VTech is complementing its global sustainability strategy with UK specific action such as volunteering in the community.
As it looks to improve the lives of people and protect the planet for future generations, VTech has published its ninth Annual Sustainability Report.
The report, which communicates sustainability strategies, outlines a transition towards clean energy, more solar panels and solar lamps installed in manufacturing and operating sites. In FY2023, the use of renewable energy rose by 157.2% compared with FY2020. With dedicated efforts on water and material consumption reductions, energy saving and waste management, VTech achieved notable reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 14.8% and water consumption by 18%.
VTech UK is also introducing more recycled items into the range for 2022, such as the soft fabrics on the Busy Musical Bee and Soft Discovery Turtle, which are made from recycled PET bottles, and the new Touch & Feel Sensory Keys and Stack, Rattle & Link Elephant made from plant-based plastics. The Busy Musical Bee, with soft fabric made from six recycled water bottles, was a London Toy Fair Hero Toys winner for 2022.
VTech continuously reduces environmental impacts from packaging through material sourcing, usage reduction, design change and recycling. Currently, almost 95% of toy packaging materials is recyclable, of which about 85% is from recycled materials. VTech says it is committed to eliminating fossil-based blister packaging and replacing it with a plant-based alternative in 99% of the electronic learning products by 2025. In the UK, adding QR codes for full instruction menus has reduced the leaflet size by 40%, with over half of all packaging now featuring the OPRL labels and recyclenow.com information.
Used VTech toys are recycled and reused in the UK too. A survey which has now been conducted for a number of years, shows 99.4% of VTech consumers pass their used VTech products on to family and friends and donate to charity shops, toddler groups or nurseries, and they are stored for future use or recycled as a small electrical at local recycling centres.
VTech’s Busy Musical Bee
Clive Richardson, UK marketing director, said: “The team here is complementing this award-winning global sustainability plan with specific UK action like the non-plastic pack, OPRL labels and volunteering to help the local community.”
Helping with initiatives for the local environment, VTech UK staff built a wild flower area and bug hotel in the grounds of the VTech offices, went meat free on Mondays, cycled to work, swapped-not-shopped initiatives and nurtured plants on work desks. A team also volunteered for a community litter pick, going out weekly to clean up the local area. Partnering with Ecologi, every of one of VTech’s UK staff will have their entire carbon footprint offset to become climate positive in 2022.
To see the full Annual Sustainability Report, visit https://www.vtech.com/en/sustainability/
