HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam—The LEGO Group will plant 50,000 trees in Vietnam over the next three years in an effort to offset the environmental impact of its new factory in Binh Duong province. Construction of the factory is set to begin in November.
The 50,000 trees are being planted to compensate for approximately 25,000 trees that will be removed during the construction of the new factory and is one of many initiatives on the LEGO Group’s long-term sustainability ambitions and investments in Vietnam.
“As we progress as planned on establishing our new factory in Vietnam, it is key for us to deliver on our ambition to operate the factory with a minimal impact on the environment,” says Preben Elnef, vice president and program lead for the LEGO Group in Vietnam. “We will do so by investing in a solar farm to provide energy to operate the factory, and we are exploring many other initiatives that will make our new site a global lighthouse for sustainable operations.”
To ensure the best outcome, seven types of trees native to Vietnam will be planted across multiple locations near the factory, and planting will take place at the most optimal times during the year. Currently 15,000 trees have already been planted, and the LEGO Group will plant an additional 35,000 trees in 2023 and 2024 when the factory opens.
Besides planting trees, the company is collaborating with a local school to inspire students and teach them the skills to protect the environment and people around them.
“We believe children are our role models, and their creativity and imagination truly inspire us,” says Elnef. “More than 40 students at Hoi Nghia Primary School have participated in a Build the Change workshop in the past days, where they used LEGO bricks as a creative medium to solve challenges and express their ideas to build a better and more sustainable world.”
