The prestige jewellery brand Pandora hopes to become more sustainable than ever by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The world’s largest jewellery brand has made changes in its manufacturing processes and material selection which has helped Pandora achieve carbon neutral product certification.
This article will also cover what it means to be carbon neutral, the importance of reducing your carbon footprint and the steps to how your business or product could become carbon neutral.
Pandora’s Sustainable Plans
How did such a worldwide name brand like Pandora achieve carbon neutral product certification? Pandora currently uses around 70% recycled materials when making new jewellery. Recycling dates back to almost 1,000 years ago and has been effective in reducing waste and re-producing new products. However, current and sustainable plans for the future has helped Pandora achieve carbon neutral product certification. The jewellery brand has committed to source all its gold and silver from second-hand sources instead of mining the natural elements. The brand plans to become a carbon neutral company by 2050.
Why Is Mining Jewellery Bad?
Gold mining has extremely damaging effects on the environment, landscapes and contamination in natural water through toxic waste being dumped. Also, mercury and cyanide can often be released from dirty gold mining which pollutes the air. A similar story can be told for mining silver. Generally, mining minerals can damage the environment through the aftermath by polluting water. This then has a knock-on impact by loss of biodiversity and eroding the ocean‘s coral reefs; which plays a major part in capturing carbon.
Pandora cutting all of its mined minerals to make jewellery is a big step in the right direction and hopefully inspires more brands to do the same.
What Does It Mean To Become Carbon Neutral?
To be ‘carbon neutral’ means that your manufactured product or business has not contributed to the amount of global greenhouse gas emissions. To offset carbon means that sustainable efforts have been made such as funding an environmental project that reduces global carbon emissions. However, reducing your own carbon footprint is also vital to become more environmentally friendly and to ensure that the world is less polluted.
A company, product, service or event can achieve a carbon neutral certification by proving that sustainable efforts have been made. Another way to prove this is through showing commitment towards plans to offset carbon. A verified organisation will then assess and estimate the greenhouse gases created and neutralised through environmental efforts or projects.
How Can Brands Achieve Carbon Product Certification
Reducing CO2 emissions is vital to slow down the heating of the earth. So you might be wondering what lengths must you go in order to become carbon neutral. Knowing how to achieve carbon neutral certification could help your company or the one you work for lower its environmental impact. It also sends a positive and sustainable message to partners and customers. You may even inspire other businesses to also follow in your footsteps to offset their carbon footprint. Learn more about offsetting carbon.
Breakdown of How to Achieve Carbon Neutral Product Certification:
- Calculate their greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, the amount of GHG created in the running of their business.
- Create a plan and set targets to reduce and offset carbon emissions.
- Turn the plans for carbon-neutralisation into action.
- Get assessed and verified for your Carbon Neutral certification.
- Gather evidence of carbon neutral report and announce the Carbon Neutral certification.
Summary
The amount of greenhouse gas emissions that accumulate will vary depending on the changes that are made, such as where you source your materials and what type of energy you use etc. To make the biggest impact we should all work together to protect our environment, oceans and the life that occupy the earth.
