WINNERS of the ‘Sustainable Business of the Year’ Award!
Portsmouth Business Awards 2025
The team at Charlotte Cornelius Jewellery Design are thrilled to have received this award on Thursday evening, 27th March at the fantastic Gala Dinner and Awards Event at The Portsmouth Guildhall.
Together, we have worked so hard on our sustainability, guided by ethical practices in every business decision and action. So we are extremely grateful & proud to win this accolade.
From Charlotte:
“As a bespoke jeweller it has always been our mission to work ethically and with integrity in a sometimes opaque industry.
We are truly a team and we could not possibly have achieved these levels of sustainability and traceability without all being invested, making changes and suggestions which all add up.
We hope this can encourage even small business like ourselves with eight employees to be a change maker within your industry and community.”
Hannah (Jewellery Designer) and Alice (Operations and Marketing) attended the evening - Charlotte was sorry to miss but away on holiday! Alice said: "It was a fabulous evening, spent connecting with some wonderful people! Hearing our name announced as the winner of the Sustainable Business of the Year Award really was an incredible feeling - so elated to have won after our team have put so much work in to this area!”
The jewellery business it is not the easiest of industries to excel in when it comes to sustainability, so this award means a lot to us. Within an environment which can often lack transparency, it's wonderful that our ethos and efforts are recognised!
Here’s an overview of our sustainability practice:
• Certified with the Butterfly Mark by Positive Luxury; earned by evidenced sustainability and ethical practices.
• We are circularity focused - increasing remodelling, repairs and restoration year on year. Last year 63% of our business (by job type) was remodel or repair, minimising the purchase of metals and gems.
• The only metals we use are recycled, Fairtrade or Single Mine Origin.
• We practice and raise awareness of ethical gems procurement, including Lab grown and Ocean Diamonds, Fairtrade Gems and National Association of Jewellers audited suppliers.
• Our Poseidon Seagrass Collection features Ocean Diamonds and supports the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s Solent Seagrass Restoration Project with 10% of profits donated until 2026.
• Reporting with SME Climate Hub - Partnering with thousands of businesses and governments globally to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Our Scope 1 emissions are 0 and Scope 2 are only 1.26 (tonnes CO2e. Year 23-24).
• Packaging features: FSC-certified board boxes and tissue paper. RPET pouches. Bags made with recycled FSC-certified paper, recyclable ribbon (from recycled plastic bottles) and recycled cotton handles. Work in Progress - Jesmonite boxes from a UK maker with hand made recycled fabric inserts.
• Sustainability is in everything we do! Our cleaners and cleaning products, purchasing reconditioned IT equipment, lighting, refilling soaps, a thermo pot instead of kettle, plastic free water jug filters, biodegradable washing sponges, and shopping local to name a few.
• Our window displays are made to be re-used and updated as the seasons change using recycled materials and locally sourced plants which stay and grow or are dryable in order to remain and evolve.
• We instigated a bike corral in front of our shop and staff contributions to GHG emissions are minimised - 63% of staff walk or cycle to work. Two who travel furthest - one has an electric car and the other uses public transport.
• Ecologi - we plant one tree for every product sold online.
From the event organisers, National World Events: "The judges were impressed by the entries in this category who are seeking multiple ways of making the planet a better place to live, but our winner couldn’t have been more sustainable with a splash of green in everything they do as a business.”
We will continue to keep improving in this area, and look forward to updating you on our sustainability journey. Follow us on @charlottecorneliusjewels.