Pandora adds carbon footprint labelling for lab-grown diamonds

For decades, diamonds have been graded by the traditional 4Cs: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. Now Pandora is adding the 5th C, declaring the carbon footprint of every Pandora Lab‐Grown Diamond as part of the product information on pandora.net alongside the traditional four grading criteria. The carbon footprint covers all emissions from the diamond crafting process: from producing the raw materials used to grow the diamond all the way until it is cut and polished, ready to leave the diamond facility. As an example, a one carat Pandora Lab-Grown Diamond has 12.58 kg of CO2e emissions. This is around 90% lower than a mined diamond of the same size. By adding carbon footprint to the diamond conversation, Pandora gives customers an extra point of comparison and essential insight into the climate impact of their desired diamond jewellery. “We believe the future is about making diamonds more accessible while giving customers clarity on what they’re buying. We craft our jewellery with sustainability in mind and by introducing the 5th C, we’re empowering consumers to make informed choices,” said Berta de Pablos-Barbier, CEO of Pandora. Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, optically, thermally and physically identical to mined diamonds. Pandora stopped using mined diamonds in 2021 and is now only using lab-grown diamonds made with 100% renewable electricity and set in jewellery crafted from 100% recycled silver and gold. This significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the Pandora Lab-Grown Diamonds collection. For example, a 14k gold Pandora Infinite ring with a 1 carat lab-grown diamond has a comparable carbon footprint to a pair of jeans. The carbon footprints of Pandora’s lab-grown diamonds have been calculated by external life-cycle assessment experts and published in a study verified by auditing firm EY. The study uses best practice methodology and is available on pandoragroup.com. Adding a 5th C is a response to increasing consumer expectations to sustainability, and Pandora will share its methodology and findings with other jewellery makers to inspire greater transparency across the sector. “As consumers demand greater knowledge of how their products are made, transparency is becoming a defining force for brands. We are happy to share our learnings with others,” said Berta de Pablos-Barbier, CEO of Pandora. Pandora Lab-Grown Diamonds are currently available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark with more countries to be added soon.