BEYOND THE GLITZ
Behind the shine and sparkle is a brand looking to build a brighter tomorrow with its eco-practices and green facilities. By Gracia Phang
The 21st centur y is one of change, transparency and consciousness—both of the individual and Mother Earth. As more companies open up about their efforts to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability, those that are not already doing something about it have been encouraged to look into and act on the issue. The jeweller y industr y is not exempt from this phenomenon; so it’s a good thing that PANDORA is primed and ready. As PANDORA’s Corporate Sustainabilit y Manager, Trine Pondal, says: “If consumers are looking at, or even questioning, which jeweller y company has a high ethical quality, we’re ready.”
As a jewellery manufacturer that produces at least 13,000 pieces of jewellery a day, PANDORA constantly strives to reduce its carbon footprint while maintaining high quality standards.A certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council since 2012, the Danish brand not only ensures that the sourcing, crafting and packaging of its products are highly ethical, but that the facility where they are produced is environmentally-friendly too.
F IELD OF DREAMS
Enter the vast garden-like compound that is PANDORA’s green production facility in Lamphun, Northern Thailand. Designed with PANDORA’s signature charm bracelet in mind, the facility’s buildings are fashioned in the shape of a halo, linked by sheltered walkways that encircle a pond in its centre. Not only were the materials for its construction taken from a radius of 800km from the construction site, 30 percent of it was made of recycled content, while 75 percent of its waste was recycled.The beautiful facility also produces up to 1,420 megawatts of electricity annually with its solar paneled roofs, and uses only LED bulbs.
THE MAG IC TOUCH
As the demand for its gemstone and diamond pieces increases, PANDORA continues to develop responsible and ethical practices. Other than producing man-made stones that are fully traceable (and almost identical to their natural counterparts), their diamonds are recycled from discontinued PANDORA trinkets.“The simplest way to buy into environmentally-friendly jewellery is simply to invest in pure gold or silver trinkets,” Pondal adds, after mentioning that a vast majority of PANORA’s gold and silver pieces are re-melted and re-refined from obsolete ones without diminishing their quality. So what you have is jewellery that you can indulge in, without a trace of guilt. ■