balfour

We're committed to responsible practices to protect the future of our planet. Our company invests in research and innovations to improve the management of our global forest resources.

We're certified and audited per the standards established by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). These organizations are part of a global umbrella that supports the promotion of sustainable forest management, protection of wildlife, and air and water quality.

In the past six years, we've recycled over 8,000 tons of paper. In doing so, we've helped preserve more than 135,000 trees, 3 million gallons of oil, 55 million gallons of water, 32 million kilowatt hours of energy, and 27,000 cubic yards of landfill space. We're proud of our accomplishments and will continue to improve, monitor, measure and report our progress in meeting sustainability standards. Join us in our efforts to support a more environmentally conscious tradition.

Balfour was the first class ring manufacturer to endorse No Dirty Gold's Golden Rules that call on the mining industry to extract and manufacture gold under higher social, human rights and environmental standards.

For more information about this movement, please visit www.nodirtygold.org.

The United Nations passed a resolution called the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme that is designed to certify the origins of diamonds and to ensure these stones are not "conflict" or "blood" diamonds.

It is Balfour's commitment to you that diamonds used in our products are conflict-free, based on written guarantees from our diamond supplier.

Our simulated birthstones are all lab created stones, with many sharing the same chemical properties as genuine stones. With the exception of diamonds, our birthstones are not mined and are very eco-friendly.

Our Celestrium™ material is a fine jeweler's stainless steel that is over 95% recycled material.

College Fair Labor

Commemorative Brands, Inc., the parent company of Balfour, is a member in good standing with the Fair Labor Association (FLA). In joining the FLA, affiliated companies make a commitment to develop a rigorous program that includes implementing the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct and monitoring to ensure that any violations are identified, addressed and corrected. Their efforts in this regard must meet FLA standards for public disclosure and long-term improvement.

The mission of the FLA is to combine the efforts of industry, civil society organizations, and colleges and universities to protect workers' rights and improve working conditions worldwide by promoting adherence to international labor standards. The FLA conducts independent monitoring and verification to ensure that the FLA's Workplace Standards are upheld where FLA company products are produced. Through public reporting, the FLA provides consumers and shareholders with credible information to make responsible buying decisions.

When a student or an institution works with Balfour, they receive a product whose worth is beyond its cost. Our commitment to quality at every level of manufacturing ensures the highest level of satisfaction for every person fortunate enough to participate in the class ring experience. Moreover, when a student or an institution decides to work with Balfour, they can do so with pride. They know that they contribute to making a difference in the lives of other people across the world by associating themselves with a company that is aware of and supports true humanitarian efforts and seeks the ideal of the "Golden Rules."

(AASHE) is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. Its mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. They do this by providing resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. Balfour is a member.