Welcome to the ICTI CARE Process (ICP) website, the toy industry’s ethical manufacturing program aimed at ensuring safe and humane workplace environments for toy factory workers worldwide. To achieve these goals, we provide education, training and a single, fair, thorough and consistent monitoring program for toy factories. Our initial focus is on China, Hong Kong and Macau, where approximately 80% of the world's toys are manufactured. The program will be expanded, over time, to additional countries where toys are made.
News
Sourcing Trends Shift in the Asian Markets
China is losing the competitive advantage it has enjoyed in traditional labor-intensive industries over
the last two decades. Operating conditions for factories remain challenging, with quadrupling
blue-collar wages, a shrinking labor market, and rising raw material costs coupled with expected
appreciation of the RMB of about 3.5% in 2013. Read more...
ICP A60 Seal is Voluntary and not Mandatory for Toy Factories
There has been some misunderstanding about the new A60 ICP Seal, which is awarded to factories that
maintain a 60-hour work week for at least 40 weeks per year. This designation was requested by
brands and factories to recognize factories that actually achieve a 60 hour work-week, primarily in
the Juvenile Products industry, which is less seasonal than the toy industry.
Read more....
Factory Workers Increasingly Use ICP Helpline
The ICP Helpline service has seen signs of continued success, with a total of 8,796 inquiries
received between April 2010 and March 2013. A total of 6,595 inquiries required a response,
including 1,002 urgent cases handled directly by ICTI CARE Foundation Asia Ltd.'s (ICFAL)
technical staff.
Read more...
New Factory Management Exchange Program Held in Dongguan
The Dongguan Toys & Juvenile Products Association and ICTI CARE Foundation Asia Ltd. (ICFAL) on
April 25th co-hosted a new Management Exchange Program. This capacity-building program aims to
increase understanding of the ICTI Code of Business Practices, demonstrates ways that managers
could use it to improve their factory's management system, and encourages an open exchange of
ideas among top managers.
Read more...
ICF Governance Board Meets in New York City
Members of the ICF Governance Board Executive Committee met in New York on April 22, 2013 with the
focus on progress made to date in 2013, ICP brand commitment and verification (formerly Date
Certain), implementation of the pilot ICTI CARE Process Factory Improvement System (IFIS)
program underway, and management planning for the future. The next Governance Board meeting
will be of the Executive Committee in New York on 7 October.
ICF Governance Board January 2013 Meeting Minutes Available
The summarized minutes of the meeting of the ICF Governance Board in Hong Kong in January 2013
have been posted on the ICF website in the Financial and Governance section,
at: http://www.icti-care.org/financial-and-governance.html.
ICTI CARE Foundation Updates Mission Statement
The ICTI CARE Foundation has updated its Mission and Vision statements to reflect growth over
its first 10 years, as well as an expansion of its mandate from toys alone to the broader
children's products category. This change reflects the fact that there have been
increasing calls by brands, retailers, licensors and factories to have the ICTI CARE Process
cover the broader product line.
Read more...
ICP Webinar on ICP Purchasing Practices Hosted by TIA
The Toy Industry Association on April 24 hosted a free live webinar for the
ICTI CARE Process titled, "Purchasing Practices and their Impact
on Toy & Children's Juvenile Product Factories: Balancing Marketplace
Realities and Social Compliance Standards." The webinar program was
moderated by Ed Desmond, Executive Vice President of TIA. Featured presenters
included Christian Ewert, President and CEO, ICTI CARE Foundation and
Mark Jones, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, ELEVATE (formerly INFACT
Global Partners).
Read more...
ICF Speaks on Social Compliance Risk at UL's 8th Responsible Sourcing Summit
Industry leaders gathered to examine new challenges and new solutions at the UL 8th Responsible
Sourcing Summit that took place in Santa Monica, California, from April 17-18, 2013. Laura Rubbo,
Director, Corporate Citizenship, International Labor Standards of The Walt Disney Company and
Christian Ewert presented together on the subject of supply chain risk
Read more...
China Toy Industry Holds Sustainability Summit in Shanghai
Over 70 participants attended the two-day China Toy Industry Sustainability Summit to hear
presentations and discussions by the industries' leaders and experts on the importance of
safety and sustainability in the toy industry. The event, organized by Copex, took place
April 2-3, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Century Park Hotel in Shanghai.
Read more...
ATA Hosts ICTI CARE Seminars in Australia
At the invitation of the Australian Toy Association (ATA), ICTI CARE Foundation (ICF) President
and CEO, Christian Ewert, led seminars in Sydney and Melbourne in March that detailed the work
the ICTI CARE Process program does in children's product factories in China and around the world.
Read more...
Upcoming Events
May
30
Open Day Event (Dongguan)
On this website you can access a broad array of information about the ICTI CARE Process, how it works and how to join in. You can also learn which toy brands are currently committed to the ICTI CARE Process and which toy factories have successfully passed through our program and have received the ICTI CARE Process Seal of Compliance.
Factories Registered in the ICTI CARE Process:
(representing approximately 1.4 million workers)
2416
Factories with an ICTI Seal of Compliance:
1535
Companies committed to Date Certain:
902
Countries represented (22 national toy associations, plus 9 other countries):
The International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) is the industry association for the worldwide toy industry. Its membership includes national toy associations from twenty countries, each of which has its own membership made up of toy brands operating in its own geography. View the list of ICTI member associations.
ICTI and its member associations are committed to the promotion of toy safety standards, to the reduction or elimination of barriers to trade and to the advancement of social responsibility in the industry with programs to address environmental concerns, fair and lawful employment practices and workplace safety.
