New initiative, Project Restore, cements the company’s commitment to “making timeless, sustainable toys for a thriving and inclusive world.”

Melissa & Doug has announced a major new sustainability initiative focused on both environmental and social measures. The initiative, called Project Restore, will guide the company in its existing work on environmental responsibility, social equity and inclusion, as well as its ambitious new plan to make the world a better place.

Project Restore cements Melissa & Doug’s continuing commitment to its vision “to make timeless, sustainable toys for a thriving and inclusive world” and more deeply integrate sustainability culture and practices across the organization. There are three major pillars the company will continuously build initiatives against, with Thriving Forests at the forefront.

• Thriving Forests: Wood is an essential part of Melissa & Doug’s heritage and because it’s both natural and renewable, the company uses wood as an important component of its toys. To contribute to thriving forests globally, Melissa & Doug aims to make several commitments in this space by:
  • Partnering with One Tree Planted, a global reforestation programme that will plant a tree for every tree used by the company each year.
  • Ensuring 100% of paper products and more than half of its wood products will come from sustainable, responsibly managed forests and be FSC certified by 2025.
  • Further understanding its impact on the planet and making a commitment to become carbon neutral in its operations by the end of 2021.
• Timeless Toys: Melissa & Doug will continue to focus on its mission to make  toys that are made to be passed down from generation to generation or shared from family to family. By keeping toys in the hands of children and out of landfills, the company makes it possible to reduce waste. Packaging improvements will include source reduction, recyclable materials, use of recycled materials and partnering with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition to add How2Recycle information to its labeling in 2022.
• Inclusive World: an alliance with the American Academy of Pediatrics will encourage open-ended play and strong parent-child relationships for all children, and inclusivity by race, gender and abilities is a central focus. In addition, the company will aim to drive greater representation of all children across its marketing content and within its innovation programme.

“We understand that children are growing up aware of issues around them like climate change and inclusivity,” said Fernando Mercé, CEO of Melissa & Doug. “Children and parents are searching for positivity and hope in the face of environmental and social uncertainty. Expanding our brand purpose beyond nurturing children’s imaginations to nurturing the environment is a natural step. By ensuring our products and packaging help forests thrive and contribute to an inclusive world, we lay a better foundation for restoring play and children’s futures for generations to come.”

Melissa & Doug is already invested in responsible supply chain management, using mainly sustainable materials, such as wood and paper, across most of its toys. Last year, the company was the first major toy brand in the US to earn FSC certification for its new stationery line, which was independently certified by SCS Global Services.

“We’re extremely excited about this sustainability journey,” addded Mercé. “It is something that has been part of our DNA as a company for years, and now Project Restore will help us take that commitment to the next level.”