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.
B Corp certification
Achieving B Corp certification is an independent validation of our strong commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices. This prestigious certification reflects our dedication to meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. For us at Cornish Gems, being B Corp certified means we have undergone a comprehensive evaluation of our impact on employees, customers, the community, and the environment, successfully meeting the strict criteria established 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 visitor economy that moves towards a more regenerative tourism industry model.
Additionally, we are Real Living Wage accredited and are proud to have helped Cornwall achieve Real Living Place accreditation in early 2025.
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 to achieve B Corp status in January 2024.
We are conducting multiple data collection projects across all business aspects to better understand our impact and identify opportunities for reduction. In line with the integrity 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 negative impacts on Cornwall and the planet in every way possible.
Our community
As a passionately local and independent company, Cornish Gems is embedded within the communities of Cornwall. As such we 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 and opportunities for those starting their careers in Cornwall.
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 actions
Cornish Gems supports the Better Business Act calling for legislation to put people and planet accountability for businesses on an equal footing with profit.
Through our various tree planting initiatives with the non-profit organisation, Tree Nation, including staff rewards, owner gifts and as a welcome gift option for our guests, we have planted more than 1700 trees in 28 countries worldwide. We can equate this to neutralising more than 8500 car journeys from across the UK into Cornwall. Our goals are to fight deforestation and climate change whilst supporting underserved communities; it is not to claim carbon credits.
We are proud to be accepted signatories of the UN Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Having operated in Cornwall for 17 years, we have evolved into a purpose-driven business. This means that we are embedded in our 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 experiences to our guests and exemplary management services to our owners.
For several years, we have been advocating for a ban on cheap polystyrene bodyboards in Cornwall. We have also eliminated plastic toiletry bottles from our properties. Partnering with Cornwall Wildlife Trust on a number of initiatives, we look to raise awareness about coastal responsibility and the impacts of plastic on marine wildlife. Additionally, we do not purchase packaging for our Gems Shop; instead, we reuse the packaging we receive.
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.
We have measured our corporate carbon footprint, including Scopes 1, 2 and 3. The total footprint for the last year is 231.09 tCO2e, with the most significant contributor being purchased goods and services. We intend to use this knowledge to strategise and implement reduction policies, minimise and mitigate our emissions, water use and waste with an annual reduction target of 6.7%. Actions include investing in a solar farm, which will provide us with 100% renewable energy for 40 years.
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 email signatures. We are assessing the impact of our website and working towards reducing the associated carbon emissions.
Cornish Gems has developed an industry-leading green grading model to understand and communicate the environmental aspects of qualifying properties. Over the past 12 months, Cornish Gems Interiors has worked closely with the ESG department in order to align its interior projects with this model. We take pride in our Eco-Conscious Collection, which highlights our properties' efforts to minimise emissions, reduce waste, and act as sustainably as possible. Each property page includes a detailed breakdown of the sustainable features and amenities that our Eco-Conscious Gems offer.
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 leave only your footprints when you are out and about. Further information is available in the digital welcome folder.
We have addressed food waste issues related to our Welcome Gifts by providing guests with choices. We are collaborating with Cornish Food Box to allow guests to select the items in their welcome gift. This approach accommodates dietary restrictions and preferences, reduces food waste, and supports local businesses, suppliers, producers, and jobs in Cornwall. Guests can also choose to plant trees, support the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, or enjoy a membership with the Cornwall Heritage Trust as part of their welcome gift.
Since starting in 2018, the Cornish Gems’ Charity of the Year initiative has raised over £24,000 for worthy causes, including the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Air Ambulance, the RNLI and Surfers Against Sewage. We were proud to support the crucial work at Truro Food Bank last year, helping underserved members of our community. This year we support StreetVet who provide treatment for the pets of those experiencing homelessness who may otherwise have to go without the care they need and deserve. Our team have two paid volunteer days a year to support causes they are passionate about. This year, we are contributing to the inspiring work provided by volunteer vets and veterinary nurses who support pet owners in crisis and their pets, providing essential care.
Cornish Gems is a company committed to positive change. Together, we continue to build an inclusive culture for our team, suppliers, owners, and guests. We encourage and celebrate diverse voices and believe this fuels our entrepreneurship. We are proud to partner with Pride 365.
Our welcome gifts, bookable extra treats and Gems Shop promote locally, sustainably produced products. In addition to reducing food miles and emissions, the policy of prioritising local purchasing in Cornwall represents an investment in the community. This approach supports job creation and provides small businesses with the opportunity to thrive and succeed. In fact, over 50% of our significant supplier expenditures occur within Cornwall. Gems Interiors has shifted away from the traditional take-make-dispose model to focus on upcycling, reusing, and repurposing materials. In the Bosulla project, these principles were applied throughout the design process. The existing kitchen tiles were retained, and the kitchen was designed around them to avoid removal, saving an estimated 288 kg CO2e over the 65 m² of floor tiles. The handrails, wood flooring and cupboards were also refurbished.
We provide accessibility information on each property page; please contact our Guest Experience team if you require further details. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer.
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. 20% since last year, with five times as many commutes using low-carbon alternatives. The Gems Interiors department purchased an electric van in December of last year. We have since travelled 7500 miles with an estimated impact of 0.422 tCO2e. This is a quarter of the associated emissions from the previous diesel vehicle with an impact of 1.809 tCO2e.
