In partnership with Ecologi, we will be offsetting all carbon from the SILC event. Gold Standard are a governing body of NGO’s who ensure projects that reduce carbon emissions feature the highest levels of environmental integrity
Sustainability In Licensing Conference 2021
Launched in 2020 to breaking new ground in the licensing industry, the Sustainability in Licensing Conference 2021, to be staged as a dual-cast physical and digital event on 24 June 2021, is once again aimed at everyone in the licensing arena, from retailers to licensors, licensees to trade suppliers.
To future proof your business and the industry we have to develop sustainable strategies that foster company longevity. This requires a business approach that creates long-term value, taking into consideration how a given organisation operates in the ecological, social and economic environment.
As a joint venture between Max Publishing (owners of Licensing Source Book, Licensing.Source.net, The Licensing Awards and the B&LLAs) and Helena Mansell-Stopher, experienced licensing executive and founder/ceo of the Products of Change group, the Sustainability in Licensing Conference (SILC 2021) will inspire and inform as to how our dynamic sector can continue to innovate and grow commercially while not costing the planet.
“Sustainability is so much more than a buzzword, it is and will continue to be, a vital driver of business decisions,” states Helena, conference director and curator. “To drive sustainable growth within the licensing industry over the next few decades will require a radical approach to business practices be it through embracing new materials and production techniques, re-engineering packaging or adopting new marketing methods, all without sacrificing financial growth. Our aim with SILC 2021 is to help both future-proof our industry and our world.”
The jam-packed agenda will see leading lights and visionaries from outside and within the industry as well as retail experts, all sharing their inspiring achievements and demonstrating the gains, both environmentally and financially, that can be made.
“The licensing industry is huge and multi-farious – generating US$272 billion at retail at the last count. The brands and properties that feature on all manner of consumer goods across the whole retail spectrum bring so much pleasure to millions of people,” says Helena. “I have every confidence that the learnings shared at the Sustainability in Licensing Conference will see some significant gains being made on the environmental front too. We’re all on this journey together, but ensuring we establish a more sustainable footing is no distant wish, it’s very much a necessity.”
The physical and digital conference will provide a framework and understanding to start your sustainable journey. Sustainability is not only about the materials the we use but the waste from the manufacturing process, the transportation of goods, the wellbeing of staff and the coming together of an industry to drive systemic change.
CONFERENCE AGENDA
The agenda of the Sustainability in Licensing Conference (SiLC) has been curated to both inform and inspire those from the licensing community,
whether from a retailing, licensee, licensor or trade supplier perspective.
The keynote speeches, insightful talks and panel discussions will cover what we in the industry can do to further improve our activities with our plan for a more sustainable future. Leading names across the fashion, toy, publishing and other sectors, from both within and outside the industry are scheduled to share their insights. New innovative technologies will be explained that go to prove that change is possible (and profitable), financial institutions will present how sustainable finance is available to you to implement sustainable change while pointers on how to ‘design out waste’ on the product development front as well as how to market brands to future generations who are ever-more environmentally-conscious, will also be covered.
The conference – with registration from 8:45am and ending after 5pm – will deliver a packed agenda that will serve to provide a clear pathway on the industry’s sustainable journey, which in turn will drive systemic change in our sector.
THE 2020 CONFERENCE INCLUDED:
Opening statement
Outlining the need for change and showcasing solutions, such as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and just what they mean for the licensing industry.
Presenter: Helena Mansell-Stopher - SILC Conference Director and Founder of Products of Change
Sustainable Insights
Unveiling fresh new consumer research insights on sustainability and future forecasting trends which are highly relevant to the licensing industry.
Presenter: Jonathan Watson – Chief Product Officer – Kids Insights
The Circular Economy
Why the circular economy is integral to sustainable growth within the licensing sector as well as the need to move to a business model aimed at eliminating waste through a continual use of resources.
Presenter: James George – Network Development Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Innovation Within Fashion Manufacturing And Retail
How a British upstart forged a sustainable fashion revolution integrating a ‘give back’ scheme into its online sustainable fashion business. Utilising new technology to build efficiencies into the company’s framework enabling a drive towards a sustainable business model.
Presenter: Martin Drake-Knight – Co-founder of Rapanui Clothing and Teemil Tech
How Can Business Contribute Towards A Sustainable Future?
Reviewing key learnings from business and understanding further how to implement sustainability into your organisation.
Presenters: Phil Russell – R&A (The Open) Sustainable sporting events - The Governing Body’s Assistant Director of Sustainability and David Noble, PR & Communications Director at the Bluewater Group
Sustainable Design And The Supply Chain
Deepen your knowledge of effective supply chain management as well as integral design metrics for a better sustainable output.
Presenter: Jason Beckley – Chief Brand Officer
The Importance Of Change Within The Toy Sector
How a global toy manufacturer is leading change within its core toy business and implementing this through to its licensed business including a significant reduction in packaging.
Plastic Innovation - Change Plastic for Good – The Future is Biodegradable!
Insight into new innovations within plastic technology and how this can be one of a number of solutions for the future.
Presenter: Peter Rooke, Breakdown Plastic
Panel Discussion – How To Make Change Happen
James George – Network Lead for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Martin Drake-Knight – Co-Founder at Rapanui Clothing and Teemil
Philip Russell – Assistant Director of Sustainability at the R&A
David Noble – PR & Communications Director, Bluewater Group
Jason Beckley – Chief Brand Officer and Sustainable Business Investor
Designing Out Waste
Designing Out Waste
Design plays an integral role in the sustainability journey and as such must be part of the process from the very beginning to reach your preferred goals. Producing products through this lens can benefit the environment and save money.
Presenter: Paul De’Ath – Course Leader of Product Design at Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London
The Evolving Journey of Plan A at Marks and Spencer
Reviewing the last decade of evolution for Plan A and what is still required to continuously transform retail to a more sustainable future.
Presenter: Jessica Palalagi, Head of Resource Management at Marks and Spencer
Collaborations
Why sustainable collaborations are key to driving change across the licensing arena, NGOs and retail. The Extended Plastic Partnership for Innovation in Circularity, working closely with UK-based global educator Wastebusters, are bringing the first licensed, educational, plastic recycling solution to the UK.
Presenter: Katy Newnham, Founder of Wastebusters
Making It Pay
Focusing on the importance of sustainable insights in the retail sector, trends and unlocking sustainable finance
Presenter: Richard Lim – Chief Executive Officer of Retail Economics
Tesco Present Sustainable Materials and the Supply Chain
Tesco present their F&F journey so far with sustainable materials, reduction of packaging and outline their future ambitions.
Presenter: Joe Little, Head of Technical, Fabric, Colour, Sustainability and Technology at F&F, Tesco
Marketing and Communications
How to communicate effectively through a sustainable lens and the most effective ways of communicating with the next generation of consumers.
Presenter: Ben Poate, VP Sustainability and Innovation, The Marketing Store
ASDA/Walmart – George for Good
How major grocer, Asda is driving sustainable change across its business.
Presenter: Jade Snart – Senior Sustainability Manager, George at Asda
Retailer Panel With Q&A
Richard Lim, Chief Executive Officer at Retail Economics
Jessica Palagi, Head of Resource Management at Marks and Spencer
Joe Little, Head of Technical Technology F&F at Tesco
Jade Snart, Senior Sustainability Manager at George at Asda
Conference Closing Statement
Helena Mansell-Stopher, SILC Conference Director and Founder of Products of Change brings the digital conference to a close.
THE SPEAKERS
The speaker line-up for the Sustainability in Licensing Conference 2020 included true leaders from the retail world, pioneering licensees, trailblazing manufacturers and inspiring opinion formers from both within and outside the industry, each playing a part in the journey to become more sustainable.
The 2021 event is ongoing curation right now and further details will be released in early 2021.
The speakers will each share experiences, facts and ideas which will collectively serve to future proof your business and the industry of which we are all a part, enabling sustainable strategies to be developed that take into consideration how a given organisation can operate commercially as well as ecologically.
David Noble
PR and Communications Director, Bluewater.
Jonathan Watson
Chief Product Officer, The Insights People.
Sine Klitgaard Møller
Licensing Sustainability transformation lead, LEGO®.
JASON BECKLEY
BEN POATE
VP Sustainability and Innovation, The Marketing Store.
JADE SNART
Senior Sustainability Manager, George at Asda.
ELLIOT COAD
Co-founder, Ecologi.
PAUL DE’ATH
BA product design and course leader, Central Saint Martins.
MART DRAKE-KNIGHT
Co-Founder, Teemil / Rapanui.
JAMES GEORGE
Network Development Lead, Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
RICHARD LIM
Chief Executive Officer, Retail Economics.
KATY NEWNHAM
Founder and CEO, Wastebuster CIC.
JESSICA PALALAGI
Head of Resource Management, Marks and Spencer.
PETER ROOKE
Chief Marketing Officer, Breakdown Plastic.
PHILIP RUSSELL
Assistant Director – Sustainability, The R&A.
SECURE YOUR DELEGATE PLACE(S), BOOK NOW
ATTENDING SILC 2021
SILC 2021 will be a dual-cast event. What this means, in real terms, is that you can join the physical event at the British Library in London, or you can watch from home/office as a digital attendee. Both options offer fantastic value for money, whether you join the live event and the networking that brings, or use the digital event to absorb the great content from a distance. If you have any questions about which option is right for you, get in contact with one of the team who will be happy to have a chat with you.
If you are ready to book tickets, you can do this below. Please ensure you select the right option – LIVE or DIGITAL. This is a secure payment system and you will be emailed a full receipt as soon as you book.
Tickets remain fully refundable/deferrable in the event that the live event may not proceed due to restrictions, so you may book with confidence.
EVENT SPONSORS
The Sustainability in Licensing Conference has been received widespread support from the industry with leading businesses and brands keen to pledge their commitment, sharing in the belief that together real progress can be made in the sector on this vital issue.
HEADLINE SUPPORTER
PRODUCTS OF CHANGE
The Products of Change Group was founded in July 2019 with a handful of industry professionals wanting to drive sustainable change within the Licensing Industry. Within six months the group has grown to sixty individuals from different areas of the industry such as retail, licensees, licensors through to agents. Spanning fashion, toys, publishing and FMCG.
Our ethos is to ‘learn from each-other’ and Educate to Inform Change across the wider industry and transfer our knowledge across sectors.
With Ten years to transform society and limit our impact on climate change its a hard task, but with an extremely dynamic industry and a willingness to change, I do feel that together we can make a difference.
OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS
More consumers than ever before are making an effort to buy greener, healthier, ethically sourced and more environmentally sustainable products, which is great.
Sustainability is a huge priority for me personally, as well as BBC Studios as a business, and I believe the licensing industry must work together to identify more ways to make a positive impact. We as an industry need to ensure we adopt a deliberate and ambitious approach toward forging a sustainable future for our consumers by coming together to help bring more eco-friendly products to market. Climate change isn’t going away and SILC is launching at a crucial time. I think the conference will be a great platform for industry members to learn more, share best practice and collaborate on solutions that can help enable companies work towards producing more sustainable products.
https://www.bbcstudios.com
MDR Brand Management is the first brand management business to be launched by a leading law firm in the UK, and the fourth non-legal business within The Mishcon De Reya Group, sitting alongside MDR Cyber, MDR Discover and Mayfair Private.
It was created in 2018 to address the growing complexity that brand owners face in the global marketplace, and to deliver a unique brand of brand management. It is boutique and recognises that there has never been more overlap between creative, commercial, regulatory, digital and the law.
MDR Brand Management highly supports projects with a truly sustainable vision. Working closely with environmentally friendly brand owners and properties, MDR aims to create ethical licensed products and develop brand extension programmes, with a commitment to the environment, something that is becoming more important by the day.
Sustainability is at the forefront of several of MDR’s ventures, including the recently launched canned water brand, PURENorway Water, which is responsibly produced and packaged in recyclable aluminium cans. MDR has also been appointed to represent a classic, unique, and eco-friendly family of characters which will soon be relaunched in the UK. Given the challenges our planet is facing today, it is the perfect time to revive a positive message about how we can make a difference through simple actions.
For more information about MDR Brand Management, please click here:
https://mdrbrand.com
We are facing a planetary emergency. Our future depends on the natural world, but we are not combating our own destructive impact on the planet. Understanding life on Earth is the greatest scientific challenge of our age.
We cannot hope to develop solutions without research that unlocks the underlying biology and applied science. Alongside the science, all of us need hope: hope that there is a future where both people and the planet thrive. Building and spreading this hope through evidence and action will be the foundation of the Museum’s strategy in the coming decade. In today's challenging times, we will create advocates for the planet: individuals who feel sufficiently informed, confident and motivated to make wise decisions, to get involved, and to use their influence and actions to make a positive difference to the global future. To achieve this, we will harness our collection, our research and our reach. Alongside our ambitious outward reaching targets, we are also looking inwards, challenging ourselves to create a more resilient and sustainable organisation, one that strives towards financial and environmental sustainability. This vision is mirrored in our approach to the Museum’s licensing programme, creating meaningful products in a responsible way that encourage a shared respect for the natural world.
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/
Sustainability and ESG at ViacomCBS
ViacomCBS is committed to building sustainability and corporate responsibility into the way we do business. We actively use sustainability as a lens to evaluate our most material impacts with the goal of becoming one of the most environmentally and socially responsible media company globally.
We identify, measure, and map our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts across our global operations, and have a team dedicated to driving our ESG and sustainability strategy forward. We are working to manage and report our material impacts and transparently address them with our stakeholders. We believe this work strengthens our ability to innovate and better serve our partners, audiences, and shareholders. Transparency is a value inherent to our sustainability strategy: we are working to understand, and make public, our greatest risks and opportunities as we continue to grow, looking at everything from our consumer products’ supply chains, to the content we produce for our networks, to the footprint of our television and movie productions across the globe.
From our LEED®-Certified headquarters building in New York City, to our companywide diversity and inclusion initiatives, to our commitment to strong corporate governance practices, we will continue to manage the impact of our economic, environmental, and social value across our brands and businesses.
Character World have been working on an important project over the last 12 months focusing on how as a business they can be more sustainable. Their plan is clear, simple and concise but it is a journey. Instead of focusing on individual elements, Character World have taken a holistic approach to sustainability throughout the entire business.
This holistic approach covers everything from using more sustainable and recyclable materials in their product, packaging and shipping cartons to the post-consumer care through their partnership with WRAP. Character World have also joined OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label) scheme enabling more consumers to recycle more material correctly, more often.
Sustainability is at the forefront of Character World’s future plans with everything from new innovations to being vigilant about new processes and techniques being developed in production capabilities.
Danny Schweiger, Joint Managing Director:
“It would have been easy to just look at a single product, but we wanted to do something meaningful and impactful throughout the business. We can’t do this on our own, we are working with retailers, licensors and factories to tackle sustainability. We have clear and ambitious plans for the future. We firmly believe a good night’s sleep shouldn’t cost the earth.”
For more information please visit https://www.characterworld.com/index.php/wecare/
https://www.characterworld.com
At TDP our approach to sustainability has seen work across many areas. Our commitment is to make changes wherever and whenever possible, in order to achieve our goals, not just for headlines but for the right reasons.
In manufacturing, our plant in India has its own water treatment facility and at the start of this year we made the investment in renewable energy. This work was completed in the Spring and we are now 100% solar powered at our facility in Tamil Nadu. In 2019 we appointed a Director of Corporate, Social Responsibility, part of whose brief is to continually monitor working conditions and achieve best practice so our staff and the community they work within, are well treated and kept safe.
We are committed to continually improve our own packaging solutions, to use recycled materials, be recyclable and drive out waste at every opportunity.
Real change will only be achieved through collaboration and we call upon all partners to embrace and activate the vital changes needed.
https://www.tdptextiles.com
According to the UN, we have just 10 years to save our planet from disastrous climate change. Our world requires urgent action, and consumers are rightfully demanding that businesses become part of the solution. As a progressive, innovative industry, we know that licensing can make a difference.
That's why Brandgenuity is delighted to support SILC in its inaugural year. We're excited to bring best practices in sustainability to our clients, and to work with our colleagues to reduce the environmental footprint of our industry.
https://brandgenuity.com
Boutique bedding specialist Dreamtex Ltd demonstrated its commitment to sustainability when it partnered with National Geographic in 2019 to launch a recycled bedding collection in support of the iconic brand’s ‘Planet or Plastic?’ mission.
In this innovative market-first, Dreamtex worked with Repreve®, the leading performance fibre made from recycled plastic bottles, to apply National Geographic designs across its bedlinen range and introduce this unique, ethical material exclusively into the UK market. Up to 12 recycled bottles are used to make a single duvet and up to 18 to make a double, plus, in a move to be even more environmentally responsible, the product is sold in recycled packaging with no polythene bags. The response from retailers, media and consumers to the beautiful “Save Our Oceans” inspired bedding has been phenomenal and more National Geographic designs will be launched this year. Dreamtex is proud to be supporting SILC and raising awareness of eco-friendly materials in the manufacture of home textiles and is excitedly looking forward to extending the Repreve® product to other licenses in the near future, including current collaborations with Life Magazine, BBC Earth and in the longer term popular children’s bedding collections such as L.O.L. Surprise! and PJ Masks.
http://www.dreamtexltd.com
GB eye is delighted to be an official supporter of the very first Sustainability in Licensing conference, helping to raise awareness and encourage change within such a diverse industry.
Our sustainability journey started in 2019 when we began work towards the whole company becoming zero to landfill, we achieved this in 2020 and it was the first step on a very long road. Since then we have solidified three key areas within our strategy; sustainable, ethical and conscious. Ethical working practices have been at the heart of everything we do for a very long time so this is a natural progression for us, our focus now is to ensure our products and processes are sustainable and we deliver what the conscious consumer requires.
A key aim is to use local suppliers and in-house manufacturing to reduce the reliance on overseas supply however we understand the need to have a balance of products to meets the demands of a fast moving industry, so ensuring imported products meet our sustainability criteria is essential to making this work but there is so much more.
Our latest product launches include environmentally friendly drinks bottles and tote bags featuring some of the biggest and most popular brands. They are all ethically sourced and printed within our local area, fully recyclable and with minimal packaging this range has been incredibly well received.
Nicola Hallam, head of product at GB eye. “The eco-range has been a core focus for us throughout 2020, as we continue to look at ways in which to reduce our carbon impact on the environment, Expanding our product ranges to include more sustainable products is the first step in exploring new ways to better protect the world around us. We look forward to adding to the collection in 2021 with further internationally recognised licensed names.”
Considering everything from product design and packaging to green energy and recycling is a challenge, but its one we are ready for. We have received great support from licensors, customers and business partners and look forward to a sustainable future.
http://www.gbeye.com
Those Licensing People is a boutique independent agency based in Leeds. Representing some of the industries most iconic properties as well as being the owners of amongst others, the KidsCast OTP Platform, Stories for Stars and a partner in Two Near the Bone.
Established by veteran Licensing professional Russell Dever the company operates on both a B2B and D2C basis. In recent years the business has been moving closer to a fully sustainable model and is intending to be carbon neutral by 2022. During 2019 the company helped to preserve several hundred hectares of virgin rainforest in South America creating a corridor where Jaguars could move from traditional hunting grounds to a nearby lake for fresh water. In 2020 the company intends to continue to extend this work by helping NGO’s to buy and preserve natural habitats and to reforest areas decimated by logging. TLP is calling upon the industry, as a whole, to establish a far more responsible approach to licensing and as Agents for ‘The Little Prince’ who is already a world Ambassador for sustainability and climate change TLP is working to develop eco-friendly products with licensees, refusing to license product made from single use plastics and palm oil. The intention is to extend sustainable criteria much further over the next two years.
http://thoselicensingpeople.com/
TALK TO THE TEAM
Behind the scenes of The Sustainability in Licensing Conference is a close-knit team of people with complimentary skills and personalities, but who all share in the vision of ensuring this significant conference really hits the mark.
Owned by Products of Change Media LTD – which is a joint venture between Max Media Ventures and Products of Change, the Sustainability in Licensing Conference benefits hugely from the partnership formed with Helena Mansell-Stopher.
Meet the team…
HELENA MANSELL-STOPHER
Director of SILC 2021
With a 20 year career in the licensing industry across media and lifestyle brands and a wealth of knowledge across all categories and retail. With a course in Business Sustainability Management under her belt, from the University of Cambridge Helena will continue to work with brand owners, retailers and category experts to drive change within the licensing arena.
JAKKI BROWN
Director of SILC 2020
As a co-founder of Max Publishing (which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary), Jakki has been at the forefront of driving the editorial side of the business as well as being heavily involved in the creation and evolution of the company’s well established and respected B2B awards programmes across both licensing and consumer products sectors.
IAN HYDER
Director of SILC 2020
Having made licensing the focus of his attention for the last 15 years at Max Publishing, of which he is Joint MD, Ian has very much been part of the industry’s evolution. Leading on the commercial front he has brought to life the Licensing Source Book, the Licensing Awards, the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards (B&LLAs) and digitally LicensingSource.net.
ROB WILLIS
Director of SILC 2020
As a director and co-owner of Max Publishing, which includes The Licensing Source Book, LicensingSource.net, The Licensing Awards and the B&LLAs, Rob’s network spans widely across licensing and consumer products. This 20-year address book will be extensively utilised to ensure that SILC 2021 is a key discussion point in the sector.
CLARE HOLLICK
Bookings and Event Organiser of SILC 2000
Createvents is an established event management company, specialising in the organisation and delivery of corporate events, conferences and award ceremonies.
Contact Clare for any or all ‘on the day’ questions such as dietary, accessibility, or anything else to ensure you are perfectly taken care of – it is Clare’s speciality.