Fenton announces B Corp certification

British fine jewellery brand Fenton has confirmed that it has been certified as a B Corp business for meeting the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

The direct-to-consumer brand is one of only a few jewellers in the world to achieve this globally-recognised certification and comes after Fenton was rigorously assessed across five impact areas - governance, workers, customers, community and environment.

B Corp certification recognises Fenton’s ongoing efforts to demonstrate best-in-class practices, both socially and environmentally, whilst balancing profit with purpose.

The disruptive fine jewellery brand ensures that each stone is sustainably and ethically sourced and that each piece is crafted using recycled metals only. Every ring is made-to-order and it has a zero-waste production process.

In a statement, Fenton said: “We are so honoured to now be one of the 450+ amazing companies operating as a certified B Corp in the UK. Building a business that is able to balance its profits with the greater good, has been at the core of what we do at Fenton since day one.

“The B Corp certification is now able to make official the amazing work the entire team contributes to bringing radical transparency to the jewellery industry. We couldn’t be prouder.”

Fine jewellery brand Fenton achieves B Corp as it looks to offer sustainability and transparency in the industry

Fenton specialises in coloured gemstone rings to mark and celebrate key milestones and was founded by Laura Lambert to offer an affordable, accessible and conflict-free alternative to the diamond ring. Customers can choose the cut, colour and size of their preferred gemstone, whether it be an Aquamarine, an Emerald, a Ruby, a Garnet, or a Sapphire, which can then be set into a precious metal of their choice.

From day one, Fenton explains that it has championed “radical transparency” and has used its business as a “force for good and to benefit the communities and environment”. For instance, unlike many other jewellers, Fenton sources its gemstones directly from regulated and carefully selected countries, such as Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zambia, and only sources the world’s top 5 percent of quality gemstones.

The countries that Fenton works with are selected based on what it calls “strong and ongoing evidence” that not only are these countries market leaders in gemstone sourcing but also that a basic level of protection for workers is non-negotiable. This includes fair and equal pay, no child labour and safe working conditions, and Fenton ensures that 100 percent of its employees, of which more than half are women, are paid at least the living wage for a family.

In addition, Fenton adds that it ensures that all of its partners strictly adhere to these best-in-class ethical standards by conducting regular in-depth audits and reviews of every supplier.

Fenton highlights sustainability with a documentary short film

To highlight its sustainable practices and ethical sourcing of its rings, Fenton has partnered with activist and documentary filmmaker Alice Aedy, to produce a short film showcasing the provenance of its gemstones and the process of mining these stones in Sri Lanka through to the final creation in India.

‘Earth to Heirloom’ follows the Fenton team including founder Lambert travelling to Sri Lanka to meet some of the workers, showcase the craft, and the journey of a Fenton ring.

Commenting on the film, Aedy said in a statement: “I think Fenton is pioneering. In the sense that it has personal relationships with every supplier and understands every single stage of the production. How many brands claim they can’t quite find the source of the product, or that they can’t tell you much about the supply chain? It’s the complete opposite with Fenton. I saw firsthand the love, attention, care and skill that goes into making each ring, and I hope that comes across in the film.”

Fenton was founded in 2018 and is based in London and Mumbai. Its colourful engagement and celebration rings start at 395 pounds and are made-to-order in three to five weeks. Rings selected from the Treasure Box collection can be ordered and delivered in 24 hours. The jewellery brand also offers a concierge service on its website enabling one-to-one appointments and expert advice via WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram messenger to guide customers through the design process. This service has been popular during the pandemic lockdown with online-only appointments accounting for 75 percent of sales, added the brand. Image: courtesy of Fenton