Toys

Our commitment to Fair Toys

We work for the enforcement of human and labor rights in the global supply chain.

Tips to consider when buying toys

  • The main reason for excessive hours in the toy industry is Christmas shopping. For Christmas, you should buy small presents from fair trade stores and…
  • …you should only buy bigger presents for birthdays – that’s how you can help to prevent workers from having to work excessive hours.
  • You should not order products on the Internet (e.g. Taobao) from the manufacturer. Products from Taobao villages in China are normally not in compliance with labor rights nor do they consider the safety of or pollutants contained in the toys.

  • While you are shopping, you can ask store assistants about the labor conditions during the production of the products. This will create added pressure on the business and the manufacturer.
  • Buy products that will last a long time. This way you can save resources and many generations of children can use the toy.
  • Buying and selling used toys helps the environment and lets you save money.
  • As an alternative to big chain companies, small fair trade businesses offer an assortment of fair trade toys.

Toys Report


Since 2017, the Romero Initiative (CIR) has published various Toys Reports – studies that examine grievances in the toys industry, concentrating on working conditions in the toy factories in China. The Toy Report 2017 was the first one to make disastrous social injustice in Chinese toy factories public. Excessive overtime in poorly aired factories, marginal wages and inhumane accommodation make the lives of workers unbearable. Furthermore, there are healthcode violations as toxic substances are handled without any protection gear. The Toys Reports over the following years have shown that not enough is being done to change these unbearable conditions.

 

Download here:
Toys Report 2018 – A nightmare for workers

Toys Report 2019 – The dark side of the glittering world

Toys Report 2020 – Workers in Misery

Faor Toys Organisation (FTO)

Foto: Mission Eine Welt

The Fair Toys Organisation e.V. (FTO) was founded on July 14, 2020 in Nuremberg as a multi-stakeholder initiative with members from the toy industry and civil society. The aim is to develop and award a seal that credibly stands for fair and environmentally friendly toy production. The Romero Initiative (CIR) was part of the founding members of the FTO.

The Fair Toys organization sees itself as an umbrella body that also takes into account the application of existing programs and procedures to improve and ensure social and environmental standards. The multi-stakeholder approach involves companies, associations, trade unions, NGOs and local partners in all decision-making processes and thus creates maximum transparency and credibility with regard to the voluntary commitment of companies to the humane and environmentally compatible production of toys along the entire supply chain. The implementation of the required standards and target-oriented measures is to be confirmed in the medium term with a seal.

More information
– in this brochure (in English)
– on FTO’s website (in German only): https://www.fair-toys.org/

Porträt von Maik Pflaum

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me:

Maik Pflaum
Contact person for El Salvador, clothes and toys
pflaumnoSpam@ci-romero.de
Phone: +49 (0) 911  214 2345

Anna_rund

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me:

Anna Backmann
Contact person for toys and corporate responsibility
backmannnoSpam@ci-romero.de
Phone: +49 (0) 251  674413 26