The Natural Diamond Council has strongly rejected recent claims by Pandora that lab-grown diamonds carry a carbon footprint up to 90 per cent lower than natural diamonds, describing the campaign as misleading and damaging to the global natural diamond industry.

Pandora based its claims on a 2019 study conducted by the former Diamond Producers Association, now operating as the Natural Diamond Council. However, the NDC argues the data relied upon is outdated, with some figures tracing back more than a decade, and says the study only reflected a limited segment of the natural diamond sector rather than the industry as a whole.

In an open letter addressed to Pandora CEO Berta De Pablos-Barbier, the NDC criticised what it described as a “PR stunt” designed to unfairly discredit natural diamonds in favour of synthetic alternatives.

The organisation further stated that comparisons between natural and lab-grown diamonds are inherently flawed because they represent two fundamentally different categories. According to the NDC, natural diamonds are rare geological creations formed over billions of years, while lab-grown diamonds are manufactured products capable of being produced in virtually unlimited quantities.

The council warned that reducing the discussion solely to carbon comparisons risks misleading consumers and spreading misinformation about the broader social and economic contribution of the natural diamond industry, which supports millions of people globally through mining, manufacturing and trade.

The NDC also called on Pandora to engage more constructively with industry bodies focused on improving sustainability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility across both the natural and synthetic diamond sectors.