Our Sustainability Statement
Our Mission
"We continuously strive for excellence, through being a responsible and ethical independent market leader with a trusted reputation, whilst supporting our local community and circular economy."
We are B Corp Certified
Achieving B Corp certification is an independently validated recognition of our unwavering commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices. This prestigious certification reflects our dedication to meeting high social and environmental performance standards, transparency, and accountability. From our perspective, being B Corp certified means that Cornish Gems has undergone a comprehensive evaluation of our impact on employees, customers, the community, and the environment, and we have met the stringent criteria set by the B Corp certification process.
Our Ethos
As an independently owned local company, Cornish Gems recognises the importance of meaningful environmental responsibility. Throughout the business, we are committed to operating sustainably and responsibly. We are also working with stakeholders across the county to create a Better Business Community Initiative to support a more regenerative tourism industry in Cornwall.
Additionally, we are Real Living Wage accredited and are supporting an endeavour to make Cornwall the first county to achieve Real Living Wage Place accreditation.
Our Impact
At Cornish Gems, we are mindful that the tourism industry within which we operate has an impact on our planet. Our policies and efforts to reduce our impact helped us achieve B-Corp status in January 2024.
We are undergoing multiple data collection projects across all business aspects to better understand our impact and how we can improve it. In line with the integrity that we are known for, we intend to be fully transparent throughout our journey to net zero.
We pledge to continually review our business and operations and work towards reducing our impact on Cornwall and the planet in every way we can.
Our Community
As a passionately local and independent company, Cornish Gems is embedded within the communities of Cornwall.
As such we endeavour to support charities and Trusts that provide vital services to the people and landscapes of our community.
We strive to provide quality, secure jobs for our Cornish Gems team with progression pathways.
We contribute to Cornwall’s circular economy by championing local producers, makers and businesses.
We are a part of Cornwall’s vibrant and unique community and we appreciate and value that.
Our 2024 commitments
Proudly independent, we curate memorable holiday experiences in Cornwall, with the wellbeing of our communities and planet at our hearts.
We commit to continue paying all employees the Real Living Wage and working towards a Real Living Wage Cornwall.
We commit to employing 90% of our staff from the local area.
We commit to the local community by supporting Truro Food Bank and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity this year.
We commit to eliminating single-use plastic in our office.
We commit to our Net Zero plan with a 4.2 % reduction in annual emissions.
We commit to diversifying our portfolio across Cornwall to reduce the negative impacts on ‘hotspots’ of over tourism and implementing a cap of 55 properties in the St Ives / Carbis Bay area and 28 in the Padstow area.
We commit to not adding any residential properties with a market value of less than £400,000 to our portfolio- mindful of the impact on affordable housing for the local community.
We commit to expanding our Eco-Conscious collection by 25%.
We commit to improve diversity and inclusivity within our supply chain, community, customer base and marketing.
We commit to working to improve our B Corp score of 97, sharing information and support with other organisations and working towards being a regenerative tourist business.
Better Business Act:
Cornish Gems supports the Better Business Act calling for legislation to put people and planet accountability for businesses on an equal footing with profit.
Tree Planting:
Through our various tree planting initiatives with a non-profit organisation, Tree Nation, including staff rewards, owner gifts and as a welcome gift option for our guests, we have planted more than 1450 trees in 28 countries worldwide. We can equate this to neutralising nearly 7500 car journeys from across the UK into Cornwall. Our goal is to fight deforestation and climate change and support underserved communities; it is not to claim carbon credits.
Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism:
We are proud to be signatories of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Having operated in Cornwall for 16 years, we have evolved from a business that focuses on luxury accommodation to one that is purpose-driven. This means that we are embedded in the community and focused on a triple-bottom-line approach to business. We are intent on protecting Cornwall and our planet while continuing to provide award-winning holidays to our guests and exemplary management services to our owners.
The Glasgow Declaration
Single-Use Plastic:
We have campaigned for an end to cheap polystyrene bodyboards in Cornwall, removed plastic toiletry bottles from our properties and produced a Coastal Activity Book for our kids packs that raises awareness about single use plastics and coastal responsibility. We only re-use received packaging for our Gems Shop and don’t purchase any.
Reducing Waste:
We have been working towards reducing the amount of holiday-generated waste destined for landfills. To that end, more than 30% of our properties now work with a local contractor, CTC, which sends zero waste to landfills.
Carbon Footprint:
We have measured our corporate carbon footprint, including Scopes 1, 2 and Operational 3. The total Scope 3 footprint is 219.58 tCO2e, with the most significant contributor being purchased goods and
services. We intend to use this knowledge to strategise and implement policies to reduce the carbon footprint and minimise and mitigate our emissions, water use and waste with a reduction target of 4.2%.
Carbon Reduction Report. Actions include investing in a solar farm, which will provide us with 100% renewable energy by 2025 for an estimated 40 years.
Carbon Reduction Report
Digital Carbon Footprint:
We are collecting data and implementing strategies to reduce our digital carbon footprint. These include email and data storage policies and minimising the size of our emails' signature images.
We are assessing the impact of our website and working towards a reduction of carbon emissions.
Our Properties:
We are proud of our 'Eco-Conscious Collection,' which showcases our properties' endeavours to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce waste, and be as sustainable as possible. Each property page provides a detailed breakdown of the sustainable qualities and facilities that our Eco-Conscious Gems possess.
Responsible Guest Tips:
We ask our guests to be environmentally mindful during their holiday. Please consider walking or using public transport, saying no to single-use plastics, remembering to turn off lights, appliances and taps when not in use, buying local produce and products and finally, please #leaveonlyyourfootprints. Further information is available in our digital welcome folder.
Our Welcome Gift:
We have addressed food waste issues associated with Welcome Gifts by offering guests choices. We are working with Cornish Food Box to let guests choose the items in their welcome gift. This reduces waste associated with unwanted products in Welcome Gifts and supports local businesses, suppliers, producers and Cornish jobs. Guests can select to plant trees or support Cornwall Heritage Trust as their welcome gift.
Charitable Support:
Since starting in 2018, the Cornish Gems' Charity of the Year initiative has raised over £20,000 for worthy causes, including the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Air Ambulance, the RNLI, and Surfers Against Sewage. We were thrilled to support climate-friendly projects last year with the Cornwall Council's 'Love Where You Are Initiative'.
This year, we are contributing to the crucial work that Truro Food Bank does to help those in need in our local community.
Circular & Local Economy:
Our welcome gifts, bookable extra treats and Gems Shop promote locally, sustainably produced products. We promote products such as the Circular & Co cup created from used coffee cups and fully recyclable at the end of its life As well as reducing food miles and emissions, the policy of buying locally in Cornwall is an investment in the community. This assists in job creation and giving small businesses the support to flourish. In fact, 53% of our significant supplier procurement expenditure occurs within Cornwall, including 25% to Cornish Food Box which directly supports local growers and producers.
Equality & Diversity:
Cornish Gems is a company committed to positive change. Together, we continue to build an inclusive culture for our team, our suppliers, our owners, and our guests. We encourage and celebrate diverse voices and believe this fuels our entrepreneurial spirit. We are proud to partner with Cornwall Pride this year.
Accessibility:
We provide accessibility information on each property page; please get in touch with our Travel Advisors if you need further details. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer.
Access Cornwall
Reducing Vehicle Emissions:
We operate a cycle-to-work scheme that assists employees with bike purchases. We organise travel routes to eliminate unnecessary journeys and prioritise train travel for business travel.
Working with our owners, we are proud to have electric car chargers at 14% of our properties.
The weekly staff commute miles have dropped by c. 25% since last year, with five times as many commutes using low-carbon alternatives.
Let's work together
If, like us, sustainability is a driving force for your organisation, we’d love to connect. Get in touch with us below and let’s go for a coffee.
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