Member Focus: Brainstorm Ltd tackle their compliance obligations and start their sustainability journey!

As an environmentally conscious leading trade-only toy supplier, Brainstorm Ltd are tackling their producer compliance obligations and have started their sustainability journey.

Background

Brainstorm Ltd is a leading trade-only supplier of fun and educational toys. Since they founded in 1995, they have had a reputation for high-quality, unique products and are exclusive distributors of the award-winning, eco-friendly craft collectible EUGY.

Brainstorm Ltd joined Comply Direct as a WEEE member back in 2012 and subsequently joined for both batteries and packaging compliance in 2015. Since becoming a member, Comply Direct have helped Brainstorm Ltd along the way to make their compliance responsibilities as easy as possible and support them on their sustainability journey, navigating the changes in regulations.

The opportunity

As an environmentally conscious business, Brainstorm Ltd announced that they are moving towards setting a net-zero target by the end of 2023, as well as highlighted their move towards plastic free packaging and their commitment to improving sustainability and recyclability across all products.

As part of their journey to drive sustainability and achieve Net Zero, due to questions being asked by one of their largest customers, they kick started their journey and approached Comply Direct to help complete a carbon footprint assessment, as well as ensure they were prepared for new regulations such as Plastic Packaging Tax and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

The solution

To help Brainstorm Ltd with their carbon footprint and improve environmental performance, Comply Direct:

  • Calculated their baseline scope 1 and 2 (and one scope 3 category, business travel) carbon footprint
  • Conducted an onsite carbon and energy audit and provided them with 10 recommendations for energy efficiency/emissions reduction actions
  • Talked them through different target options, focusing on science-based targets as preferred by their customer, and sent some information and resources over for them to sign up to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

To help Brainstorm Ltd with their compliance obligations, Comply Direct:

  • Carried out a compliance review, where Comply Direct made several recommendations to ensure their methodology documents are up to date.
  • Helped them with the Plastic Packaging Tax, to identify their liabilities and ensure they meet the requirements from HMRC.
  • Helped them to get up to speed with EPR so they can start to plan for the new regulation changes that come into force in 2024. This involved enrolling Brainstorm Ltd onto an advanced database (Sustainability Integrated Database) to support in the management of the increased amount of data which will come with EPR.

The result

Comply Direct have continually helped Brainstorm Ltd with their packaging, WEEE and batteries compliance over the years, ensuring that they are prepared and well equipped for any new regulations and that they are ahead of the game for EPR, which will bring about great change for producers.

As well as this, by completing their carbon footprint assessment, not only were Brainstorm Ltd able to overcome obstacles outlined by one of their major customers, but it was also a key step on their journey to Net Zero.

Brainstorm Ltd's thoughts

“The team have been very helpful in the last 12 months and will become even more important as more comes to light with the regulation changes.”

If you would like more information around producer compliance or carbon management please contact our solutions team at solutions@complydirect.com, or call 01756 974 951.