In November 2022, the construction of the new LEGO® factory in Binh Duong province in southern Vietnam will officially begin. The LEGO Group aims to ensure the factory has a minimal impact on the environment and as a part of the ambition the Group has begun the planting of 50,000 trees over a period of three years supported by Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park Joint Venture Company Limited (VSIP), in locations close to the new site.
The 50,000 trees are being planted to compensate for the approximately 25,000 trees that will be removed during the construction of the new factory and is one of many initiatives on the LEGO Group’s long-term sustainability ambitions and investments in Vietnam.
Preben Elnef, Vice President and program Lead for the LEGO Group in Vietnam said:
“As we progress as planned on establishing our new factory in Vietnam, it is key for us to deliver on our ambition to operate the factory with a minimal impact on the environment. We will do so by investing in a solar farm to provide energy to operate the factory and we are exploring many other initiatives that will make our new site a global lighthouse for sustainable operations.
At the same time, the LEGO Group wants to improve the quality of living in the urban areas near the factory and support a greater biodiversity in the long term. Urban planting has been shown help reduce temperatures in cities, has proven positive effects on physical and mental health for local residence, and helps to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants*.
To ensure the best outcome seven different types of trees native to Vietnam will be planted across multiple locations near the factory, and planting will take place at the most optimal times during the year. Currently 15,000 trees have already been planted, and the LEGO Group will plant further 35,000 trees supported by VSIP in 2023 and 2024 where the factory opens.
“We are excited to now have started the planting of 50,000 trees, as it marks the first of many activities on our sustainability journey in Vietnam. A key reason for locating our new factory in Vietnam was the strong support from the Vietnamese government when it comes to our environmental sustainability agenda, and we look forward to their continued support during the construction phase,” said Preben Elnef
Making a positive social impact through play
The LEGO Group is also celebrating another milestone, with the first collaboration with a local school to inspire students and equip them with the necessary skills to protect the environment and people around them.
“We believe children are our role models and their creativity and imagination truly inspire us. More than 40 students at Hoi Nghia Primary School have participated in a Build the Change workshop in the past days, where they used LEGO® bricks as a creative medium to solve challenges and express their ideas to build a better and more sustainable world. Hopefully they will inspire us as well as many others to create a better future,“ said Preben Elnef.
The collaboration is one of many initiatives from the LEGO Group in Vietnam to meaningfully engage local communities and deliver on the Groups ambitions on social responsibility. The ambition is to collaborate with NGOs and authorities at local, regional, and national level to inspire and learn from children across Vietnam and contribute positively to society.
.* World Health Organization, Reducing global health risks through mitigation of short-lived climate pollutants, Scoping report for policymakers (Geneva, 2015)
www.who.int/phe/publications/climate-reducing-health-risks
