The protection of workers in the toy industry and the introduction of ethical product standards is an important issue that ICTI's Ethical Toy Program has set itself. But how can companies become a member of the program and what benefits does it bring? Carmel Giblin, CEO & President at Ethical Toy Program, explain this and much more in an interview with Spielwarenmesse.
The protection of workers in the toy industry and the introduction of ethical product standards is an important issue that ICTI's Ethical Toy Program has set itself. But how can companies become a member of the program and what benefits does it bring? Carmel Giblin, CEO & President at Ethical Toy Program, explain this and much more in an interview with Spielwarenmesse.Q: What measures do you use to support brands, manufacturers and retailers in the toy industry?A: To build capability, IETP hosts and co-hosts trainings, webinars and roundtables. We also work with global trade fairs such as Spielwarenmesse and sustainability conferences to offer benefits to our members. Furthermore, we operate our unique worker-wellbeing initiatives such as Family-Friendly Spaces, Migrant Parents Training and our free of charge Worker Helpline.To build awareness, IETP has introduced a risk criticality grading framework for its audit checklist. This makes it easier for the buyers and manufacturers to evaluate the overall performance of a manufacturing facility, see specific areas of concern (e.g. EHS), and understand the severity of issues. Our online responsible sourcing platform also provides analytic insights, status alerts, and business matching tools to empower buyers and suppliers alike to achieve their sustainability goals.Q: In a nutshell, what are the advantages you offer your members?A: Our buyer and factory members are informed and supported to achieve their responsible sourcing objectives. IETP certifies factories, this means that we are responsible for working with the factory to ensure any issues are addressed, improvements achieved and then maintained.By working with IETP companies demonstrate their commitment to improve working conditions and improving social standards at scale. Our factories achieve higher employee satisfaction, lower staff turnover rates, as a result realize higher productivity and reduced costs through having a stable and quality workforce.Click here to visit the Spielwarenmesse site to view the full interview with Carmel.
