This is a guest article written by the Professor Puzzle team.
Professor Puzzle create a catalogue of games and puzzles for independent stores and major chains to select from, as well as supplying exceptional and inspiring ranges of custom products to the world’s biggest retailers. Our current FSC certified products include a wide range of bespoke puzzles and games for children and adults, including trivia sets, make-your-own craft kits, and wooden tabletop games.
Why FSC?
Prompted by demand from our customer base, the decision to become FSC certified was a no-brainer. We had already started to investigate and use more environmentally friendly materials within the supply chain, so FSC certification was the natural next step. It encouraged us to further understand the benefits of sourcing FSC materials and to continue growing our business with customers who wanted more sustainable products. We received an overwhelmingly positive response, and the timing was perfect, as our ability to supply FSC certified products has dovetailed with customers increasing their requests for FSC products by 700% in the last two years.
"The momentum behind FSC is only going one way. Our customers increasingly want FSC products. We want to be doing more FSC products ourselves. FSC is one of those rare topics that everyone in every corner of the business is passionate about. All these factors help make our move towards FSC inevitable rather than challenging."
- Ben Meldrum, Managing Director.
The chain of custody certification has motivated us to keep building an FSC supplier base and to support multiple new factories in becoming FSC certified. This diversified supply base now allows us to provide a wider range of fantastic products to our customers, whilst strengthening their wider company sustainability goals.
Becoming more responsible
As we focus on becoming a more responsible business, FSC gives us the confidence that we are supporting responsible forestry. “I’ve been selling puzzles and games for over 14 years now and customers and us taking more of a lead in the market to become more sustainable is what is important. Having recently become a father, it makes me feel better about what we do in the world and for future generations." – Adam Langley, Sales Director
The audit process
The virtual FSC audit process was a real benefit during COVID. We were able to continue with certification and make sure the required processes were in place. As the business grows, we are implementing new databases that enable us to check and organise chain of custody documentation more efficiently.
Sourcing FSC materials when developing new products and expanding into different category types has posed some challenges. However, we are combatting this by continuing to build a knowledge base and working closely with new suppliers to ensure FSC certification is obtained during the onboarding process.
The benefits
Building FSC certification has brought significant benefits. Critically, it has allowed us to meet the increasing demand for these materials from their customer base, thus retaining and increasing revenue. Additionally, they have improved chain of custody processes and supply chain review, and advanced product development. Our dedicated product development team is now able to create an even wider range of exceptional games and puzzles that are consciously created and responsibly sourced. We are excited to continue to grow with FSC and motivated to improve sustainability across all areas of the business.
Discover more about Professor Puzzle online.