Canadian jewellery brand, Pyrrha, has earnt its Butterfly Mark certification.
Creating handcrafted jewellery which is designed to offer inspiration, connection and comfort with minimal impact on nature, Pyrrha’s certification exemplifies the company’s dedication to conscious and responsible operations.
Pyrrha is an extension of its co-founders’ (Wade and Danielle Papin) values to live a life with minimal environmental impact – creating meaningful and more sustainable jewellery that fosters connection through personal storytelling.
Discussing the brand’s certification, Pyrrha co-founder and designer, Wade Papin said: “Long before we knew what “sustainable” meant, we both tried to live our lives with minimal impact on the environment.
“When we started Pyrrha, we both agreed that we wanted it to be an extension of us and our values rather than an entity unto itself.
“We still live and work by this creed, and we feel that it makes decisions about how Pyrrha shows up in the world so much easier to make.”
In order to achieve the Butterfly Mark, companies must achieve a minimum of 50% in each area of assessment: Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG).
Pyrrha achieved 60% in Environment, 69% in Social, and 74% in Governance.
Positive Luxury sustainability client services manager, Emilija Zagere said: “Pyrrha’s dedication to conscious and responsible operations shines through with its strong environmental commitments and social and community engagement initiatives.
“Pyrrha approached their Butterfly Mark ESG+ assessment with confidence and pride for what the business had already achieved and humility, ready to learn and find ways to improve further.
“Sustainability is not the new normal but has been at the core of Pyrrha’s operations from their conception.
“The brand sets an industry example for supply chain traceability and environmental impact management.
“I am looking forward to continuing to work with the team at Pyrrha as they continue to evolve and grow their business.”
Certification
According to Positive Luxury, the organisation powering the Butterfly Mark, Pyrrha excelled in the following areas:
Climate, Energy, and Waste Management
Pyrrha has been conducting annual carbon footprint assessments since 2016 and has achieved a 72% reduction in its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions throughout its opertaions.
The brand’s Vancouver studio has been awarded the Zero Carbon certification from the Canadian Green Building Council in recognition of their achievements.
Energy efficiency has been achieved through low-carbon building materials, renewable energy, and smart technology – the buildings are even being heated and cooled through the use of a geothermal pump.
Pyrrha remains focussed on emission reduction, setting targets to: reduce its scope 3 indirect carbon emissions by 10%, lower its waste production by 5%, and remain a carbon-neutral business by successfully offsetting all residual carbon through the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project in partnership with Carbonzero.
Supply Chain Transparency
The jewellery brand has introduced a supplier code of conduct and questionnaire focussing on human rights and fair labour practices, further increasing supply chain visibility by sourcing raw materials from Canada and the US.
To align with Code of Practice (COP) guidelines from the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk areas, Pyrrha has established a clear system of controls and transparency in its precious metals, diamonds and colour gemstone supply chain.
Sustainable Materials and Circularity
Pyrrha uses 100% recycled gold and silver for all of its jewellery pieces and offers a lifetime warranty, avoiding post-consumer waste generation.
Taking its sustainable practices one step further, it uses 100% recycled materials for consumer packaging and, moving forwards, aims to increase the use of FSC-certified forest-based materials.
People Management and Community Involvement
Dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all staff, Pyrrha is a certified Living Wage Employer and extends its positive social impact by supporting local communities, making regular donations to organisations such as the mental health NGO To Write Love on Arms.
The brand also donates $1 (£0.8) to Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) every time a customer chooses not to select a gift box.
Additionally, Pyrrha offers a scholarship and Indigenous Student Awards to support the craft of jewellery making through the Vancouver Community College Jewelry Art and Design programme.
Other luxury brands that have been awarded Butterfly Mark certification include Monica Vinader, Tom Ford Beauty, Dior Couture, MCM, IWC Schaffhausen, Belvedere, The Macallan, Anya Hindmarch, and more.
By becoming part of the Positive Luxury brand community, Pyrrha will continue to strive to exceed standards set for social and environmental frameworks.
