Bamford acknowledges the importance of nature, taking responsibility for their impact and placing sustainability and craftsmanship at the core. Working with Positive Luxury since 2020, Bamford have achieved Butterfly Mark recertification for a second time for their continuous improvement in embedding measurable, sustainability practice across its business operations.
In order to achieve the Butterfly Mark, companies must achieve a minimum of 50% in each area of assessment: Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG). Bamford achieved 61% in Environment, 64% in Social and 65% in Governance and 74% in Innovation, with a 30 point improvement overall and excelling in the following areas:
Sustainability Purpose: Bamford was founded on the belief that as humans we need to be mindful of our connection to the earth – to live consciously, respect nature’s resources and the land that provides for us. As a business, it acknowledges how heavily it relies on the generosity of nature to source the materials used to create their collections, whether that be the raw ingredients in the Beauty collection, or the Merino wool sheered from their sheep at their Cotswold farm, the business wants to ensure that the land that provides for us now is able to provide for future generations. To guide them on this path, the team have focused on four areas of responsibility to monitor their progress: keeping craft alive; enduring design; preferred materials; and Community & collaboration.
Circular Economy: Furthering their circular business principles, Bamford design their bath & body, lifestyle & wellness, and clothing collections with the environment in mind. In 2021 they launched their Merino Wool collection which included an extensive carbon footprint assessment from cradle to grave to understand the impact across the full product lifecycle as an initial step towards more circular thinking. This Merino collection creation was also all kept within the UK, with 96% lower transport emissions compared to standard merino supply chain (639 mile production journey vs 18,000). And then in 2022, Bamford’s Stem Cell Serum was the first of their products to harness the power of biotechnology. Using an innovative process to extract stem cells from small plant materials in a laboratory, these cells are synthesised to produce high-quality active ingredients on a large scale, helping to preserve nature and reduce their use of environmental resources. This process uses 90% less water than if agricultural land was used, the serum is made in a lab that uses 100% renewable energy, and the whole supply chain is located around the Swiss Alps to further reduce emissions. Both of these circular products have won Product Innovation of the Year in the 2022 and 2023 Positive Luxury Awards.
Health & Safety: Bamford operates within The Bamford Collection across 14 sites in the UK, and to ensure the safety and management of 750+ staff, they have an extensive health & safety policy with a clear list of responsibilities for different team members and a commitment that all staff must plan and perform their work in accordance with the policy and its associated procedures. The policy covers accident reporting, first aid, fire safety, homeworking, new & expectant mothers, training, and much more. In addition to physical health & safety, Bamford have specific work plans that address mental health topics which include training and options for flexible working.
Operations: Bamford take its social and environmental responsibility seriously, and expect its suppliers to do the same, as such during the recertification process, it has updated the Supplier Code of Conduct and achieved 100% compliance within their Beauty supply chain and over 75% compliance within their Fashion supply chain in 2023. In addition to this code, the company documents sustainable procurement objectives for suppliers and work on a basis of continual improvement with them to further integrate sustainability requirements in their procurement process.
Positive Luxury’s four-part methodology is uniquely tailored for the luxury industry, and the only certification that focuses on innovation and future sustainability risks. The Butterfly Mark is an independent certification that verifies for consumers and other stakeholders that a luxury business is operating in line with the highest standards of sustainability across the entire value chain.
“We are delighted to recertify Bamford with the Butterfly Mark for a second time, acknowledging their continuous improvement in sustainability and ESG practices. Bamford place nature at the centre of their brand and ensure that every decision taken considers their impact in society, materials and nature.” – Diana Verde Nieto, Co-Founder of Positive Luxury
“We are so proud to have recertified with Positive Luxury. It is important for us to carry the Butterfly Mark as it signals to our customers and communities that our approach to responsible, nature-led business has been verified through rigorous assessment. The guidance and support from Positive Luxury has been invaluable, helping to shape our strategy for continuous improvement.” – Will Dennis, Head of Sustainability of Bamford
Other luxury brands that have been awarded the Butterfly Mark include Monica Vinader, Tom Ford Beauty, Dior Couture, MCM, IWC Schaffhausen, Belvedere, The Macallan, Anya Hindmarch and more. By continuing as part of the Positive Luxury brand community, Bamford commits to exceeding standards set for social and environmental frameworks.
Learn more about Bamford at: https://www.positiveluxury.com/our-members/bamford/
