The LEGO Group with Lauren von Stackelberg

Speaker Key:

CB     Chantal Boyle

LvS     Lauren von Stackelberg

VO     VO

00:00:00

RM      

Welcome to the Sunflower Conversations, where we explore the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and its role in supporting people with hidden disabilities. 

CB      

Welcome to the Sunflower Conversations, I'm your host, Chantal, and I'm delighted to be joined by Lauren von Stackelberg, who is the Chief D&I Officer, VP, who joins us from the LEGO Group. So we are celebrating the launch of the first toys to ever feature the official Sunflower as LEGO Friends, LEGO Icons and LEGO DUPLO, to promote inclusion. As well as that, there's also the new Minifigure, which can be created in the Minifigure Factory. So first of all, welcome, Lauren. How are you? 

LvS      

Well, with that introduction, feeling totally energised and amazing. Excited to be here with you today. 

CB      

Well, it’s such an exciting project to talk about, and there's been such a buzz about it. So I think that we are all wanting to learn a little bit more about LEGO and the genesis of it. So we are really, really delighted to have you here. Let's start off with, could you give me a brief history of the LEGO brand and how it all began? 

00:01:39

LvS      

Yes, I would love to. So I think a lot of people know the brand, but maybe they don't necessarily know what the term LEGO means. And so it's actually an abbreviation of two Danish words that means play well. And that pretty aptly sums up what we're all about as a brand. 

The LEGO Group, it's a family-owned company. We're over 90 years old. We're headquartered in a place called Billund in Denmark, and we also are 25% owned by the LEGO Foundation. Most importantly, we're a really, really purposeful brand. We're guided by our mission, which is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. And we aim to achieve this through our vision, which is about becoming a global force for learning through play. 

If you fast forward to today and where we are, our products are sold in over 120 countries. We have almost 30,000 colleagues globally, and we've been really lucky, thanks to all of our fans and our colleagues, to be named the most reputable brand in the world for the last two years. 

CB      

That is a great accolade to have in a world of cynicism, toy brands coming in and out, etc. So the fact that you've been able to move with the times is brilliant. And I didn't know about the origins of the name as well, and what that actually translates as. 

00:03:02 

LvS      

Really great, and it's definitely my experience working there as well, the importance of play and play in our day-to-day, the connection to wellbeing, etc. 

CB      

That is essentially… The connection to wellbeing is just phenomenal. And I think as a product, speaking from personal experience, being a mother as well, that you can reach a certain age and then playing is something that's no longer considered acceptable, and this is one toy that you can really take with you from a child to adulthood. 

LvS      

Yes. And we, of course, would challenge that notion and say that play is for everybody and play fosters creativity and lifelong learning and wellbeing. So it's not meant to be something only for children. The sets are for build and play, not just build and display. So anyone, all ages, all backgrounds, can play, should play, not just with LEGO sets, but play is great for everyone. 

CB      

So when did disability representation in LEGO begin? And why is it important? And, I guess, importantly, how has it evolved?

LvS      

It's such a good question, and I could talk to you about it all day. And the reality and the most important thing to start with is we're guided by listening to children, and we centre their voices. And our goal is trying to understand, what's the world that they're hoping to inherit, and what's our role in shaping it?

00:04:31

One of the ways we listen is we do this Play Well Report. So we go out to about 30,000 parents, 25,000 children around the world, and we ask them to understand play and what's important to them. And what we learned in one of our recent studies was that three in four children feel that there's not enough toys with characters that represent them, and also that 97% of parents think it's really important that we're discussing these unique individualities between us, whether that's mental health, disability. 

And so hearing this, that kids and families want to see more characters that represent the diverse world they live in, we really wanted to enact that, especially when it comes to themes that reflect real-world play, so things like DUPLO, Friends and City. Why do we want to do that? We want our fans to feel seen, to create awareness, to spark conversation, and to really remove some of the stigma. So we see not just an opportunity, but also an obligation, to drive positive change. 

When we look at disability inclusion, it spans our entire ecosystem. So I know today, we're talking a bit about product and play experiences, but you'll see it also embedded holistically through our brand, our social responsibility commitments. And of course, it all starts with prioritising inclusion and accessibility for our own workforce and our own workplaces. 

Going into what we're going to talk about today, our progress that we've made on increased representation in the portfolio is really exciting to us. That's on physical, mental, cognitive abilities in the portfolio. 

00:05:57

But we also look at how do we make LEGO play experiences more accessible to children and to families with different abilities and sensory differences. That could be things like LEGO Braille bricks, the LEGO Audio and Braille Building Instructions, or having some of our stores sensory certified. I just want to share a few examples, if that's okay, to bring it to life. 

CB

Yes, please. Yes, please. Yes. 

LvS      

Yes. So a lot of this is done through partnership, of course ours being a really core and crucial one. We’re also partnering with KultureCity, which is a non-profit, you probably know it, dedicated to enhancing accessibility in public spaces, particularly for individuals with sensory needs and non-visible disabilities. 

So they have partnered with us to sensory certify all of our LEGO Stores in the US and Canada and our LEGO House in Denmark, and to train our staff on meeting folks' sensory needs. We've also looked at things like our LEGO Life magazine, and auditing it to make sure, with Special Networks, that it's really welcoming for neurodivergent readers. 

And then we've also launched a really exciting Build the Change programme. This is our social responsibility team. And it's focused on students and educators, around designing places for people. It's built with the Gensler architecture firm, and it's teaching students about universal design, and how to consider a range of different people's backgrounds and needs when they're building and creating public spaces. 

00:07:14

And then going into our product portfolio, I'm going to share a little whistle-stop tour. This is by no means exhaustive of everything that is in there, but if we cast all the way back to 2011 to today, we have all kinds of firsts, starting with our first DUPLO character in a wheelchair, our first Minifigure in a wheelchair, hearing aids, cochlear implants, a Minifigure with visual impairment and a guide dog, Minifigures with prosthetics, stoma bags, and, of course, now, as we fast-forward to today, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard as well. 

So that's the shortest way I can tell you a bit about our disability inclusion journey. 

CB      

Well, I know that some of the comments from the launch have included, will we see other forms of disability represented? And a wheelchair was something that had been mentioned. So that was one of the first characters that you actually created. And are they still available, all of these Minifigures? 

LvS      

Yes. 

CB      

Yes. 

LvS      

Yes, they're still available, and you'll find them in a range of different sets, different franchises, different spaces, which is really exciting. 

CB      

Yes, and I think that that's an important point to express, in that this is being done in a sustainable way for longevity. It isn't just, this is the hot topic at the moment. It’s something that is actually really embedded and incorporated into your brand. And the fact that you do such huge research gathering with your fans, parents and young people, to find out what do they want to see represented, really shows your commitment to this. 

00:08:59

LvS      

And I think the interesting thing when you look at the sets, you'll also see it's really thought through in the entire universe. So it's not just having a character represented in a wheelchair. You'll see that the buildings around that character are accessible. There's ramps, there's signage, there's posting to show how that person is navigating the world. 

And I think that that's also really important. It’s the context that's accessible, it's not just the representation of an individual character or an individual wheelchair. And that's really how our efforts and intentionality has been evolving over time. 

CB      

Absolutely. Well, I think it's fantastic, I really do. There was one question. Well, there's lots of things I wanted to pick up on, but as you said, we don't have all day. But I was quite interested in the magazine, that you said that you've made changes so that it's more easily consumable for neurodivergent people. Have you got one example of a change which you've made to the magazine to make that more accessible? 

LvS      

Yes. We made some amazing changes, and really with gratitude to Special Networks, who helped us to do this audit. The changes we made were intended to ensure more simple and meaningful language and visuals. So I'll just give you a couple examples to bring that to life. 

00:10:11

The first was thinking about showing emotions. And really, we show a lot of emotions, maybe in a facial expression on a Minifigure, but we wanted to also write out what those emotions were underneath, so that we can really help people to understand and further see into what we're trying to express. 

Also thinking about consistency, so making sure that we had the same content on the same page. And also, if we had things like a cartoon spread or speech bubbles, having really logical, sequential ways of labelling them, like numbering boxes in the cartoons, or in speech bubbles, making sure they don't overlay into other boxes. So those are a few of the things. But please pick up the magazine and see for yourself. 

CB      

And do you know what? That's just a classic example of actually those changes will actually benefit everybody. And that's an example, a good example of how actually all organisations should be looking at their inclusivity and accessibility across everything they do, in their product design, etc., because it will benefit everyone. So that's great. 

LvS      

Yes, it's the beauty of universal design. So we're super grateful to have the opportunity to partner with you and to build a long and fruitful and lasting partnership, starting out with, of course, these sets, with our beautiful LEGO cards as well, for our own colleagues and our own staff, and the lanyard for them, our pins, our bracelets. There are all kinds of things that we're just so excited to be wearing and showing our support, teaching ourselves and each other about this. And grateful to be able to share a little more with you today. 

00:11:50

CB      

Thank you. And just for the audio listeners, Lauren was showing a lovely Sunflower card, with the very well-renowned red-and-yellow LEGO icon in the middle, their logo, and Lauren's also wearing the eye support range on a pin badge and on her wrist. So she is fully invested. 

LvS      

Yes. And the thing that we love about the badge that I was sharing is, also, we have the custom LEGO Sunflower there, so with the LEGO icon there as well. So really grateful and really excited about this. 

CB      

You are listening to the Sunflower Conversations with Chantal. To learn more about the Sunflower, visit our website. Details are in the show notes. 

I guess the question that's very pertinent to the Sunflower community is, why has the LEGO Group incorporated Hidden Disabilities Sunflower into the sets and Minifigure range? 

LvS      

So, look, as one of the most loved toy brands in the world, we know that the choices that we make about what characters we represent, what stories we tell, have a really big impact and a lasting impact on how kids learn to perceive the world, and how kids see themselves and their friends and the people of importance in their life represented. 

00:13:17

And so for us, expanding representation in our toys, also building broader societal awareness, acceptance around different characteristics, conditions, appearances and abilities in our product lineup, our goal here is really modelling a world where all kinds of people are celebrated. And this can help us embrace diversity, value inclusion and remove stigma. 

And so for us, we're constantly looking at ways to incorporate inclusion into our products and characters. And as you rightly mentioned, we've presented various physical disabilities over the years, but we really haven't evolved into this space. And so we felt the Sunflower symbol was the perfect next step for us to really think about some of the non-visible conditions and illnesses and sensory needs that we can represent in partnership with you all. 

CB

It's really going to help open up the conversation into non-visible disabilities for sure, I have absolutely no doubt of that. So it was a really bold but wise move to make, I feel. Could you please describe what the LEGO sets are? So we've got three new sets, haven't we, and also, as I mentioned at the beginning, the Minifigures. 

LvS      

Yes, happy to. And I know for those that have visual on, you can also see the sets behind you right now in your video set as well. The first set is in LEGO DUPLO. It’s the First Time at the Airport. This is really targeted around folks who are ages two-plus. The goal here is really helping toddlers navigate feelings about airports, and as a parent of a toddler, it's very important to also navigate parents’ and toddlers’ feelings about airports. 

00:15:01

The set includes a child who's a Sunflower lanyard user. The child has a teddy, a suitcase. There’s a pilot figure, there's a security desk, and there's a movable airplane. The second one is in LEGO Friends. It’s called the Heartlake City Airport and Airplane. This is ages eight-plus. This features Ryan. Ryan's a university student. Ryan's wearing noise-reducing headphones and a Sunflower lanyard. There's also eight other characters, a dog, a passenger airplane, an airport, a taxi and a luggage cart. 

And then lastly, we've got LEGO Icons. This is called Tudor Corner. And this is for adults. It’s 18-plus. It's the latest in our modular building range, and it centres around something called the Old Guarded Inn. So it includes a neurodivergent female character who uses a Sunflower lanyard. The set is quite advanced, it’s 3,266 pieces, and it also includes a haberdashery shop, which happens to be my favourite British word, watchmaker's studio and an apartment. And I think you see it pictured there as well, with keys and things inside the home. 

And then on Minifigure Factory, what this really means is we have 55 Minifigure Factories worldwide, so fans will be able to go in and customise Minifigures, using the Sunflower symbol to represent themselves. They can design the character. They could design a friend, a family member, etc. This is available worldwide in our LEGO Stores, in our LEGO House, which is in Denmark, our Legoland Discovery Centres, and then in the US, also on lego.com. 

00:16:31

CB      

It's quite a chunky range there, I would say. 

LvS

Yes. The goal is, across ranges of ages and stages and different ways that people want to see themselves represented, we wanted to have a broad range of options. So I'm really excited about that. There's also other elements of diversity that you'll see in the characters that we're representing and that we've chosen. So I know we're talking about disability here, but there's intersectionality also in the characters and the identities that they hold. 

CB      

Yes. So I had the privilege of making the sets, and I'm holding Ryan here. He is a young man, and he has got the blue ear defenders on and his green Sunflower lanyard and Sunflower card. And amongst the other characters, like you said, there's intersectionality with race and age. There's a mum. There's a baby. It really is encompassing, actually, what you would experience at the airport. Everybody's there. So it really is a beautiful set, actually. 

And what I really liked about the Icon set, which is also behind me here, which has got, as you said, over 3,000 pieces in it, and it really is a work of art, that it’s true to how you would have your Sunflower lanyard. You potentially wouldn't be wearing it whilst you're at home and you're sitting in your front room. But when you leave home, it's on your shelf, it’s next to your keys, so you just grab it, put it on and take it with you. And so it really does feel like this is a true-to-life range of sets that you've created. 

00:18:23

LvS      

It's true. I just can't stop smiling, because I can't see Ryan or any of these characters and not just be left feeling, yes, really joyous and happy. 

CB      

I was going to ask why were the sets chosen in particular to incorporate the Sunflower, because we've got two airport ranges, haven't we, with the DUPLO?

LvS

Yes. And I think the airport, of course, as you know, has significance to the Sunflower, with Gatwick, and some of the origins of how this symbol was developed. I appreciate it's now super universally recognised, in 90-plus countries around the world. But travel is a space in particular that has a lot of sensory overload. It has a lot of people, a lot of noise, a lot of sounds, a lot of colours, a lot of stimulus. It can be an anxiety-inducing exercise for anybody, irrespective of their background, their condition. 

And so it's recognising that that's a very common place, not just in an airport, of course, but any form of travel, but an airport in particular, that people may recognise the additional requirements that they have, but also may need others to be more aware that they might need additional space or time, that they might wish for someone to reach out and see what their need is, and also to have a way to signal to someone maybe in security or someone working in the airport, without needing to constantly speak up and disclose and advocate, that there might be something that folks could know that might be helpful to make their experience more inclusive and accessible. 

00:19:52

CB      

Yes, I know for a fact that the Sunflower provides so much support to Sunflower wearers at the airport. It really evokes a really strong emotion, actually, in the feedback and the conversations that we have with wearers, how it actually gave them the confidence to take the flight, to make the journey, to visit friends, families, have new experiences. So I think it was a really wise choice there. 

LvS      

Yes. And I know, I can actually share, I was riding on the tube in London just before I flew here to the US, and the train was stopped. And it ended up being stopped for quite a long period of time. So it was completely full, and maybe it was stopped for about 15 or 20 minutes. And it was packed, and people were standing. 

And there was an individual wearing their Sunflower lanyard in the middle. And somebody got up from their seat and went over and said, hey, we've been stopped for a while, are you okay? Do you need anything? Said, yes, I need to sit down. I need to go away from people. I need to sit down. And people moved, and then he sat down. And that wouldn't have happened, right? There’s no reason, and particularly in London. You don’t just talk to strangers on the tube, right? So no one would’ve gone and made that approach. 

And I remember, because, of course, we’re in the middle of this partnership, and we’re working, but it’s always so important to remember, in moments like that, in spaces of public transit, in spaces of lots of strangers and lots of people, that that can give someone permission that sees someone struggling to say something. 

Instead of just seeing someone who might look uncomfortable and say, is it okay for me to say something to them right now? Should I? Would I embarrass them? Where here, it’s like that’s an open gesture to say, hey, you can engage with me. So yes, I see this day to day, but especially in travel in a space like London, with 16 million people. 

00:21:40

CB      

Yes, the last place you want to be stuck is in a tunnel on the tube, ever. 

LvS      

Yes, exactly. For anyone, yes. 

CB      

For anyone. 

LvS      

[Inaudible]. 

CB      

But it’s a really key point that you raise there about it's giving permission for somebody to approach. Because that's what we say. It's just a matter of saying, can I help you? And it might be that in the moment they don't need any help. However, by wearing it, you are signalling to people that you do have a non-visible health condition. And in moments of pain or fear or extreme emotion, it’s very difficult to then be front footed and ask somebody for help. 

So that's a great experience, that you had to witness that, it working for real in a scenario that really supported that Sunflower wearer. And the beauty of it, of course, is that you can take it off and put it in your pocket when you don't feel that you need to wear it. Really, it's about that personal choice. 

LvS      

Yes, totally agree. 

00:22:51 

CB      

You are listening to the Sunflower Conversations. Remember to hit subscribe. 

What do you think is the appeal of LEGO products? 

LvS      

There’s so much. And you'll know, because you built everything behind you, I'm sure, and had quite a lot of fun with it. So I'm curious about your experience of the appeal as well. For me and for us, our LEGO System of Play provides this outlet for just endless creativity and endless learning. It also acts as a universal language. So it can bring people together, bridging across ages, across passion points, across backgrounds. 

And on the topic that we're discussing today, we know our LEGO System in Play is enjoyed by many neurodivergent fans across all ages. And so with, I think it's about 40% of Sunflower users being autistic, our work together on the Sunflower lanyard is also a way for us to support, inspire and celebrate their creativity. 

CB      

Yes. And you're right. And the beauty of it is that you can create the sets, can't you? And then you can dismantle them and then create something completely new and unique that's in your mind and your vision. And so it just can continue and continue. And so you can have it as a really nice piece of art on your shelf. My son has got lots on his shelf. 

It was quite funny, actually, because when they were younger and they really were into LEGO, they would have all the sets that were popular, and then they'd make them and then they'd dismantle them and start making other things. And my thought was, oh, no, you're ruining it. 

00:24:24

But then I watched the LEGO Movie. And if anybody hasn't seen that movie, it's about being creative. And there's a character in there called Emmet. And he follows the rules and the instructions. And I was being an Emmet, and I wasn't allowing for the creativity side. 

And there's a mix that we have in our house. We have creativity, and then we have the lovely sets as they were designed, and they stay as they are. And it's a great method for communication as well, to play things out and to make stop animation. There's all different things that you can really venture into with this wonderful toy. 

So my final question, Lauren, is how important does the LEGO Group view the addition of the new Sunflower toys in reaching a global fan base to foster a more supportive and inclusive society? 

LvS      

This is very important to us. And the heartwarming and impactful reactions that have come in since the announcement really confirmed this belief. So people, kids and adults, have been incredibly vocal about what this means to them. We've heard folks highlighting how it makes them feel seen and accepted, often in ways that they haven't been before. 

Some of the stories I personally love are children who are telling us they now feel more comfortable wearing their Sunflower lanyard after seeing it in LEGO toys. And also people sharing that they frequently saw the Sunflower, but they didn't know what the symbol meant. And now they do, and they're going to step up and offer support. 

00:25:57

And as we progress on our disability inclusion journey that we were talking about earlier, our partnership with you, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower organisation, is a really key part of our continued commitment to support our colleagues and fans who have non-apparent disabilities, conditions and needs. 

And really, for us, embedding diversity and inclusion in everything we do enables us to continue making LEGO play more accessible for all, to create LEGO play and brand experiences that will make children and families feel welcome and included, and, of course, to make a positive impact on the lives of colleagues, consumers and communities. 

CB      

Thank you. And thank you so much for spearheading this project. And as an organisation, I thank you on behalf of all Sunflower wearers and their families, so that this conversation can really be pushed at all levels, in all areas of home, play, building, creation and design. So thanks so much, Lauren. 

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VO      

Find out more about us or listen to this recording again by checking out our Insights page at hiddendisabilitiesstore.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. Please help, have patience and show kindness to others, and join us again soon. Making the invisible visible with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

00:27:54