Country & Town House aims to be an inclusive authority on sustainable living through trusted editorial that is clear, passionate and inspiring, making it easy (and fun) for our audience to make better choices when it comes to impact on our planet, people and resources.
Our sustainability positioning is as follows:
There are three distinct areas where we will focus our approach to delivering on our mission:
While we cover a broad range of lifestyle topics, we focus on these content pillars below, underpinned by our commitment to delivering sustainable alternatives, guides and ideas. See below for how we approach each subject.
See below for how we approach each subject:We’re all about celebrating the excellent culture we have on our doorstep. We believe the arts are a fundamental part of being human, bringing joy, inspiring us and broadening our perspectives on life. Theatres, galleries and museums are the beating heart of our cities, towns and rural conurbations, and we aim to highlight the ones doing great things for society. As well as West End hits, we love to celebrate community theatre, exhibitions with social or environmental messaging, and art initiatives showcasing local and independent craftmakers. C&TH is keen to support charitable initiatives where possible, pointing our readers towards volunteering and fundraising opportunities to get involved with.
We celebrate a diversity of voices through interviews with figures from the arts and culture sphere, including in our weekly Break Out Culture podcast. We will also strive to highlight the work of underrepresented groups, as well as those campaigning for good – both in their local communities and in the wider world.
With the latest styles hitting and falling off the shelves in record time, it becomes easy to get swept away by trends and fall into waste-led, fast fashion practices. But we believe the future of fashion is much brighter than our current reality, which is why we aim to create content that not only educates our readers on the harmful corners of the industry, but also highlights the people who go above and beyond to work with the planet, not against it.
We are directing our approach towards informative content that can help our readers seek out fashion with a good conscience. With the help of experts and professionals, we will create deep-dive guides spanning the likes of circular fashion, traceability and accreditations. In our style roundups, we will champion brands that not only claim they are sustainable and ethical but show it transparently, and offer our readers a range of resale and rental options to show that buying preloved is just as fulfilling as buying new.
We advocate that people use tools such as the Fashion Transparency Index, Remake and Greenwash to see how transparent brands are.
‘Buy less, buy better’ is baked into our approach to watches and jewellery, which is always the more sustainable choice. Buying a watch or piece of jewellery should always come with a significant amount of thought and consideration – these are true ‘forever’ pieces, after all. We recognise the complexities of the two industries, in particular in terms of the supply chain, ethical questions and the human cost. We want to encourage our readers to purchase watches and jewellery in the most environmentally and socially responsible ways possible. As such, we will always try to highlight the brands and practices doing their very best to ensure they remain as sustainable and ethical as possible, with verifiable, documented supply chains for their raw materials. We will spotlight brands that use recycled and/or Fairtrade metals where possible, and get their gems from reputable, traceable sources, and we will never, to the best of our knowledge, feature conflict stones. We will prioritise jewellers that have been independently verified by organisations like B-Corp, the Responsible Jewellery Council and Positive Luxury, and we will be wary of greenwashing, and our team is trained to spot any instances of it. Where possible, we will promote and support renting, especially for costume jewellery, as well as the purchase of vintage and antique watches and jewellery, and the remodelling of existing pieces. Finally, we will endeavour to support and uplift British jewellers and brands who are doing good.
Above all, we will remain forever curious about the ways watch and jewellery brands are taking steps to reduce their planetary and human impacts, promoting and encouraging those who are leading the way.
When we think of wasteful design, our brains tend to beeline to fast fashion. But, interiors can be equally as complicit as an industry ripe for radical reconsideration. Whether that’s ‘fast homeware’, fossil fuel materials, or simply our reluctance to curb our insatiable appetite to consume, we’re learning quickly that our journalistic output needs to change.
At C&TH, platforming ‘sustainable’ interior brands, though worthy, isn’t going far enough, because we know we can’t ‘buy’ ourselves out of this problem. So that’s why we want to inform with solution-based resources with our guides, and let readers decide for themselves how they want to make conscious choices. All in all, it’s about buying slower, and better.
We’re folding this way of thinking into our product round-ups too, so you won’t see our content without mention of a second-hand, reclaimed or antique alternative with at least 20 percent of the products.
We’re changing our language too as we’re learning more. We’re treating design trend reporting as a form of analysis, rather than a call to buy. We’re wising up on using phrases like ‘sustainable’ and ‘eco-friendly’ only sparsely, with careful consideration, and when it’s backed by accredited certifications.
Thinking consciously means we’re thinking about social equity. So we will continue to be vigilant to platform interior designers and makers from all backgrounds.
We believe eating and enjoying good food is crucial to living a healthy, happy life. But now, more than ever, it’s vital that we consider where our food and drink is coming from. We can make a big difference to the planet with the way we buy, cook and eat food, and with the companies we choose to support. Through Country & Town House, we aim to inform our readers about how to make the best choices when it comes to dining and drinking – both in our own homes and further afield.
Over the past decade or so, our food systems have changed immensely, with a shift towards local, seasonal eating. These changes have been spearheaded by passionate chefs, farmers, winemakers, industry professionals and innovators who we have worked with to produce guides on everything from sustainable seafood to zero-waste dining and regenerative agriculture.
All this has helped influence the restaurants and bars we choose to spotlight. We aim to focus on places that champion a green ethos and practice eco-friendly policies, such as sourcing produce from local suppliers and reducing waste in the kitchen. We will highlight other impressive businesses in the industry too, from zero-waste shops to food delivery services and B-Corp drinks companies.
We believe that sustainable tourism is not only one of life’s greatest pleasures, but it can also be a force for environmental and social good, too. We love to encourage our readers to travel in the most environmentally and socially responsible ways possible. With that in mind, we approach our travel journalism with the intent to educate and inform, empowering our readers to make the best choices they can. We have been working with experts to compile comprehensive guides covering issues from ecotourism to greenwashing, community impact to carbon offsetting. We’ve also addressed issues such as how to think about human rights or political issues in destinations you’re considering.
We have reviewed our internal travel policy and make decisions to travel on a number of criteria, while ensuring we are still bringing you the highest quality aspirational travel content from around the world. We will aim to provide eco-friendly alternatives and options where possible. In all our travel content we will centre trips that respect and support local culture and contribute directly to local economies. We will highlight travel companies and destinations working for positive environmental and social change. Country & Town House continues to champion the best of British and we will be using our editorial platform to promote the very best of local travel, proving that you don’t have to travel the earth to discover exciting unspoilt landscapes, fascinating culture and new cuisines.
We believe that looking after yourself – whether that be through beauty, fitness or mental wellbeing – is intrinsic to our ethos of ‘living a life in balance’. With climate anxiety becoming more and more prolific, our definition of ‘balance’ has grown to encompass our duty of care to the planet and its people.
We’re doing our best to implement these values across our content, with detailed guides explaining the ins and outs of clean beauty, chemical ingredients and industry practices. When we spotlight products in our roundups, we will also be considering what steps each brand has taken to be more environmentally aware – from packaging, shipping methods and materials to any community and charity initiatives undertaken. In doing so, we aim to offer genuinely educational content that will enable our readers to shop responsibly of their own accord.
We also like to give precedence to British brands who make their products in the UK and are independent and local.
Not-for-profit organisation formed by senior leaders, working to raise awareness across the business sector of the imperative to accelerate action to address climate change, biodiversity loss and social injustice.
Works in partnership with a wide range of organisations across the UK to support businesses of all sizes on their journey to Net Zero.
Nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.
For every type of organisation and for real estate. It recognises continuous improvement, encourages action and builds an empowered community of like-minded individuals who make a world of difference.
Works to redefine the culture of accountability in business, for our companies, communities and future generations, by creating and cascading new norms of corporate leadership that can build a better world.
Turns the climate crisis into climate action, reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years early (by 2040)
Denotes that you’re purchasing a product that supports responsible forest management.
Promotes safe, lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing around the world through certification and education. WRAP certification is for the factories where goods are made, rather than the end product.
A certified product or ingredient was produced using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental. Independent, third-party auditors.
The Mark is only used on products certified in accordance with internationally agreed Fairtrade Standards.
Founded to prevent greenwashing, certify reputable giving and provide accountability. The 1% for the Planet certification is given to businesses and individuals that meet our high-bar commitment – donate 1% of annual sales or salary to environmental causes.
Defines worldwide, recognised requirements that ensure organic status of textiles – from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, and up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. Fashion Charter for Climate Action
Drives the fashion industry to net-zero Greenhouse Gas emissions no later than 2050 in line with keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees
Means that you’re buying a majority cotton product, from a retailer or brand that is committed to sourcing Better Cotton and investing in BCI Farmers
The Butterfly Mark means a brand meets the highest standard of sustainability best practices across ESG+: Environmental, Social, Governance and Innovation.
GRS provides a track and trace certification system that ensures that the claims made about a product are appropriately supported with documented evidence.
A voluntary social certification grounded on the principles of UN Conventions, and an ISO-style management system. SA8000 is applicable to virtually all industrial sectors and its mission is to advance the human rights of workers around the world.
A comprehensive approach which engages manufacturers and workers in the supply chain to bring about better wages and working conditions, and requires brands to commit to fair terms of trade.
Aims to be the ultimate platform for brands featured by environmental, social and economic sustainability mixed with high design contents in fashion collections.
An independently assessed star rating on sustainability of the built environment, through all stages of a project’s development.
Provides information from experts on a new home’s quality and sustainability credentials. It indicates the standards for running costs, health and wellbeing and environmental footprint for living in a new home, to allow benchmarking.
Assesses buildings according to their impact on the health and wellbeing of building users. WELL is grounded in a body of evidence-based research that explores the connection between buildings and the health and wellness impacts on the people inside these buildings.
The UK’s leading organic certifier. Marine Stewardship Council Standards Works with fisheries, scientists and industry to make sure our oceans are fished sustainably and it’s easy to find and buy certified sustainable seafood.
A collaborative working group of wineries committed to reducing carbon emissions across the wine industry.
Set up to minimise the main impacts of farmed fishing and to promote fish that have been farmed responsibly and sustainably.
Products carrying the logo operate to sustainable farming standards, for example by managing soil quality, using water and energy efficiently and controlling pollution.
Means the food you’re buying is British and traceable back to its origin
Recognises the commitment of tourism businesses which are actively working to become more sustainable.
World’s leading scientific benchmarking certification and advisory group for travel and tourism.
Integrates both management and performance criteria and is based on leading international sustainability and CSR standards and guidelines
GSTC-Accredited program for destinations that aim for full adherence to the Green Destinations Standard guidelines.
Collectively conserves over 23-million acres of biodiversity & improves the lives of 750,000 people. Supports, connects & inspires nature-based businesses to excel in following the highest standards of sustainability encompassing Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce (4Cs).
