B the Change.
We're honoured to be 1 of only 3 British Jewellers to be a certified B Corp.
The term ‘sustainability’ has become a real buzzword in recent years. We all strive to support businesses and brands that we know are thoughtful and responsible. But how can you be sure that companies that claim to be ‘sustainable’, really are?
Answer: Look for their B Corp Certification.
Discover everything you need to know about the B Corp certification and what it means - especially for us at Fenton.
What is a B-corp?
A certified B Corporation is a for-profit business that meets rigorous standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. The aim being to address the biggest challenges we are seeing in our day and age which cannot be solved by government and nonprofits alone: Be it climate change, social injustice or gender equality.
B Corps are defined as businesses that want to achieve more than just make a profit. Their company goals and values are committed to creating a positive impact on their employees, communities and through their operations.
Why did Fenton become A B-corp?
The B Corp certification is arguably the gold standard of sustainability credentials. Scored by the independent, non-profit entity B Labs your brand is assessed in 5 crucial categories: governance, environment, community, workers and customers.
Once a business applies, your report is checked rigorously to assess a final score that determines on how your business decisions are impacting people and environment alike. If you score above 80 then you pass and get awarded a B Corp certification (Yes, it really is a bit like getting your final school reports).
Currently only roughly 4% of all businesses that apply to the B Corp status get certified and it’s a status that gets reviewed every 3 years.
At Fenton we are proud to do things differently.
Laura believed that there is a better way to create beautiful gemstone pieces. A way, that does not take away from the planet and people that touch the journey of each ring: The Fenton way was born.
In 2019, Laura launched Fenton with a belief that we could bring a fresh approach to the jewellery industry based on the principles of combining a beautiful, heirloom quality product with transparent and responsible sourcing.
As an industry with long-standing, age-old traditions, jewellery practices are sadly still stung by unethical ways and dominated by many big players, unwilling to change for the greater good. This was a challenge we, and our founder Laura, were however ready to step up to.
Becoming a certified B Corp was just a natural step in the right direction. Honesty, transparency, fairness and human kindness has been at the core of everything we do from day one, making the recognitions awarded with a B Corp status are integral to what we stand for at Fenton.
Being a B Corp is a global movement - a movement of businesses all striving to make our planet a better place.
OUR COMMITMENT
To ensure we deliver to both our high quality promise and social and environmental standards, these are the 10 company commitments we follow throughout our process.
In every country we source from we ensure that:
1. We source from companies that are world leaders in ethical mining operations
2. We do not source from conflict zones where gemstone mining may further corruption or violence.
3. The countries or companies we source from actively support local benefication and protection of the local habitat and environment.
4. Child labour is forbidden within the mining industry.
5. There are safe and fair working conditions.
In every factory we work with, we look for the follow traits:
6. Safe working conditions.
7. All workers over 18 years old.
8. All workers paid fairly, above prevailing local wage.
9. Women and men are paid the same for the same work
10. Workers are given fair and equal chances for promotion and advancement.