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At The Bear Factory, sustainability is more than just a commitment, it’s an ongoing journey of learning, assessing, and improving. In 2024, we took a major step forward by leveraging the Green Masters Program® to guide our environmental and social impact strategies. This decision was rooted in our dedication to credible, data-driven sustainability efforts, ensuring that every action we take aligns with both stakeholder expectations and global best practices.

The Green Masters Program® is an ESG framework that helps businesses evaluate, prioritize, and advance their sustainability initiatives. By participating in the program, we were able to conduct a materiality assessment, which helped us identify key areas where our efforts could create the most meaningful impact.

Materiality Assessment: Mapping Priorities for Maximum Impact

A materiality assessment is a vital tool that helps organizations determine which sustainability topics are most important to their stakeholders and their business operations. At The Bear Factory, we used the Green Masters Program® alongside findings from our 2024 Annual Report Card Survey, which included stakeholder feedback, workforce input, and leadership goals, to map out the sustainability topics that mattered most.

After reviewing the results, our leadership team selected eight priority areas across the program’s fifteen ESG categories, with a particular focus on environmental sustainability. The selection was based on our expertise in these areas, the potential for positive impact, and our ability to implement meaningful change.

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Spotlight on Four Key Environmental Priorities

Among the priority areas identified, four stand out as key drivers of our commitment to environmental responsibility: material management, greenhouse gas management, product circularity and life cycle management, and sustainable transportation.

Material Management

Sustainable material sourcing is critical to reducing environmental impact, conserving natural resources, and supporting circular economy principles. To improve in this area, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of all product inputs, evaluating their sustainability impacts. These insights are now actively guiding product design and material sourcing decisions to minimize waste and prioritize recycled and renewable materials.

Greenhouse Gas Management

Measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for addressing climate change and aligning with global sustainability goals. We launched our Reduce Your Carbon Pawprint Initiative, focusing on energy efficiency, supply chain emissions tracking, and sustainable product innovations to lower our overall carbon footprint.

Product Circularity & Life Cycle Management

A circular economy approach ensures that products are designed for durability, reuse, and recyclability, reducing waste and maximizing resource efficiency. We applied the same comprehensive material assessment used in material management to inform product life cycle decisions. This ensures that every component of our plush toys is designed with sustainability in mind, from raw materials to end-of-life disposal.

Sustainable Transportation

Transportation emissions significantly contribute to climate change, making sustainable logistics a key focus area for responsible businesses. We tracked shipping and transportation miles for all products, from suppliers to corporate headquarters, distribution centers, and final sales points. To offset this footprint, we partnered with Climeco’s Eco Committed Partner Shipping Program to ensure our logistics are as environmentally responsible as possible. More information about this partnership can be found here.

Beyond the Environment: Ethical Governance & Customer Welfare

Sustainability isn’t just about environmental impact, it’s also about ensuring ethical business practices and customer well-being. As part of our Green Masters Program® participation, we prioritized two additional areas that align with our core values: customer welfare and ethical governance.

Customer welfare focuses on ensuring that our products, services, and business practices promote positive outcomes for customers. We maintain strict quality and safety standards to ensure that all of our plush toys meet or exceed regulatory guidelines. Additionally, we actively listen to customer feedback to improve product durability and sustainability features.

Ethical governance and sustainable leadership ensure that sustainability is embedded into every level of our business. Our leadership team is committed to ethical decision-making, transparency, and accountability in all sustainability-related initiatives. Sustainability considerations are integrated into company policies, supplier relationships, and operational decisions, ensuring long-term impact beyond just one-time initiatives.

Tracking Progress: The Green Masters Program® as a Benchmark

Through our participation in the Green Masters Program®, we were able to establish baseline measurements for key environmental metrics, making 2024 our official benchmark year for tracking ongoing sustainability improvements.

We’re also incredibly proud to share that our efforts earned The Bear Factory a Maturing Level score within the Green Masters Program® framework, which is a testament to our progress and commitment to sustainable business practices.

By leveraging the Green Masters Program®, we have conducted a materiality assessment to align sustainability efforts with business priorities, strengthened governance structures for sustainability integration, and established a system for tracking, measuring, and monitoring environmental actions. More details on our participation can be found here.

Sustainability as a Continuous Journey

While we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, we know that sustainability is not a destination, it’s an ongoing commitment. Our next steps include expanding circular economy initiatives to further minimize waste, continuing to deepen our understanding of our businesses carbon footprint, and continuing to engage stakeholders in shaping our sustainability roadmap.

Through our partnership with the Green Masters Program®, we have a clear, structured pathway to continuous improvement, ensuring that The Bear Factory remains a leader in sustainable, ethical business practices for years to come.

For businesses looking to advance their sustainability efforts, the Green Masters Program® provides an excellent framework. More information can be found on the Sustainable Business Council’s website.