Pandora commits to carbon neutrality by 2025

Danish jewellery brand Pandora has pledged to go carbon neutral within the next five years.

The Copenhagen-based brand has joined the Science Based Targets initiative - a corporate collaboration for action on climate change - and before the end of next year will publish a plan to reduce emissions across its value chain in line with the Paris Agreement.

The target will see Pandora become carbon neutral in its own operations by 2025 - this includes emissions from its crafting facilities, owned and operated stores, distribution sites, and offices.

“Addressing climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today, and as a large global company we have an obligation to contribute to the necessary solutions,” said CEO Alexander Lacik in a statement. “Responsible business practices such as recycling of materials and waste have always been part of Pandora’s way of operating, and we now commit to ambitious targets to reduce our carbon emissions and help drive sustainability in the jewellery industry.”

Pandora announces science-based sustainability targets

Additionally, the company said it aims to source 100 percent renewable electricity at its two crafting facilities in Thailand by 2020. The facilities currently account for 52 percent of the company’s emissions. In the short term, the company said it will source renewable electricity from verified solar energy providers in Thailand, while in the longer-term, it plans to increase its own production of solar power - it currently provides 3 percent of the facilities’ electricity - and engage directly in developing renewable energy projects. The company will also introduce a policy for purchasing green power for its stores.

For the remaining unavoidable emissions, which the companies estimates will be less than 5 percent of total emissions, Pandora will buy carbon offsets.

The brand also said it aims to reduce the emissions of its suppliers, with more than 90 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions currently coming from the value chain outside the company’s own operations, such as from the procurement of raw materials.

“To reduce emissions in our supply chain, we have committed to set a science-based target. In 2020, we will conduct new research to further our understanding of the carbon footprint across our different suppliers, and we will work with them to find the right scalable opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint,” said Mads Twomey-Madsen, vice president for sustainability.

Pandora joins a growing number of leading names in the fashion industry to announce carbon pledges, including French luxury conglomerate Kering, German e-tail giant Zalando, and, just this week, British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s.

Photo credit: Pandora