ARE YOU A SMALL BUSINESS WITH BIG SUSTAINABILITY AMBITIONS?
Sustainability isn’t just a moral imperative – it’s a powerful commercial advantage. For smaller businesses, limited time, people and budgets can make it harder to unlock the business value of sustainability. But big sustainability ambitions shouldn’t require big teams or big budgets. Created for ambitious luxury start-ups and businesses under £1m turnover, the Positive Luxury Accelerator Programme combines expert guidance, practical tools and regular support to help smaller businesses strengthen their sustainability foundations and build for commercial growth. The structured programme helps embed sustainability across your business while providing a clear route towards Butterfly Mark certification. You’ll also join a curated community of like-minded luxury businesses, sharing knowledge, ideas and progress along the way.
ACCELERATOR ALUMNI
Since its inception in 2022, we have welcomed over 50 innovative luxury brands into the programme, including:
The Other House, Seabody, Holistic Spirits Co., Canned Wine Co., Carl Suchy & Söhne, KAEA Skincare, Meadow, Modern Synthesis, Skincycles, JORO Home
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- Ambitious start-ups, micro-brands or retailers leading innovation in Fashion & Accessories, Beauty & Fragrance, Jewellery & Watches, Interiors, Premium Drinks or Travel & Hospitality
- Annual turnover under £1million ($1.3million / €1.2million)
- A clearly articulated business plan demonstrating strong ambition for both purpose and profit
- Evidence that sustainability is already part of your business ambitions, with action underway across Environmental, Social and Governance issues
HOW IT WORKS – QUARTERLY INTAKE
- Each quarter, we select up to six pioneering businesses to join our eight-month structured programme, designed to strengthen sustainability foundations and support commercial growth
- Through clear milestones, regular check-ins and expert guidance, you’ll work to embed sustainability across your operations, leadership, strategy and culture, while connecting sustainability action with your brand narrative and business goals
- You’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with other ambitious luxury businesses, sharing ideas, challenges and progress along the way
A COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATION
To maximise the true value of the Programme, our partnership requires commitments in the following areas:
| POSITIVE LUXURY’S COMMITMENT | ACCELERATOR’S COMMITMENT |
|---|---|
| Leading ESG+ Assessment and standards framework | Non-optional assessment submission timeline to keep you on track |
| Resources such as programme guide, and best practice papers | Active engagement with the programme and its mission, with a clear commitment to the recommended actions |
| Regular assessment progress check-ins with support team members from Positive Luxury | A commitment to learn and approach with a positive attitude to create lasting, responsible improvements |
| Standards gap analysis report | Meet all required deadlines – missed deadlines require account management support outside the allotted programme schedule, which will incur an additional cost |
| Networking opportunities in the Positive Luxury community | Embrace opportunities to share challenges, learnings and widen network |
HOW YOU BENEFIT
BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR LUXURY
Join the only sustainability programme designed specifically around the needs, risks and realities of luxury businesses – ensuring the framework, tools and action are relevant to your business
ACCESS OUR PROPRIETARY FRAMEWORK & TOOLS
Access Positive Luxury’s proprietary ESG+ platform and methodologies to accelerate your sustainability progress. Equip your team with practical resources that help embed sustainability across operations, leadership, strategy and culture
PR & MARKETING SUPPORT
Amplify your sustainability achievements through Positive Luxury’s owned channels and access tools and templates to help maximise the value of your sustainability action across your own communications and marketing
COMMUNITY & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Connect with brands, leaders and innovators across the Positive Luxury community. Build relationships, share insights and learn from peers on the same sustainability journey
A PATHWAY TO THE BUTTERFLY MARK
Work towards Butterfly Mark certification and, once certified, gain the right to use the Butterfly Mark – a globally recognised symbol of trust in luxury – alongside your Digital Butterfly Passport to communicate your sustainability credentials to consumers and stakeholders
FEES
-
- The structured eight-month Accelerator Programme costs £1,500 (€1,725 / $2,025), including expert guidance, practical tools, regular check-ins and Account Manager support
- Upon completion of the programme, you progress to third-party verification for Butterfly Mark Certification. A separate verification fee is payable directly to this independent, authorised certification body. Speak to our team for further information
- Once Butterfly Mark Certification is achieved, you transition to the annual programme Licence fee of £2,725 (€3,125 / $3,725) invoiced biannually. This covers your ongoing participation in the programme, use of the Mark and associated benefits
WHEN TO APPLY
The 2026 application windows are below, and we select up to six companies per quarter.
ADMISSIONS OPEN ADMISSIONS DEADLINE PROGRAMME START DATE 6 January 2026 2 March 2026 10 March 2026 16 March 2026 15 May 2026 2 June 2026 8 June 2026 28 August 2026 8 September 2026 14 September 2026 27 November 2026 8 December 2026