Little plastic bricks, in little plastic bags. It doesn’t exactly scream sustainability. However, Lego is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and it’s thinking big.

Over the past few years the company has pledged to invest $400m over three years to boost sustainability and social responsibility initiatives.

It has pledged to use only sustainable materials in its core products by 2030, and will switch to renewable or recycled packaging by 2025. The company, which celebrated its 90th anniversary this year, confirmed the rollout of paper bags in Europe would start during the second half of 2022. Other initiatives have included planting trees, producing material for COP26, and researching new materials for use in LEGO elements.

This year, the company also committed to building a £825 million carbon-neutral factory in Virginia in the US. An on-site solar park will generate the renewable energy it needs to operate, while the buildings and manufacturing processes will be designed to minimise energy consumption.

Earlier this year, the company opened its new HQ in Denmark, complete with outdoor furniture built from 5,000kg of recycled Lego bricks. The building’s eco-credentials also include carbon-reducing construction materials, solar power, and an irrigation system to collect rainwater.

Saving the planet was never going to be easy. Luckily, some businesses are up for the challenge.