Did you notice that Lego has decided not to move ahead with the development of bricks from recycled bottles? (https://lnkd.in/dx6zzA6c)
The cynical press might see this as evidence of a large corporation rolling back on it’s net-zero targets. But, if you are in the product innovation industry, you know that the route to success is often by way of multiple failures. What I believe is admirable about Lego is that they have taken the brave step to announce their failure. And they are clear that their commitment to net-zero remains the same so I suspect that they are already exploring other options.
The other takeaway from this story is that it is REALLY difficult to assess the total carbon cost of doing business. It would be fair to assume that using recycled PETG would have a lower carbon cost than virgin ABS. If it’s difficult for Lego with all their resources, how much more difficult is it for SMEs?
It was great to attend the Green Marketing seminar run by the KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE at Barwell Business Park, Chessington yesterday. Sam Perryman introduced us to the concept of ‘Green Hushing’ (see below) where companies choose to keep secret their sustainability targets for fear of being accused of green-washing.
I pondered whether one reason for this trend might be that it is so incredibly difficult to build a complete picture of a company’s carbon footprint. Can you be sure, for example, what the refuse collector is doing with your recycling? Are they recycling or exporting it on a slow boat to Indonesia? It only takes someone with a grudge against your company to do some digging to expose skeletons in your green cupboard and for your brand to take a huge credibility hit.
There are ways to resolve this beyond green hushing. There are now loads of green accreditations that help you dig in to every corner of your business though perhaps there is a need for some consolidation within the accreditation industry as right now it’s a confusing landscape. What will help will be the EU Green Claims Directive https://lnkd.in/dVNNEUYz
At least initially this will only be targeted at big business but the tools being developed to support the directive, such as the green claims code https://lnkd.in/dNNwX6du can help SMEs just as much.
For me, the most important lesson to learn from Lego though is to be transparent about your green credentials. Perhaps any green claims need to be caveated with the honest admission that they are stated on the basis of available info and that any investigation that reveals contradictions is welcome and will be acted upon. With transparency and humility, there’s no reason to hold back from letting the planet know that you care about its future.
Author: Ben May 2023