About the Report

Playmates Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as the “Company” or “Playmates Holdings”) together with its subsidiary Playmates Toys Limited (collectively, the “Group” or “we”) has its core activities in the creation, design, marketing and global distribution of branded toys. With a sound reputation and the experience of over 40 years, we are one of the most reputable toy marketing companies globally. The Group also engages in property investments and property management businesses.

Having a deep ambition to construct long-term trusted ties with our stakeholders in the community, the Group is pleased to publish our 2023 environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) report (the “Report”) summarising our ESG performance and initiatives.

Scope of the Report

The Report examines the Company’s ESG management approaches, and the Group’s corresponding performance within our operational boundaries, which remain unchanged from the previous reporting boundary, including the sales of toys, property investment and administrative activities mainly in Hong Kong and the U.S. offices from 1 January, 2023 to 31 December, 2023 (the “Reporting Period”, “2023”).

Reporting Standard

The Report has been prepared in accordance with the “Comply or Explain” provisions of the ESG Reporting Guide under Appendix C2 of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“HKEx ESG Reporting Guide”). The Report has been reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).

Reporting Principles

During the preparation process, the Group adheres to the fundamental reporting principles, namely materiality, quantitative, balance and consistency, as outlined in the HKEx ESG Reporting Guide.

1. Materiality
We performed a materiality assessment to determine the material ESG issues and focus of this Report. The materiality matrix and details of stakeholder engagement are illustrated in later section of this Report.

2. Quantitative
All disclosed information, environmental and social KPIs were organised and calculated according to HKEx ESG Reporting Guide and standardised methodologies. The assumption and calculation principles are illustrated in the relevant sections.

3. Balance
The Board has acknowledged its responsibility to oversee the Company’s sustainable development and review the truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of this report. This report has been prepared without bias.

4. Consistency
Unless otherwise specified, this Report has been prepared in the same way in terms of the reporting scope and methodologies when compared to those in previous years. We adopted consistent environmental and social data management approach to allow a fair comparison of our performance over time.

Contact and Feedback

The Group strives to build a trusted relationship with the community. We formulate our business strategies for the best interests of our stakeholders; therefore, we treasure your feedback on this ESG Report and our sustainability performance. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact us via investor.relations@playmates.net.

Our Sustainability Management Approach

Aiming at achieving business sustainability in a long run, the Group has established its Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) Policy by adopting a four-pillar approach focusing on aspects of business, people, community and environment. With our dedication to fostering the well-being of our stakeholders, our objectives and commitments towards the four aspects are outlined in the policy to lead the Group towards its sustainability pathway.

Four-pillar approach of the CSR Policy

Sustainability Governance

As stipulated in the policy, the Board takes up the overall responsibility to formulate the CSR strategy, regularly review the CSR practices and performance of the Group as well as the CSR Policy. The sustainability targets and goals are reviewed by the Board regularly. A Corporate Social Responsibility Committee (“CSR Committee”) was established during the year and its current members comprising chairman of the Company, executive directors and representatives from different departments. The written terms of reference setting out the authority and duties of the CSR Committee were adopted by the Board during the year.

ESG Risks Management

ESG risks which may impact the Group’s business and operations are incorporated into the risk assessment framework and updated by the management regularly. Each ESG risk is evaluated in terms of the significance of impact and likelihood of occurrence before prioritization. Risks with high priority are categorized as material ESG risks and will be reported to the Board from time to time.

Board meeting is organised quarterly to review the risk assessment framework, the ESG risks as well as the feedbacks collected through stakeholder engagement before formulating responsive business strategies. To ensure the risk management and internal control systems are implemented properly and effectively, the Audit Committee is responsible to oversee and discuss the systems with management. Board meeting is held every three months to inform, communicate and report the identified ESG risks to the Board.

During the Reporting Period, certain risks such as climate physical risk, supply chain disruption and IT security were identified. Mitigation measures have been implemented to reduce the impact of the risks. Details of the measures are discussed in the Climate Change Resilience, Supply Chain Management and Data Privacy sections respectively.

Stakeholder Engagement

With an ongoing communication and engagement with its stakeholders, the Group can better understand the perspectives and expectations of its stakeholders on the Group’s ESG issues of the greatest concerns, as well as the associated environmental and social impacts on the business. By gathering stakeholders’ opinions and understanding their concerns, the Group can refine its management policies and approaches on ESG management, determine a more suitable way to address the ESG issues as well as making continuous improvement on its ESG performance.

The Group has not only identified key stakeholder groups who have a significant impact on our business or those who can be significantly affected by our operations, but has also been maintaining regular communication with them through various channels, which are illustrated in the table below:

Materiality Assessment

In order to provide a direction and framework for the Report and formulation of ESG management strategies, it is necessary to identify the material ESG issues that matter the most to the Group. An independent consultant has been commissioned to conduct a materiality assessment in terms of online questionnaire for the Group in order to formulate strategies for managing the material ESG issues that matter most to the Group. Our key stakeholder groups (e.g. employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders) were invited to fill in a questionnaire and determine the relevance and importance of the identified 34 ESG topics to the Group’s business operations and the stakeholders themselves respectively.

Based on the materiality of each of the ESG topics expressed by the stakeholders, the ESG topics are prioritised and shown in the materiality assessment matrix below. The topics which fell in the upper right corner of the matrix were defined as the topics that matter most to the Group’s business operations and our stakeholders as far as they are concerned.

The above materiality assessment has helped us analyse our ESG risks and opportunities in an attempt to improve our business strategies. It has also helped us meet the sustainability reporting standards and lead us to a better resource allocation focusing on the important ESG issues. Most importantly, it provides a pathway to stakeholder satisfaction by meeting their expectations.

Responsible Operations

We value the enduring relationship with our customers and business partners. To provide products and services of top quality in a way that satisfies the needs and requirements of the customers and tenants, we have been communicating with our customers to gain insights into the changing market demand for the products and services so that the Group can respond swiftly. In addition, we have a set of strict guidelines to ensure our employees act with integrity.

Supply Chain Management

Having an established supply chain management is not only crucial to the Group’s operational efficiency, but it also contributes to the quality of our products and services. As such, stringent procedures for supplier assessment and management are in place to align with our standards and requirements. By ensuring the selection procedures are conducted in a fair, ethical and impartial manner, we are committed to maintaining a close relationship based on mutual respect with qualified suppliers for our long-term development.

To ensure we have a reliable supply chain, the Group selects and assesses suppliers, contractors and vendors based on a range of impartial and objective criteria, including quality, suitability, timeliness and competency. All suppliers, contractors and vendors are required to comply with the legal requirements and regulations in the relevant jurisdictions. During the Reporting Period, we collaborated with a total of 9 suppliers for our toy products which were all from Hong Kong and mainland China. In addition, we also have system in place to ensure our major suppliers of the property group for their ESG compliance. For example, our property management agent has submitted its certificates of compliance including ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001 under which certain ESG areas including but not limited to environmental policy, management system and workplace safety are covered.

Quality and Safety of Products and Services

Our reputation and success lay upon providing safe and high-quality products and services that meet our customers’ expectations. We therefore are committed to maximising the customer satisfaction by providing them with products and services of the finest quality. In the meantime, customers can feel relaxed enjoying our products and services, knowing that we have a set of strict safety guidelines in place. During the Reporting Period, we were not aware of any material breach of relevant laws and regulations relating to health and product safety. We have not received any letter of advice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission nor any non-conformance report of our suppliers’ social responsibility audit during the year. During the Reporting Period, a small number of our products were subject to recalls for safety and health reasons due to a product test failure. The recalled products accounted for approximately 0.003% of the total number of products we sold and shipped in 2023.

Advertising Ethics

We are committed to establishing a long-lasting trust with our customers by providing accurate information in our marketing and advertising publication. Our marketing strategy is complied with all relevant laws and regulations and our own ethical standards.

Given the business nature of our toys business, most of the advertisements and promotional materials are consumed by children. We make sure the way how information is collected in the website of Playmates Toys is complied with the US Online Privacy Protection Act, which sets out rules for collecting information from children. As a member of the “kidSAFE Seal Program”, all of the content in Playmates Toys’ website has been independently reviewed to ensure compliance with the standards of online safety and/or privacy.

During the Reporting Period, we were not aware of any material breach of relevant laws and regulations relating to advertising and labelling in connection with our products and services provided by the Group and method of redress.

Satisfying Our Customers' Needs

Maintaining effective communication with our customers is the key to enhancing the quality of products and services, and to maximising customer satisfaction. We communicate with our customers by arranging regular joint business planning meetings, senior management meetings as well as feedback collection and other means of direct communication. We also pay visits to our tenants regularly to facilitate communication with them. During the Reporting Period, a total number of 13 products and service related complaints were received. The complaints were handled by designated employees promptly and all the complaints were settled within the Reporting Period.

Business Integrity

The Group spares no effort in protecting our reputation and the interest of the stakeholders by exercising the highest standards of business ethics. We do not tolerate any forms of misconducts that undermine our business integrity. To achieve this, the Code of Business Conduct is in place to govern the business practices and staff behaviours.

During the Reporting Period, the Group was not aware of any material breach of Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Cap. 201) and other laws and regulations relating to bribery, extortion, fraud, money laundering, data privacy, intellectual property, nor any legal cases regarding corruption practices against the Group or our employees.

Anti-corruption

All business activities carried out by the Group are regulated by the Code of Business Conduct, under which the employees are strictly forbidden to solicit or accept or offer any forms of advantages such as gifts, entertainment or contributions from/to customers, suppliers, public servants, employees of a government department or public body, or any person in connection with the Group’s business in most circumstances. During the year, we have adopted an Anti-corruption Policy to further enhance the governance of the Company. We review such policy and our Code of Business Conduct regularly to ensure that our anti-corruption policies are consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

Our employees are required to act in the best interest of the Group. Any business decisions made or decisions taken must be independent and free from the influence of the relationship that our employees might have with our business partners, customers and regulators. Insider trading (i.e. gaining personal benefits using material non-public information) is strictly prohibited.

In the event of observing suspected breach of the anti-corruption requirements, employees are encouraged to report the case to the respective Department Head or the management. All suspected cases will be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption where necessary.

In this year, our directors and employees were updated with information on anti-corruption rules, regulations and practices. A total of 40 hours anti-corruption training was provided to our directors and employees at our Hong Kong offices.

Anti-money laundering

With a deep understanding of how money laundering behaviours can inflict damage to the economy, the society and the corporate reputation, the Group bears zero tolerance on any forms of money laundering behaviours. The Code of Business Conduct contains clear guidelines on what constitutes a suspicious transaction. Employees are required to report to the Ethics Resource Team for guidance if they spot any suspicious transactions.

Data privacy

Given the fact that our business areas are highly competitive, any unauthorised disclosures of business information and personal data of the Group, our business partners, customers, and employees, whether intentionally or not, would induce severe damage to the interest and reputation of the Group and other stakeholders. Hence, stringent protective measures have been carried out to secure the confidentiality of the data of the Group and relevant stakeholders.

Proprietary information of the Group, our customers and business partners must be properly labelled and securely stored. All employees have the obligation to adhere to the stringent standards on handling confidential information during the employment and after the termination of the employment. The Group bears zero tolerance on any behaviours of using the proprietary information for personal gain. To ensure data security and compliance with privacy regulations, we have entrusted designated executives to monitor the implementation of security procedures.

Intellectual property

As the core competency of the Group lies in ideas and innovation, intellectual property is one of our most valuable assets. We are committed to protecting our intellectual property rights in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, including but not limited to trademark registration, copyright notice and patent marking. We will seek formal protection on any ideas or output developed based on the Group’s resources. Meanwhile, we respect the intellectual property rights of other parties. The Group will not knowingly use the patent rights of other parties unless they are properly licensed.

Whistle-blowing

We established a Whistleblowing Policy in 2012 which was revised in 2022. The main objective of the policy is to provide employees and external parties a reporting channel and procedures to report any serious misconduct or malpractice involving the Company and its employees even on an anonymous basis. Clear guidelines have been set out regarding the acceptance scope, violation behaviour, reporting channels, handling procedures and information confidentiality of whistle-blow incidents in accordance with related management regulations.

Any person who has reasonable evidence of actual or suspected improper conduct involving the Company can make a report confidentially, in writing, to the chairman of the Audit Committee. Upon receiving a report, an investigation will be handled by the Audit Committee in a confidential and timely manner. We ensure that the identity of whistle-blowers is secured in the highest manner possible and we do not tolerate any forms of intimidation or retaliation thereafter. Meanwhile, we make our best efforts to ensure that the information collected is accurate, and employees who deliberately provide untrue information are subject to disciplinary actions.

Responsible Employment

The Group’s core competency lies in the possession of talented employees, whose hard work and skills have contributed to our business achievements. The Group is committed to putting in resources in enhancing employees’ physical and mental health, career development, and well-being. In addition, we are committed to maintaining high employment standards and a healthy and safe workplace. We strive to provide the best possible support and opportunities to the employees so that they could thrive with us.

As at the end of the Reporting Period, the total number of employees of the Group was 77. Information of our workforce and turnover rate by different categories is illustrated below:

¹  The turnover rate of each category was calculated by dividing the number of employee who left during the Reporting Period by the number of employee of such category as at 31 December 2023.

Healthy and Safe Workplace

The Group endeavours to maintain a safe and healthy workplace both physically and mentally to our employees. As our businesses are principally office-based, a comprehensive safety workplace protocol can effectively eliminate safe and health risks. To protect the health of all employees, all new joiners are required to attend a medical examination and declare any known contraction of contagious or infectious disease prior to the start of employment.

The Group spares no effort in ensuring that our employees work in a drug-free workplace. Possession, consumption, sale, distribution or being under the influence of illegal drugs are strictly prohibited in our premises. We also prohibit employees from engaging in any other activities which may create an unsafe work environment while carrying out work-related responsibilities or within the Group’s premises. Staff are encouraged to report any actual and potential health, safety and fire hazards to the respective Department Head or immediate supervisor as a precautionary measure to prevent any injury or damage in workplace.

Meanwhile, we adopt a set of safety guidelines in attending work during extreme weather, which is in line with the guidance set out by the Labour Department and the Hong Kong Observatory. When Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above and/or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force, employees are required to take necessary precautions and stay indoor wherever they are, and not to leave the building until the signal is lowered and the condition is safe to do so.

During the Reporting Period, the Group was not aware of any material breach of relevant laws and regulations in Hong Kong pertaining to provision of a safe working environment and protection of employees from occupational hazards, such as Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Cap. 509) and Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282). Meanwhile, no work-related fatality and lost day due to work-related injuries was recorded in 2023.

Employment Conditions

The Group’s performance and success depend primarily on our employees. We aim to promote the growth of our employees and the Group mutually by providing a motivated workplace, in which the performance and efforts of the employees are highly valued. The Group offers remuneration packages based on factors such as performance, experience, qualifications and length of service. The remuneration policy of the Group is subject to periodic review by the Board.

Apart from the statutory holidays and paid annual leave, all eligible employees are also entitled to additional paid leave entitlements such as sick leave, marital leave, maternity leave, examination leave, compassionate leave and jury service/witness leave. At the same time, we offer benefits such as medical allowance, the Mandatory Provident Fund and tuition allowance to eligible employees.

Discrimination-free and Fair Workplace

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that our workplace is fair, diverse, open, and equal working environment for our employees. Hence, any forms of discrimination or harassment based on age, gender, race, disability, marital status or other legally-protected status will not be tolerated. The anti-discrimination policy is stipulated in our Code of Business Conduct. Employment decisions are made solely on the basis of work-related factors such as employees’ qualifications, experience, skills and achievements, without considering any other characteristics as stated in the applicable laws. In the event of experiencing offensive harassment or other indecency or obscenity, employees are encouraged to report to the respective Department Head or immediate supervisor immediately.

During the Reporting Period, the Group was not aware of any material breaches of relevant laws and regulations in Hong Kong, including among others the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), that have a significant impact on the Group relating to compensation and dismissal, recruitment and promotion, working hours, rest periods, equal opportunities, diversity, anti-discrimination, and other benefits and welfare.

Child and Forced Labour-free Workplace

We are committed to protecting the labour rights of our potential and current employees. We bear zero tolerance on any forms of child or forced labour in the Group’s business operations. It is mandatory for job applicants to reach the legal working age and show their valid identification and qualification documents at the recruitment stage for background check. In the meantime, qualified candidates are required to enter into a legal-binding labour contract to ensure they are hired on a voluntary and fair basis. The enforcement of our child and forced labour policy extends to our suppliers, under which we do not knowingly use suppliers who are involved in using child and forced labour.

During the Reporting Period, the Group was not aware of any material non-compliance with laws and regulations in Hong Kong, including among others the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), relating to child and forced labour.

Development and Training

We understand the importance of acquainting updated knowledge and the latest market trend in order to unleash the potential and creativity of our employees. To maintain our progress on the knowledge track, we are committed to devoting resources to promote learning. Eligible employees are entitled to tuition allowances and paid leave for attending external vocational, academic or professional training courses to enhance their skills or qualifications relevant to their duties at work. We also organise internal training sessions for our management regarding legal and regulatory updates and other matters that is material to the business operations of the Group to keep up with the industrial and market updates. We encourage our people to think broadly about their career advancement and goals in their annual performance-based appraisals, in which the employees are encouraged to contribute their ideas and suggestions to the Company, in order to achieve mutual growth of the employees and the Group.

We believe professional skills, expertise and lifelong development of the employees are imperative to keeping them abreast of the latest development of the market and the industry and, at the same time, improve their performance and self-fulfilment in their positions, unleash the employees’ potential and ultimately, attain a sustainable business growth.

Environmental Protection

The younger generation is among our most important customer groups. We have an indispensable obligation to start reducing carbon footprint and conserving our natural resources to fight climate change, in order to leave our planet habitable for future generations. We stay proactive in managing emerging environmental risks and advancing our performance. In order to pursue long-term and sustainable operations, we have studied the peer performance and established the following environmental targets regarding greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, waste management, and energy use and water efficiency in short-term and long-term based on the average intensity of the corresponding aspect from 2017 to 2020. The Group will gradually reduce our environmental footprint and continue to review market development and opportunities to enhance our performance.

Below are some environmental measures implemented during the Reporting Period:

Climate Change Resilience

Climate change has become a highly concerned topic in the global market as it associates to the long-term sustainability of an organization. During the risk assessment process in the Reporting Period, climate physical risk and effectiveness of disaster recovery plan were identified as material ESG risks. In order to prepare the Group for unforeseeable climate-related disasters, such as hurricane, and extreme weather, a business contingency plan has been established to outline the identified major climate-related risks faced by the Group, the critical business functions that will be affected in identified climate-related disaster, emergency preparedness for disaster event, recommended immediate responses and recovery plans for critical operations. It is expected that implementation of the plan can reduce the disruptions to our operations and supply chain under climate-related events.

In addition, we recognise the potential impact to the building premises and ensure our insurance covers fire incidents, third party injuries within our building premises, staff injury during the course of business, and transit loss or damage of shipment of finished goods from manufacturers. The mitigation measures will be reviewed timely to prevent major loss.

Another anticipated climate-related risk lies on the potential change in governmental policies and regulations due to the increasing global concern on the climate change issues. Our operational and legal teams will regularly review and monitor our business practices and processes to ensure the compliance of the Group. External consultancy services will also be pursued when necessary.

Environmental Performance Table

Note:

1. The non-hazardous waste from the office operation of the Group is mainly general refuse, while the hazardous waste is mainly used toner cartridges. The used toner cartridges were gathered by the toner supplier for their recycling.

2. Scope 1 refers to direct GHG emissions from the stationary and mobile sources combustion. The calculation is made reference to the published emission factors from 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and the guidance worksheets of World Resources Institute’s GHG Protocol Tool for Mobile Combustion.

3. Scope 2 refers to indirect GHG emissions from the purchased electricity. The calculation is based on the emission factors from the 2020 Sustainability Report published by the CLP and the Emission Factors for Greenhouse Gas Inventories published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

4. Scope 3 refers to indirect GHG emission from the consumption of paper in Hong Kong and business air travel of employees. In 2023, the emissions from the water consumption and sewage treatment of our Hong Kong premises were also included.

5. The conversion factors from volumetric units of unleaded petrol consumption to energy units are in reference to CDP Technical note: Conversion of fuel data to MWh.

6. In 2023, the Group had no issue in water sourcing.

7. Due to change of calculation methods and previous technical issues, some of the 2022 numbers are restated.

Community Engagement

The Group cares deeply about the community where it operates. We are committed to making contribution to the society and supporting the communities through charitable donations and other forms of community engagement. In 2023, a total amount of HK$903,000 cash donation was made to the Sachs Family Foundation, The AHBAP Association, Licensing International Foundation, Spy Ninjas’ fundraising campaign and Women in Toys Foundation. Meanwhile, we encouraged our employees to participate in community contribution activities during the Reporting Period.