ICTI is a well-known standard in the toy industry for children. ICTI has created the ICTI Care Process Program, which is a social responsibility program for manufacturers. To learn more about the meaning of the ICTI standard and its benefits to businesses and consumers, let’s read this article.
1. What is ICTI?
ICTI stands for International Council of Toy Industries. Founded in 1975, ICTI is a non-profit organization, and its membership comprises established national toy associations from more than 20 countries. They are the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China, India, Mexico, Holland, etc. Each national association has its own membership, which is made up of brands operating in its territory.
According to ICTI, members are committed to promoting safety standards for toy products, and related accessories, such as toy packaging. Moreover, the organization also aims to ensure fair working conditions for factory workers, increase social responsibility across the businesses, advance responsible toy safety standards, and reduce or remove trade obstacles.
ICTI supports children’s issues while also promoting the developmental significance of play in children’s lives. Every year, ICTI honours one children’s charity for its exceptional efforts in assisting children and their families.
2. ICTI in packaging for children manufacture
Besides toy manufacturing, packaging for children plays an important role in the production and marketing chain. Packaging samples also need to be ICTI certified to ensure product quality integrity. To be granted ICTI certification, manufacturers must meet these ICTI standards:
a. Compliance with laws and regulations in the workplace
Packaging enterprises need to ensure a clean working environment. They need to divide between the production and the waist section and timely handle so as not to affect packaging hygiene. Areas within a packaging enterprise usually include:
Office area: The place to receive, process and unify requests with customers. Depending on the company’s professionalism, this process can end in a regular document or a contract.
Printing and production area: In the printing workshop, it is divided into many different zones, from printing, die-cutting to folding, delivery. Each zone will have separate waste such as ink, excess paper, glue, boxes, etc. They need to handle this waste in time in order not to affect other stages in the packaging production process.
b. Working time
The company has to offer specific working hours per week for each employee as well as specific regulations on overtime pay in accordance with the law.
c. Salary and compensation
Employees in the packaging enterprise are entitled to receive salaries and compensation under the regulations and the initial labour contract.
d. Juvenile labour
Firms must not use juvenile labour at any stage of packaging production because this principle is extremely crucial according to ICTI standards.
e. Forced labour
Packaging enterprises must not force employees to work overtime as well as not interfere with workers’ rights at the end of working hours.
f. Prisoner labour
To avoid violating the lack of equality of career opportunities according to C111 of the Anti-discrimination Act, the packaging company must not refuse workers for any reason of gender, religion, ethnicity, inmate, etc.
g. Discrimination
Companies must not discriminate against employees based on race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national origin, or social origin in the workplace.
h. Employee representation
Employees are free to exercise their rights to employee representation in accord with the law.
i. Facilities
The packaging enterprise ensures safe equipment for machinery, appliances and factories based on the law. Simultaneously, workers should participate in several training sections in advance to use this equipment proficiently.
j. Fire safety
Businesses must install and maintain all fire safety protection and prevention equipment, emergency exits. Along with that, they need to instruct employees to use the system in case of need.
k. Working environment and occupational safety and health
According to the rules and regulations, packaging firms must thoroughly sanitize the working environment and fully install risk prevention systems.
l. Welfare services
Businesses need to have a full medical system and medical staff. The system must always be ready for giving first-aid when emergencies occur due to occupational accidents.
Additionally, in case the business provides accommodation for employees, it is necessary to ensure the proper hygiene of rooms and toilets. They should meet environmental and fire safety standards by law.
3. The advantages of ICTI certificated packaging
There are many long-term benefits for both businesses applying ICTI in packaging for children and users.
a. For enterprises applying ICTI in packaging for children
- Promote packaging for children production in a healthy way for social development.
- A good opportunity for toy products to expand the market and be accepted in many countries.
- Support businesses comply with the law.
- Increase social welfare for employees, contributing to boosting productivity, quality of work, and brand reputation.
b. For users
- Consumers, especially children, have the opportunity to access safe and healthy toys.
- Through the packaging sample, parents can identify which one is the best choice for their children.
- Users can save time and effort in choosing safe toys.
Here are the standards of ICTI and their application in the production of toys and packaging. We hope this can help you get an overview of this global standard.
ICTI certification is the clearest and strongest commitment of Starprint to our clients. We are always honoured that our toy packaging is manufactured in safe and humane conditions. Employees are treated fairly in a risk-free and sustainable working environment. This is one of the top priority factors that many foreign companies usually request when finding a reliable packaging manufacturer in Vietnam.
You can visit here to find out more about other certificates and technologies in the printed packaging industry, discover certificates that Starprint has achieved, or contact us for more information.