(Photo caption: Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric (left) and Toy Association President & CEO Greg Ahearn (right) met on October 3 in Washington, DC to discuss increased collaboration, use of data, science and risk assessment, and partnership throughout the rulemaking process.)

In-person meetings in Washington, DC have always been a key component of The Toy Association’s advocacy work on behalf of our members and the greater toy industry. Recently, our Global Government & Regulatory Affairs team organized one-on-one meetings in DC to talk with Alexander Hoehn-Saric, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) chair, key staff from the House Speaker’s office, and other influential organizations to address pressing issues that are impacting your business.

The Toy Association, the toy community, and the CPSC share a commitment—there is nothing more important than the safety of children. In The Toy Association’s discussion with Hoehn-Saric, we emphasized the importance of returning to a deeper partnership with the commission, particularly throughout the CPSC’s rulemaking decisions, using recent events and rulings as examples of opportunities for stronger collaboration.

Specifically, we discussed the importance of relying on data, science, and thorough risk assessments throughout all CPSC decision-making processes. It was a productive conversation that allowed us to underscore the toy industry’s unwavering commitment to safety and to also address ongoing issues surrounding counterfeit, illegal, and unsafe products.

In addition to toy safety standards and counterfeit products, tariffs and trade relations were another key focus of our meetings; we met with William Ball, senior policy advisor for the U.S. House of Representatives Office of Speaker Mike Johnson, to talk about the potential harmful impact of tariffs on the toy industry, as well emphasized the importance of passing legislation to hold online marketplaces accountable for counterfeit goods sold on their platforms (via the SHOP SAFE Act).

Additional discussions with the U.S.-China Business Council and members of the National Association for Manufacturers focused on continued collaboration between our organizations on future policy strategies.

In a few crucial meetings we covered a lot of ground and continued to make positive progress in our relationships with policymakers, but the work does not end there. The Toy Association’s advocacy efforts are year-round and cover the world, reaching 50 states and numerous foreign countries on behalf of our members. Our goal is to overcome challenges and open doors to help you grow your business and create value, while always ensuring the strength and protection provided through toy safety standards and regulations are seen as the example for other industries.

I encourage you to reach out if you’d like to get involved in The Toy Association’s advocacy work by joining one of our committees. Please contact Ed Desmond, executive vice president of global government and regulatory affairs, to learn more.