Environment

We strive to have a positive impact on society and the planet, which our children will inherit, and it is this focus on future generations that drives our work. We believe we have a responsibility to minimize the environmental impact of our operations.

Sustainable materials

We have an ambition to make LEGO® bricks from more sustainable materials by 2030, without compromising quality or safety. This means we need to develop entirely new materials that are safe and strong enough to be passed down through generations – and fit seamlessly with a LEGO brick made over 50 years ago.

Sustainable packaging

LEGO® bricks are designed to be reused and handed down through generations, but LEGO boxes and other packaging are often disposed of quickly. Currently, 93% of our packaging by weight is made from paper and cardboard, while some of our packaging contains single-use plastic. This kind of plastic isn’t generally recyclable, which is one of our requirements for a sustainable packaging material. That’s one of the reasons we’re taking urgent action to find more sustainable, paper-based packaging solutions and make all our packaging sustainable by 2025. In 2021, we used a total of 84,425 tonnes of packaging material.

Children’s hands playing with LEGO bricks, paper bags lying around

Bags in LEGO® boxes

We are replacing the single-use plastic bags used in LEGO boxes to package the loose bricks. In 2021, we completed a successful pilot project to test paper-based bags certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC-C117818), and we will continue to introduce the new paper-based bags in LEGO boxes in 2022. This new packaging will be phased in over the course of two years as new products are launched and machinery is installed in our factories.

Picture of plastic packaging as a before, the after picture is of paper packaging

E-commerce packaging

We are changing the way we pack our LEGO® sets for shipping. We are removing single-use disposable plastic, such as the air pillows that protect LEGO boxes and the plastic tape that seals the boxes, as they aren’t generally recyclable. For example, people ordering from LEGO.com in Europe receive a shipping package that contains recyclable paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC-C117818) and no single-use plastic.

Image of bedding one with plastic around it and another one with paper only

Licensed products

We have made encouraging progress to make packaging of our licensed and extended line products more sustainable, including e.g. removing plastic from garment hangtags and LEGO bedding sold in Jysk stores. In 2022, we will continue to transition packaging in the Licensing & Extended line to increase our use of paper-based solutions, focusing on areas such as minifigure accessories sets and Pick-a-Brick cups for our LEGO Brand Retail stores.

Inspired by circularity

The LEGO® System in Play supports the principles of circular design – a product made of quality materials with the durability, safety and consistency to be passed on and handed down through generations. We’re currently exploring how circularity can be embedded across our value chain, from using circular design and materials and eliminating waste to keeping LEGO products in play longer. As part of these efforts, we became a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in 2020.

With EMF, we have hosted an online workshop on circularity for 13- to 18-year-olds, as well as multiple workshops during COP26 in Glasgow – all based on Learning through Play and our Build the Change series. Our own Circular Economy and Youth study, conducted in 2021 with over 6,000 children aged 8 to 18, shows that children care deeply about the planet, but find it difficult to relate to circularity.

In 2022, we will work to amplify the findings of the study in a call to policymakers to elevate circular economy in school curriculums and help give children a voice on the issues that matter to them.

Download our Circular Economy and Youth study

A hand putting a label on a cardboard box

LEGO® Replay

Since the launch of LEGO® Replay in 2019 in the U.S., and in 2020 in Canada, 652,727 lbs (296,072 kg) of LEGO bricks have been donated to the program. This has extended the creative life of approximately 133 million bricks, exceeding a milestone of reaching 100,000 children in North America. In 2022, we plan to extend the LEGO Replay program.

The LEGO brick is designed to last. We pride ourselves on the high quality and longevity of our brick, and know that 97% of LEGO owners keep or hand down bricks from one generation to the next. With our LEGO Replay program, we want to inspire and help LEGO brick owners pass along the bricks they aren’t using – keeping LEGO bricks in play and circulation.

LEGO Replay

Reducing our CO₂ impact

We continue to be 100% balanced by renewable energy, due to investments in offshore wind by our parent company KIRKBI A/S and investments in onsite renewable energy by the LEGO Group. We define ‘balanced by renewable energy’ as: energy generated from renewable sources, either on- or offsite, as being equal to, or more than the energy we use at our locations. We purchase and retire all available Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from our renewable energy investments and supplement these with accredited RECs when those investments are not available.

LEGO critter factory shaking hands with a critter tree

Total carbon emissions

We calculate and publish our total greenhouse yearly gas emissions every September, meaning this data is not yet available for 2021. In 2020, the total greenhouse gas emissions from our global operations and supply chain were 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). In the same year, we changed the way we calculate our carbon footprint to more accurately reflect our renewable energy purchases.

This means that the actual CO₂ footprint of the electricity we use is smaller compared to previous years, when it was calculated using country-by-country averages.

Read our 2020 CO₂ Emissions Report to learn more about our accounting methodology, as well as our commitment and progress to reducing our carbon footprint.

2020 CO<sub>2</sub> Emissions Report

Science-based target

In December 2020, we were the first large toy company to announce a science-based target, which commits us to reducing our absolute carbon emissions by 37% by 2032 compared to our 2019 baseline. The target has been approved by the Science Based Target initiative as consistent with levels required to keep global warming below 1.5°C, the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement.

Improving carbon efficiency

As one means of reaching our science-based target and tracking our progress along the way, we are working to improve the carbon efficiency of making a LEGO brick. We measure carbon efficiency by tonnes of carbon emitted divided by the weight of LEGO bricks produced.

In the first half of 2021, we improved our carbon efficiency by 3.7% and made great progress in projects that aim to drive our efficiency further. These include, for example, launching an intelligent energy management system at our factory site in Mexico and installing solar panels at our factory sites in Hungary and China.

Two LEGO critters drinking water with ice

Water efficiency

While water use is very low in the production of LEGO® bricks, we always strive to use it as efficiently as possible. We aim to reduce our water usage by 10% by the end of 2022 compared to a 2019 baseline. Our water consumption in 2021 was 8.8% lower than 2020, against a target of 5%. In terms of absolute consumption, the value for 2021 stood at 821,000 cubic meters.

LEGO critters standing next to a big zero

Zero waste to landfill

We are aiming for zero waste to landfill, which means that no waste from any LEGO® factory, office or owned and operated store will be landfilled by 2025.

During 2021, we reduced our landfilled waste by more than 70% compared to 2020, with 115 tonnes of waste going to landfill in the past year. This moves us close to our 2025 target. We continue to recycle above 90% of all waste, including 100% of the plastic waste from our molding machines.

Building sustainable businesses together

We can’t minimize the environmental impact of our operations alone. 90% of our carbon emissions come from our supply chain – suppliers that provide and deliver raw materials, machines, products and services related to LEGO® products. We collaborate closely with our suppliers to explore ways to reduce our collective carbon footprint. 80 of our suppliers have now committed to the CDP carbon disclosure system, up from 60 in 2020. We have an ambition to have all our most carbon-intense suppliers committed to CDP in 2022, and have begun working with targeted suppliers to introduce a shift to renewable electricity.

Our journey towards our environmental sustainability goals

By joining forces with children, our employees, experts and NGOs, we are making important progress towards our environmental sustainability ambitions and continue to build initiatives and partnerships.

Unfold the timeline below to review our journey and recent developments.

2012 – Shared our ambition

To find and implement sustainable alternatives to the materials used to make LEGO® products by 2030.

2014 – Partnered with WWF

As part of the Climate Savers program, WWF’s global platform that engages business and industry on climate and energy.

Engage-to-Reduce

Launched ‘Engage-to-Reduce’ program to guide and support our suppliers to reduce their CO₂ footprint.

2015 – Invested in research

DKK 1 billion (approx. USD 1 billion) dedicated to developing and implementing new, sustainable materials for LEGO® elements and packaging.

Borkum Riffgrund 1

Celebrated the inauguration of Borkum Riffgrund 1 Offshore Wind Farm in Germany.

Reduced box sizes

By 14% – improving transport efficiency and saving over 3,000 truckloads and 7,000 tonnes of cardboard a year.

2016 – Burbo Bank Extension

The first wind turbines at the Burbo Bank Extension Offshore Wind Farm delivered their power into the UK electricity grid.

2107 – Used paper-pulp trays

In advent calendars, saving up to 1 million plastic trays from going to landfill.

Paper pulp trays inside a LEGO advent calendar

100% balanced by renewable energy

Thanks to investments in offshore wind farms in Germany and the UK by our parent company KIRKBI A/S.

A little car being pulled by a wind turbine

2018 – Accelerated change

By bringing forward our sustainable packaging ambitions from 2030 to 2025 and committed to remove all single-use plastic by 2025.

New recycled plastic ‘blisters’

We began using recycled plastic in the transparent plastic windows that offer a sneak peek inside a LEGO® box (although these will eventually be phased out altogether).

A LEGO critter standing inside a plastic pack

Energy-efficient lighting

Fitting over 19,000 LED bulbs in our Mexico factory, saving 1,300+ tonnes of CO₂ emissions a year.

Two LEGO critters standing around a light bulb

Plants from Plants

Launched the first bio-based LEGO® elements, a collection of botanical elements, including trees, leaves and bushes, from plant-based polyethylene using sustainably sourced sugarcane.

Solar panels

Installed a roof-based renewable energy system at our Kladno factory in Czech Republic, reducing CO₂ emissions by more than 500 tonnes a year.

Promoted recycling

By featuring the How2Recycle® label on LEGO® boxes in the US and Canada.

2019 – New cooling system

At our Danish factory, pulling in outside air to cool the production process, minimizing the need for refrigerants and reducing energy by 538,000+ kWh.

LEGO® Ideas Tree House

Since the launch of the bio-based bricks, they have been included in more and more LEGO® sets. For example the LEGO Ideas Tree House that included 185 bio-based elements.

New LEGO® Campus

Used stronger plasterboard, saving 48,500 lbs (22,000 kg) of steel and 353 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and 4,000 solar panels to produce more than 1m kWh of energy a year.

LEGO critter construction worker standing next to a building

Piloted LEGO® Replay

In the US – accepting previously used LEGO® bricks and donating them to children’s non-profit organizations, helping families to share the power of play with children who need it most.

Bye bye plastic carry bags

Phased out plastic carry bags in our LEGO® retail stores and replaced them with bags made from sustainably sourced paper.

2020 – LEGO® Replay in Canada

Expanded LEGO® Replay into Canada after a successful year-long pilot run in the U.S. The program offer families a simple way to donate their pre-loved LEGO® bricks to children’s non-profits.

LEGO critter putting bricks in a box and another critter jumping out of the box

Focus on circularity

Joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The shared ambition for the membership is to help build a better planet for future generations by driving the global transition towards a circular society.

LEGO critters sitting on a infinity sign

US$400 million investment in sustainability efforts

Announced our plans to invest up to US$400 million over three years to accelerate our environmental and social responsibility initiatives.

Year 2022 written with a LEGO critter in the middle

Replacing single-use plastic bags

From 2021, recyclable paper bags, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®C117818) will be trialed in boxes, if successful the new bags will be phased in over a four-year period, from 2021.

Two LEGO critters standing with LEGO paper bags

5th year of leadership level CDP Climate Change Rating

Achieved an A-leadership status for this year’s CDP Climate Change questionnaire. It recognizes our actions in cutting emissions, mitigating climate risks, and developing the low-carbon economy.

Science Based Targets

Announced our commitment to reduce our absolute carbon emissions by 37% across our entire value chain by 2032. The target has been approved by the Science Based Target initiative.

The Green Consumption Pledge

Joined forces with the European Commission by signing up to the Green Consumption Pledge, a pilot initiative on climate action.

First prototype LEGO® brick made from recycled plastic

Unveiled a prototype LEGO® brick made from recycled PET plastic, the latest innovation in our sustainable materials journey.

LEGO critters on a yellow background, working together

Joining forces for climate action and the green transition

In January 2021, we joined the European Commission’s new Green Consumption Pledge pilot initiative. By joining the pledge, we reinforced our commitment to lowering our carbon footprint and helping consumers make more sustainable choices.