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Founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, Lego was made to help support his family through the tough times of the Great Depression (Beyer, 2023). In 1934, Ole officially started the Lego company, Lego coming from the Danish word “Leg godt” which means “play well”. (Augustyn, 2023)

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The Lego logo has a simple red background with the word “LEGO” in white with black and yellow borders on it

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Niels B. Christiansen is the current CEO of Lego, he became the chief executive officer in 2017 and under his leadership, the brand has maintained its position as the largest toy manufacturer (Hullinger, 2024)

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Sustainability Goals

LEGO is committed to significant sustainability targets, including:

Sustainable Materials: Transitioning to sustainable sources for all LEGO bricks and packaging by 2030. This includes the introduction of plant-based polyethylene bricks made from sugarcane, which began rolling out in 2021(LexisNexis, 2022)

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Waste Reduction: Aiming for zero waste across all operations, with 93% of waste already recycled as of 2018. The company plans to eliminate all waste by 2025(Legal, 2023)

Carbon Neutrality: Achieving carbon neutrality in operations by utilizing renewable energy sources, including wind energy. LEGO has already balanced its energy consumption with renewable sources(Legal, 2023)

Environmental Impact

LEGO's environmental policies emphasize:

Packaging Changes: The company is replacing plastic packaging with paper alternatives and aims to phase out single-use plastics entirely by 2025(www.lego.com, n.d.)

Circular Economy Initiatives: Programs like LEGO Replay encourage consumers to donate used bricks, promoting reuse and recycling(Legal, 2021)

Educational Contributions

LEGO also prioritizes educational initiatives through:

Learning Through Play: The LEGO Foundation advocates for play-based learning, supporting educational projects globally to enhance creativity and problem-solving skills among children(LexisNexis, 2022)

Partnerships for Impact: Collaborating with various organizations to amplify their educational outreach and sustainability efforts (www.linkedin.com, n.d.)

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Sustainability Initiatives

Investment in Sustainability: up to $400 million in 2020

-> Phase out single-use plastic bags from its packaging by 2025.

Developing sustainable products.

Achieving zero waste.

Promoting circularity in operations.

Sustainable Materials:

Creating bricks made from sustainable materials, including plant-based polyethylene.

LEGO aims to replace standard plastic bricks with these environmentally friendly alternatives by 2030.

Carbon Neutral Operations:

LEGO achieved its goal of using 100% renewable energy in its operations ahead of schedule.

The company is also focused on reducing its carbon footprint through

Energy efficiency improvements

Partnerships with organizations like WWF to further reduce CO2 emissions in its supply chain.

Community Engagement

LEGO Replay Program: This initiative allows customers to donate used LEGO bricks, which are then cleaned and repackaged for donation to children in need. The program aims to reduce waste while providing play opportunities for underprivileged children. It has expanded from the US to other countries, including the UK and Germany78.

Build to Give Campaign: During the holiday season, LEGO encourages families to participate in the Build to Give campaign, where fans create stars from LEGO bricks. For every star shared on social media, LEGO donates a set to children in need. In recent years, this initiative has resulted in over 1.5 million sets donated globally4.

Educational Programs

Empowering Through Play: LEGO integrates CSR with educational initiatives that promote creativity and essential skills among children. Workshops and activities encourage teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation through hands-on building experiences3.

Future Plans for Education: LEGO continues to explore ways to inspire children about sustainability through play, aiming to create programs that not only entertain but also educate about environmental stewardship and social responsibility23.

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Sustainability Achievements

Renewable Energy Commitment: LEGO achieved its goal of using 100% renewable energy in its operations three years ahead of schedule, which is a significant milestone in reducing its environmental impact. This achievement is complemented by ongoing efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions across its supply chain1.

Sustainable Materials Progress: In the first half of 2024, LEGO reported that 30% of the resin it purchased was certified under the mass balance principle, translating to about 22% sourced from renewable and recycled materials. This marks a substantial increase from previous years and indicates a strong trajectory towards achieving their goal of using more sustainable materials by 203225.

Challenges with Material Innovation: Despite successes, LEGO faced setbacks, such as halting attempts to use recycled PET bottles for brick production due to unexpected carbon emissions during manufacturing. This experience highlighted the complexities involved in sustainable material sourcing and lifecycle impacts4. However, LEGO's willingness to pivot and learn from these challenges demonstrates resilience in their sustainability approach.

Community Engagement Impact

LEGO Replay Program: This initiative has successfully diverted used bricks from landfills by encouraging donations, providing play opportunities for children in need. The program has expanded internationally, reflecting positive community engagement and support1.

Build to Give Campaign: The campaign has resulted in over 1.5 million sets donated globally, showcasing effective community outreach during the holiday season and reinforcing LEGO's commitment to social responsibility1.

Financial Performance Linked to Sustainability

LEGO's sustainability efforts have not only enhanced its environmental credentials but also contributed to its financial success. In 2024, LEGO reported a 13% increase in sales, indicating that their commitment to sustainable practices has not hindered growth but may have positively influenced consumer perception and demand5.

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Samuel, P. (2011). Sustainability and Sustainability Driven Innovation in the Case of LEGO. [online] Available at: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:424327/FULLTEXT01.pdf.

LexisNexis (2022). Building a model CSR strategy brick-by-brick. [online] www.lexisnexis.com. Available at: https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/gb/b/compliance-risk-due-diligence/posts/building-a-model-csr-strategy-brick-by-brick.

Legal. (2023). Environmental policy | Notices & Policies | Legal. [online] Available at: https://www.lego.com/en-us/legal/notices-and-policies/environmental-policy.

Legal. (2023). Environmental policy | Notices & Policies | Legal. [online] Available at: https://www.lego.com/en-us/legal/notices-and-policies/environmental-policy.

www.lego.com. (n.d.). Sustainability / Home - Sustainability - LEGO.com. [online] Available at: https://www.lego.com/en-us/sustainability?locale=en-us&consent-modal=show.

Legal. (2021). Environmental policy. [online] Available at: https://www.lego.com/en-us/legal/notices-and-policies/environmental-policy?locale=en-us&consent-modal=show.

LexisNexis (2022). Building a model CSR strategy brick-by-brick. [online] www.lexisnexis.com. Available at: https://www.lexisnexis.com/blogs/gb/b/compliance-risk-due-diligence/posts/building-a-model-csr-strategy-brick-by-brick.

www.linkedin.com. (n.d.). Embracing CSR for sustainable future: The inspiring example of The Lego Group. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-csr-sustainable-future-inspiring

Hullinger, J. (2024). Niels Christiansen. [online] TIME. Available at: https://time.com/7172550/niels-christiansen/.

Beyer, G. (2023). The history of Lego: Constructing creativity. [online] The Collector. Available at: https://www.thecollector.com/brief-history-of-lego-company/.

Augustyn, A. (2023). LEGO. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/LEGO.

(Graham, 2024; https://www.facebook.com/Sustainable.X.uk, 2023; Lego, 2025; Perry, 2024; State of Green, 2017; Thacker, 2020)

https://www.facebook.com/Sustainable.X.uk (2023). Lego’s Challenge: A Case Study in Sustainable Innovation - Sustainable X. [online] Sustainable X. Available at: https://www.sustainablex.co.uk/legos-challenge-a-case-study-in-sustainable-innovation/.

Lego (2025). Password protected padlet. [online] Padlet. Available at: https://padlet.com/forworktrangpham/dcr-wppq96bnwtdkr4j2?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1Pm8ZEu4io5FxK168GylZHpLpS3zurmpoXzigwQqa7M_gy18GnJkRKfJM_aem_A3BVYWu8FCBUjNppRwIHMw [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025].

Perry, N. (2024). ‘Pass on the Bricks’: LEGO Group’s Call for Sustainable Play. [online] Sustainabilitymag.com. Available at: https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/lego-group-made-to-be-played-encouraging-sustainable-play.