity.
Community Support
To inspire & help all colleagues to support our communities through voluntary & charitable activities, including support for the education and development of children.
Communication
Effective internal & external communications to promote sustainability objectives.
SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS
Here is an overview of our key sustainability highlights that we’ve achieved along our Sustainability journey.
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2015-2021
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY
WE’RE FSC CERTIFIEDAddo Play has officially received an FSC certification from the Soil Association, enabling us and our retail customers to use FSC trademarks on products and in external communications.
ETHICAL SOURCING
CONDUCTING ANNUAL ETHICAL AUDITSAll factories are required to renew ethical audits on an annual basis.
Vendors must also to be members of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX) and complete self-assessment reviews to ensure transparency within our supply chain.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES FOR A BETTER TOMORROWWe are continuing to analyse and reduce our carbon footprint and aim to establish a plan to reduce our environmental impact throughout our supply chain.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABLY SOURCED TOYSWe are fully committed to manufacturing all our wooden products using sustainably sourced FSC timber and we aim to extend the range of products made from sustainably sourced or recycled textile materials.
ETHICAL SOURCING
ASSESSMENTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCEAll our manufacturing sites are independently assessed in support of our Code of Ethics, against social compliance audit protocols.
PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY
TRANSFORMING PACKAGING FOR KERBSIDE RECYCLINGAddo Play are working hard to ensure all our product packaging is kerbside recyclable, with all paperboard packaging materials being FSC-certified and sustainably sourced by the end of 2025. We are proud to say that packaging for approximately 250 lines has already been converted to FSC-certified materials in 2024.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIVITY
PROMOTING FAIRNESS AND FOSTERING INCLUSIONThrough continued policy development and training, we are working to ensure our colleagues, products, and communications benefit from and foster diversity & inclusivity.
PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY
SMALLER BOXES, SAME GREAT CONTENTWe have developed smaller retail boxes for our Nick Jr. Ready Steady Dough range, plus plastic ties have been replaced with paper ties in 115 ELC products and three of our core Addo ranges.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
FUN MOMENTS TO CREATE MEANINGFUL IMPACTWe continue to encourage our colleagues to support our communities through voluntary and charitable activities. This year we have supported Kool Careers, Young Epilepsy, Macmillan Cancer Support and more! Events include toy sales, team charity events and two marathon walks.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY
SMALL STEPS TO A LEAPING CHANGEAddo Play is also currently working with Cruelty-Free International to obtain independent accreditation with the Leaping Bunny logo for our cosmetic products.
PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY
ADVANCING PACKAGING COMPLIANCE AND SUSTAINABILITYWe are now working with VALPAK, a 4th party organisation who is the leader in environmental compliance and packaging legislation. They will be supporting us with our packaging compliance programme and helping us to identify opportunities to enhance the sustainability of our product packaging.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ADVANCING TOWARDS NET ZERO THROUGH COLLABORATIVE SUPPLY CHAIN INITIATIVESFurther to our initial environmental impact initiatives such as controlling waste, travel, commuting and energy consumption, as part of our longer-term journey towards Net Zero, we have now started to engage with our vendors to assess the impact of our supply chain. We are keen to work collaboratively to identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and share best practices.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
COMMITMENT TO CHARITY, DONATIONS, AND VOLUNTEERINGWe encourage our colleagues to continue to support the communities and charitable organisations around us through our charity work, donations and the introduction of volunteering.
ETHICAL SOURCING
ADDRESSING MODERN SLAVERY AND ENSURING SUPPLIER WELFAREWe have a facilitated a workshop with external partners for a selection of our UK Addo Office team on the Modern Slavery Act. To support our vendors, we have also partnered with SafeCall who provide an independent, confidential whistleblowing service. This enables all workers within our supply chain to raise concerns related to their welfare, health & safety and working conditions.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIVITY
NAVIGATING DEI THROUGH COMPANY-WIDE SURVEYTo help us understand, benchmark, and track our DEI journey, we have undertaken a DEI Survey throughout the company.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY
INNOVATIONS IN MANUFACTURING THROUGH ACCREDITATION AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICESWe continue to design and manufacture toys made from sustainably sourced materials. This has been seen in all Addo Woodlets toys which are now independently accredited and therefore crafted from sustainable wood. On Early Learning Centre, the use of recycled PET has been extended to all plush toys and inner polybags from all puzzles launching from July 2023 have been removed. This means in just one season alone, that saves over 42 thousand polybags being produced that would otherwise go straight in the bin.
COMMUNICATION
CELEBRATING RECOGNITION AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENTWon Best Eco Toy at Loved by Children Awards for Early Learning Centre Mummy & Baby Seals.
To reach a wider audience about our sustainability journey, we have published a Product of Change News article. Find out more about Addo Plays bold sustainability commitment here.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIVITY
EQUITY FOR OUR PEOPLEWe have enhanced flexible working to ensure a more inclusive and equitable workplace. This includes working hours, remote working and enhanced holidays.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
REDUCING OUR DIRECT IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENTTo reach our long-term goal of reducing our carbon emissions, we have initially focussed on the direct influence we have to our environment. This includes reducing office heating, our use of electricity & water usage, and eliminating unessential business travel.
ETHICAL SOURCING
JOINING FORCES WITH SLAVE FREE ALLIANCECombatting Modern Slavery, we are working with the Slave Free Alliance to benchmark our current approach to supplier risk mapping.
PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY
ESTABLISHING A ‘BASELINE’ AT THE SOURCEWe have established a ‘Baseline Database’ for our vendors which is designed to record all materials used in our products & packaging. This invaluable reference source helps us create products that incorporate more sustainable materials and minimise our impact on the environment.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY
MADE RESPONSIBLY = MADE WITH LOVEOur focus is to design and manufacture more toys made from sustainably sourced materials. This has been seen already in the timber used for the Addo Woodlets range and in the use of recycled polyester, which has been extended to the ELC Blossom Farm, Animal Plush, Dinosaur Plush ranges and Addo Snuggle Buddies and Endangered Animal plush toys.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY
TELLING THE WORLDEach sustainably sourced product features a “Made Responsibly” logo to raise consumer awareness of sustainable information through our packaging communications.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITYWe continue to support the communities and charitable organisations around us. This includes donating to Cancer Research UK, Make a Wish, Breast Cancer Research, Save the Children and Keech Hospice Care through hosting toy sales, themed days, cake sales, tournaments, tombola’s, awareness days, sponsored walks, toy donations to children’s charities and more throughout the year.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIVITY
STARTING OUR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIVITY JOURNEYWe have facilitated workshops with external partners and built internal audits to help us understand, benchmark and track our DEI journey.
2015
- Addo Play is founded in April with clear core values.
- These values form our company DNA, underpinning our journey around ethics and highlight our commitment to quality toy safety, ethical sourcing, and our people.
2016-2017
- Established company and Addo product offering while understanding customer and consumer expectations.
- Undertaking sustainability research.
2018 - 2019
- Addo Play outline initial Sustainability Framework.
- Conversations with experts and agencies about minimising environmental impact.
- Launched individual brand initiatives
2020
- CEO Open Letter launched signalling strategic intent. This details that sustainable development is one of Addo Play’s key business objectives and influences our day-to-day decision making.
- More individual brand sustainability initiatives launched.
2021
- Addo Play Sustainability strategy is launched based on 3 key pillars: Sustainable Design, Responsible Operations and Community.
- All team members are encouraged to be part of a sustainability workstream linked to their personal objectives.
Product and Packaging Case Studies
“REDUCED PLASTIC PACKAGING AND CLOSED BOXES FOR REUSE”
Refreshed branding has been introduced to the Busy Me range to accommodate our focus on creating more sustainable packaging and less waste.
Changes include reducing box sizes, re-designing boxes by moving from open boxes with plastic to closed boxes, thus reducing the use of plastic from our packaging, and making it easier for customers to recycle.
“‘MADE RESPONSIBLY’ PRODUCT AND PACKAGING”
Aligned with our focus on making responsible products and packaging, we have introduced “Made Responsibly” information callouts for Early Learning Centre branded products to increase customer awareness of our sustainable endeavours. These changes can be seen in more than 30% of Early Learning Centre’s product range since 2020.
“WOODLETS RANGE ALL MADE FROM SUSTAINABLY SOURCED MATERIALS”
Woodlets is Addo’s range of traditional wooden preschool toys carefully crafted for little hands.
All current and future products and packaging in this extensive classic wooden toy range are made with wood from well-managed, Forest Stewardship Council™ certified forests (FSC-C202065)
“EARLY LEARNING CENTRE SOFT TOYS”
All Early Learning Centre’s softs toys now use recycled PET stuffing. The recycled PET is derived from waste plastic bottles that would otherwise find their way into landfill and the ocean. These toys are still super-soft and cuddly but have been made in a responsible and thoughtful way.
“SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
CREATING LESS WASTE”
Refreshed packaging has been introduced to accommodate our focus on creating more sustainable packaging and less waste.
Changes include reducing dough pot sizes without removing the amount of dough, reducing the size of boxes and reengineering products so there is less packaging.
“ELC PUZZLES MADE FROM
SUSTAINABLY-SOURCED MATERIALS”
Early Learning Centre’s wide range of puzzles for all ages and stages includes wooden, floor and jigsaw puzzles with brightly coloured themes.
All current products in this extensive puzzle range are sustainably sourced and made with wood from well-managed, Forest Stewardship Council™ certified forests (FSC-C202065).
“RESPONSIBLY SOURCED
ELC OCEAN PLUSH”
We have introduced a range of from-birth ocean plush that are sustainably sourced using recycled plastic bottles and natural cotton.
Drawing attention to marine wildlife, there is a Seahorse, Narwhal and Mummy & Baby whale, turtle and seal sets. Each toy has embroidered eyes, soft material and a variety of different textures for children to explore.
“ADDO CRAFT RANGES REFRESHED
TO SUSTAINABLY SOURCED PACKAGING”
Using responsibly sourced materials and avoiding single-use plastics, our Out of the Box and Out to Impress craft ranges now offer brown paper bags instead of plastic bags and “Planet conscious” logos on the bags to encourage recycling.
This update comes alongside a new style guide and smaller box sizes where possible to reduce packaging.
“RANGE OF SUSTAINABLY DESIGNED
ELC DEVELOPMENT TOYS”
Durable and brightly coloured, these development toys are sustainably designed to reduce the use of virgin plastic by substituting it with a plant fibre and recycled plastic composite material.
“ALL ELC WOODEN TOYS SUSTAINABLY SOURCED”
We have worked hard to minimise our impact on the planet.
From 2021, all Early Learning Centre wooden toys are made with wood from well-managed, Forest Stewardship Council™ certified forests (FSC-C202065).
POLICY DOCUMENTS
Our commitments to sustainability and responsible business operations are reflected in the following policies & guidance documents.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS
We believe that through partnerships and collaboration with credible, knowledgeable and innovative industry partners, we can work together to a more sustainable future.
