Speech for LEGO CEO

Good afternoon. My name is Niels Christiansen and I am the CEO of LEGO. I would like to personally thank everyone for joining us today in beautiful Glasgow for the UN Climate Change Conference. I am looking forward to discussing how manufacturing must change to protect the environment and LEGO's role in building a sustainable future for our children.

As a father of four, I worry about the planet my children will inherit, as I am sure you all do as well. As parents, our utmost responsibility is to our children. We feed them, bathe them, and make sure they are well educated and socialized. We are constantly worried about their future —Where they will go to college, who they will marry, and where they will one day raise their own family. Yet, we too often forget about the external, environmental threats to our children's safety, well-being, and futures. Where they go to college and who they marry won't matter as the sea levels continue to rise, the wildfires continue to spread, and animals continue to go extinct. The message is simple: Our responsibility to keep our children safe relies on our commitment to protect our planet.

I am proud to say that Lego is taking this responsibility seriously and are committed to making a positive impact on the planet our children will inherit. Over the next ten years, to fulfill our promise to future generations, we are committed to reducing our CO2 impact, eliminating waste, and using sustainable packaging and materials. Our energy consumption is 100% balanced by renewable energy to tackle climate change. Over the next few years, we will continue improving our energy efficiency by installing renewable energy in all of LEGO Group's stores, offices, and factories. At LEGO, we are committed to eliminating waste, and our 'Zero Waste to Landfill' initiative will ensure that by 2025 no waste from a LEGO facility will ever reach a landfill. Another goal for 2025 is to produce all LEGO packaging efficiently and be made from renewable or recyclable materials. Our most challenging mission, but one we are ready to take on, is that all core LEGO products be made from sustainable materials by 2030.

While we at LEGO are committed to tackling climate change, we can not do so alone. My hope is that you, the leaders of NGOs, governments, and businesses, will follow our stride and unite with us in our mission to make a positive impact on our planet, and in turn, our children's futures.