Global code sets the standard for ethical manufacturing
THE TOY INDUSTRY worldwide has agreed on a standardised code of business practice to enhance ethical manufacturing.
The code, drawn up by the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI), is called the CARE Process. C stands for caring, A for awareness, R for responsibility and E for ethics.
In the drafting stage, the code was called the ICTI's Code of Business Practices, but the council launched it as CARE in 2001 because it wanted the standard to eventually be adopted by other industries as well.
One reason for the initiative was the realisation by toy manufacturers and retailers that following their own codes of practice would create an overlap of resources, ICTI president Wong Tit-shing said.
'When every company had its own code of practice, a buyer would have to hire an auditor to check on a retailer's code, and the retailer had to hire its own auditor to check on the manufacturer's. This multiple audit process created overlaps of resources.'
ICTI decided to draw up a standardised code eight years ago after noticing the problem.
'It was sensible for ICTI to do the job as its members included associations of the toy industry around the world,' Mr Wong said.
The code applies to all sectors of the toy industry.
A company wanting recognition from ICTI for following the CARE Process must hire an audit firm to make sure it is following the code, which states that 'no under-age, forced or prison labour should be employed; that no one is denied a job because of gender, ethnic origin, religion, affiliation or association, and that factories comply with laws protecting the environment'.
Recognition is valid for a year, and can be renewed.
Mr Wong said this was to encourage ongoing inspection. More than 60 leading toy brands in the United States have pledged that by next year they will work only with toy companies that follow the CARE Process. Leading companies in Europe have also agreed to adopt the code.
With many major companies on board, toy companies taking part in the CARE Process would benefit financially, Mr Wong said. But he stressed that ICTI hoped this would only be a secondary advantage of CARE.
'The most important is for this standardised code to gain the confidence of the public,' he said.
A seminar on the CARE Process will be held today as part of the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair. Speakers include Mr Wong; Hong Kong Toys Council chairman Samson Chan; Alan Hassenfeld, chairman of the ICTI CARE Foundation and chairman of Hasbro; Christian Ewert, CEO of ICTI CARE Process and vice-president (Europe) of ICTI's executive committee; and Mattel executive vice-president Thomas DeBrowski.
The seminar will be held at 2.30pm in Rooms 206 to 208 of HKCEC. It is free and will be in English, with simultaneous Putonghua interpretation.
