What makes a winner?

Walpole News
16th July 2026

Each year at the Walpole British Luxury Awards, our Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year award commends a British luxury brand that is embedding sustainability at the heart of its business. This award honours brands that can demonstrate meaningful progress over the past year, alongside a clear commitment to future action. Furthermore, it recognises sustainability not as a standalone initiative, but as a driver of growth, value creation and long-term resilience shaping strategic decision-making, product design and customer experience, alongside evolutions in the supply chain and business model. 

In 2025, Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year was won by accessories-maker Elvis & Kresse, who impressed our awards panel with how deeply and diversely sustainability was embedded within the organisation, as well as with their pioneering spirit. Their award was presented by model and environmental activist, Arizona Muse (pictured above).

For Walpole members and non-members alike, the award is an opportunity to share progress, demonstrate leadership and contribute to a wider understanding of responsible luxury in practice – and all brands who are meaningfully embedding sustainability into the way their business creates long-term value are encouraged to enter.

Kresse Wesling and James (Elvis) Henrit, Co-Founders of Elvis & Kresse, accept our Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year 2025 award, presented by Arizona Muse

The award is aligned to the four pillars of the Walpole British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto: leading the transition towards a circular economy; safeguarding the environment and natural resources; guiding suppliers towards sustainable practices; and advocating equal and respectful working conditions. 

Entries will be reviewed by an expert jury with deep experience across luxury, sustainable business, systems change and brand transformation. The panel comprises Pam Batty, former Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Burberry; Dr Sally Uren OBE, Executive Director and Chief Acceleration Officer at Forum for the Future; Lucy Shea, Group CEO of Futerra; Mike Barry, Co-Founder of Planetary Alliance and former Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer; and Rachel Arthur, sustainable fashion strategist and systems change thought leader working with organisations including the UN Environment Programme, Textile Exchange and The Earthshot Prize. 

Below, meet the panel who will be assessing the entries for Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year 2026,a and find out a little more about what they will be looking for in a winner – and why this award matters.

If you would like to enter your brand for Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year at the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2026 – or any of our other self-nominated honours at this year's ceremony – you can find the full criteria and entry forms on our dedicated Awards page

Please note, entries close on Tuesday 28th July 2026

Rachel Arthur

A sustainable fashion strategist and systems change thought leader, Arthur has worked with organisations including the UN Environment Programme, Textile Exchange, and The Earthshot Prize. 

Mike Barry

The former Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer, Barry is Co-Founder of Planetary Alliance and a recognised leader in translating sustainability into commercial transformation and practical business action. 

"The key thing for me is a pathway to scale. We need entries that stretch our imagination on the positive impact that luxury can make but we also need to see a potential pathway for them to become the norm not the exception." – Mike Barry

Pam Batty

As Former Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Burberry, Batty brings deep luxury-sector experience in responsible business, sustainability strategy and brand stewardship.


“The Walpole Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year award is important because it recognises the luxury businesses embedding sustainability into responsible leadership, long-term value creation and the stewardship of people, planet and craft.” – Pam Batty

Lucy Shea

As Group CEO of Futerra, Shea brings strategic expertise in sustainability, brand transformation, and the role of communications in accelerating business change.

Dr Sally Uren OBE

Currently serving as Executive Director & Chief Acceleration Officer at Forum for the Future, Uren is a leading voice on systems change, regenerative business and long-term sustainability strategy. 

“I’m looking for a brand that can demonstrate it goes beyond sustainability and is playing an active role in redefining the role of business in society.” – Dr Sally Uren OBE

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