Gifts / Sports & Toys

Mattel is no stranger to doing good. Through its various foundations and philanthropic ventures, its goal is to give back to the communities where the company lives, works and plays. Now, the company plans to fundamentally eliminate environmental imbalances through a partnership with the American Forests.

"Low-income communities in the U.S. tend to be located in areas with few trees, which prevents them from realizing the many benefits trees provide," said Pamela Gill-Alabaster, Mattel's head of global sustainability. She cited Phoenix. For example, in 2020, Phoenix recorded more than 143 days with temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. "These dangerously high temperatures are felt more strongly in neighborhoods that lack shade and low temperatures," said Jill Alabaster. These areas are mostly low-income and communities of color.

The American Forest Society was founded nearly 150 years ago with the idea of using science-based methods and strategies to protect forests. Today, it uses the same ideals and focuses on modern issues: climate change and social inequality. The group hopes its tree equity program will help address both of these issues by planting trees in areas where tree benefits are most needed.

Fewer trees have historically been painted red in communities, according to the American Forest Society. By planting more trees, the organization can provide shade and fresh air to the community. This in turn reduces heat-related illnesses and utility costs. American Forests plans to plant trees in 100 cities, create 10,000 forestry jobs, and create heat-resistant communities—all by 2030.

Mattel will join American Forest and its Los Angeles-based local partner TreePeople to help achieve these goals. Earlier this year, Mattel employees did it themselves, planting several trees near the company's headquarters.

Mattel's South Los Angeles location was selected as a volunteer site through the American Forest Tree Equity Score, a measure based on an area's canopy cover, surface temperature, income, employment, ethnicity, age and health factors. For communities with lower scores, a team of forestry professionals advises on the best location and distribution of trees.

"The ambition is global, but the company is particularly concerned with giving back to local communities," said Jill-Alabaster.

reduce carbon emissions

In addition to planting trees, Mattel is determined to reduce carbon emissions by reducing the use of trees in the forest. In 2020, the company achieved its goal of using 97 percent recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood and fiber in its products. By 2030, it aims to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials in all products and packaging. Mattel believes that tackling its own material waste can help impact packaging and waste disposal systems, trying to do more than other companies.

Mattel's packaging approach incorporates four circular principles: reduce, replace, reuse and recycle. The company hopes to use fewer toxic materials, replace virgin plastic with renewable or recycled materials, develop packaging that can be used for multiple purposes, and add more communication channels for consumers about how to properly recycle products. In a nutshell: Plastic is obsolete; the age of renewables is here.

Since 2011, Mattel has been working with the Rainforest Alliance, an international organization dedicated to global sustainability, to audit Mattel's paper packaging and wood fiber use by source, quantity and type. As part of the alliance and its goals, Mattel will turn the brand we all know — most of us grew up together — into a green brand.

Many famous brands of Mattel have launched toy recycling programs

Last year, Mattel launched "Matchbox Driving towards a Better Future," a product roadmap that ties the toy car brand to the company's goal of eliminating plastic and a green play model. Together. In April, the company continued the program with the launch of its matchbox recycling cart. The 15-inch truck is 80 percent made from International Sustainability and Carbon (ISCC) certified plastic. That same month, Mattel also launched the MEGA Bloks Green Town collection. All four toys in the collection are certified carbon neutral and made from at least 56% plant-based materials and 26% iscc-certified bio-recycled plastic.

In the doll section, "Barbie Loves the Ocean" is the first fashion doll to be 90 percent plastic (excluding the doll's head and some accessories), and it is produced in waters about 30 miles from the coast with no formal garbage collection system. The doll features 100% plastic free packaging and is also fsc certified.

Mattel Announces Major Material Changes for Two Products

These toys and more are part of a growing trend of toy companies controlling what they throw at the world. It's not just something for kids to play with, it's about making sure they have a world they can continue to play with.

Mattel gives back to the communities where it lives, works and plays, but also wants to make the world a better place for all of us to live, work and play in the years to come.