ICTI CARE Assists Small Toy Companies in Sourcing Responsibly
This article contains excerpts from an October 19 press release issued by ICTI CARE titled “ICTI CARE Launches New Initiative to Help Small Businesses in the Toy Industry Source Responsibly.”
November 7, 2016 | ICTI CARE, an independent, not-for-profit organization that safeguards and improves ethical and sustainability standards in the global toy and entertainment industry supply chain, has launched a new initiative for small businesses that are committed to the ethical sourcing of toys. The new program, called Committed Brands PLUS for Toy Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), provides instant access to ICTI CARE’s searchable database of over 1,300 toy factories, detailed profiles on factories' ethical performance and information about their ICTI CARE certification audits.
Large companies have been using the enhanced suite of responsible sourcing tools offered via ICTI CARE PLUS, and now these benefits will be extended to thousands of small toy companies around the world, which make up more than 90% of the marketplace in Europe and the U.S., according to ICTI CARE. From monthly bulletins and webinars to supplier engagement and coordinated factory visits, Committed Brands PLUS makes responsible sourcing more efficient, transparent and accessible to a greater number of smaller businesses.
“Expectations from customers are growing, and toy buyers everywhere want to see toys manufactured ethically in factories which respect the rights and well-being of workers. At the same time, a raft of new legislation on key ethical concerns like modern day slavery means toy companies must understand and address risks within their supply chains,” said Carmel Giblin, CEO and president of ICTI CARE in a press release. “Our new PLUS initiative for toy SMEs equips smaller toy companies with affordable tools and the support they need to meet these expectations and source responsibly.”
Companies with an annual revenue in toys or games of less than $30 million USD who join the Committed Brands PLUS program before November 11th, 2016 will receive an exclusive offer, giving them an additional year of benefits for free.
“ICTI CARE is the program of choice for U.S. toy companies and we at the Toy Industry Association (TIA) are committed to educating our members on the essential nature of responsible sourcing and maintaining high ethical manufacturing standards,” said Steve Pasierb, TIA president and CEO. “Compliance with principles, such as those in the ICTI Code of Business Practices, respects the health and rights of workers and must be embraced by all companies large and small. The new PLUS initiative from ICTI CARE will be a great aid to small businesses in the toy industry.”
To find out more or to apply to join the toy SME program, companies can fill out an online form here and a member of the ICTI CARE team will contact them.