Our inaugural CMJ Awards ceremony took place in August 2026, with the aim of celebrating the innovation and excellence throughout our retailer and supplier membership.
Here, we take a closer look at the winner of the Sustainability Champion award, Hockley Mint. This award honoured leadership in ethical sourcing, sustainability and eco-conscious practice. Entrants were asked to show clear evidence of commitment to reducing environmental impact.
Why did the judges choose Hockley Mint?
The judging panel voted for Hockley Mint as the worthy winner because the past 12 months have seen the business accelerate its sustainability journey through a series of innovative, business-wide initiatives spanning materials, production and operational efficiency. The judges applauded Hockley Mint for having sustainability embedded throughout its business and its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
A key focus for Hockley Mint has been the expansion of its repurposed precious metal offering, with all wedding rings now available in 100% repurposed gold as standard. Alongside this, it successfully launched a new signet ring collection last year, designed and manufactured entirely using repurposed metals.
A significant innovation within its operations has been the development of a digitised production tracking system, led by a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) student who has since become a full-time co-owner. This system utilises QR codes to track items as they move through production, dramatically reducing manual handling, minimising time lost locating/moving products on our stock system, and improving overall workflow efficiency. This not only enhances productivity but reduces unnecessary movement and resource use across the factory.
Hockley Mint has also continued to invest in advanced casting and rapid prototyping technologies, enabling greater accuracy in early-stage production, reducing waste, and limiting the need for rework.
In addition, Hockley Mint’s on-site solar panel farm, on the factory roof, continues to play a vital role in reducing its environmental impact. Particularly during the summer months, it powers a significant proportion of business operations. To date, it has saved 159.2 tonnes of coal, reduced CO₂ emissions by 397 tonnes, and delivered an environmental benefit equivalent to planting 220 trees. The business also has a rainwater harvesting system with a capacity of 60,000 litres, which is used to supply water for our toilet facilities, significantly reducing reliance on mains water.
Further improvements to Hockey Mint’s operational efficiency include the installation of smart, energy-efficient air conditioning units and upgraded windows, helping to better regulate temperature within the factory and office, and reduce overall energy consumption. In addition, its sales representatives have electric vehicles, reducing emissions associated with travel and supporting its wider commitment to lowering our carbon footprint. Combined with the business’ ongoing commitment to responsible sourcing, including Fairtrade, Fairmined, SMO gold and RJC accreditation, these initiatives demonstrate a holistic and innovation-led approach to sustainability across its entire value chain.
Finally, Hockley Mint has recently established a Kind to the Environment working group to review every area of the business, benchmark current performance and identify opportunities for improvement. The group has also begun evaluating the requirements of ISO 14001 Environmental Management as part of its ambition to further strengthen its environmental management systems and create a framework for continuous improvement.
