Maximising profits used to be the prime concern and key measure to any successful business. However, with growing awareness of the concept of social responsibility, business operators are now more aware of the importance of running their business in a socially and environmentally considerate manner.

The ICTI Code of Business Practices (ICTI COBP), which is a new, universally accepted standard of business ethics for the toys industry, serves to uphold workers' rights and ensure the working environment is safe and healthy.

The ICTI code was formulated in 1995 and all 20 ICTI members unanimously adopted its revised version in June 2002 - a significant step in the promotion and encouragement of a socially and environmentally considerate toys industry.

The code has attracted support globally from industry operators and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Its success is helped by the fact that it can be applied to different regions and countries, and can also be easily adopted by factories regardless of their size.

Discussing the recent developments, David Hawtin, president of the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI), said the code is now in its implementation stage. "We have seen significant progress in getting the toys industry to support the code, the progress made means that our industry is a step ahead of other industries in socially and environmentally considerate production practices."

Vice-president (Asia) of the ICTI Executive Committee, T S Wong, said the principles behind the code can be applied to other sectors and stated how employment free of discrimination and exploitation should be the basis of any ethical operation.

"All industries are obliged to comply with legislative requirements on workers' health and safety, so the principles behind the code are not uncommon to other industries and, as such, could be adapted and applied," he said.

ICTI COBP in Hong Kong and the Mainland

Although there has yet to be a Hong Kong company officially accredited, the code has been adopted by many local manufacturers in their operations. Describing it as a "practical standard," chairman of the Hong Kong Toys Council, Samson Chan, explained that the Council is working to make the code the de facto standard for the industry in Hong Kong.

Independent audit firms play an important role in the process of ICTI certification. "Last year, the Industry Accreditation Panel was set up to select a number of approved audit firms to help in the process. We will unveil the names soon," T S Wong said.

A bilingual Chinese-English ICTI COBP handbook has been produced to help promote the adoption of the code, and nearly 2,000 copies have been distributed. To cater to the need of manufacturers in the Mainland and make the code more accessible, a simplified Chinese text version will be produced soon.

Training activities aimed at deepening understanding of the code were organised in Zhuhai in August and Shenzhen in October. In late November, the Hong Kong Toy Council will organise a two-day training course in Dongguan to prepare factory operators for the ICTI audit. Promotional activities for the code will also be held at the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair 2004, a venue that is expected to provide a good occasion to promote and educate buyers and manufacturers on the code. Mr Hawtin concluded the press briefing by saying he views the adoption of ICTI COBP as an open-ended commitment. "Regular check-ups to ensure compliance with the code will take place. A review and audit process will be regularly carried out in the future to help further refine the code."