Our ESG Policy
Environmental, Social, and Governance Policy
“One hundred years from now, the furniture we have designed and manufactured will have aged with elegance, collected stories, and perhaps even the odd scar; its sentimental value will outweigh its original price tag, its new owner may have inherited it from a loved one, and unlike us, it will still be standing.”
Georgia Metcalfe, Founder & Creative Director of French Bedroom
Celebrating French Design and Tradition
Born from a love of French design, texture, craftsmanship and heritage, our collections celebrate timeless elegance with a playful, feminine spirit. Quality has always been at the heart of what we do. Each piece is handmade with care, using fine materials including responsibly sourced woods, silks, linens and cottons, chosen for their beauty and longevity.
Timeless Craftsmanship, Made to Last
French Bedroom champions timeless style, creating pieces designed to stay with you for a lifetime. No matter how many times you move house, everlasting furniture will always make you feel at home. Each piece is a testament to the talent of our skilled artisans, whose craftsmanship transforms raw materials into timeless treasures. We work closely with family-run factories, ensuring that traditional techniques are preserved, and that each item is made with passion and precision.
Sustainability Woven into Every Decision
We are committed to making thoughtful, responsible choices in every part of our business. Guided by our Environmental, Social and Governance Policy, we continuously look for ways to reduce our impact, to respect the resources we use and to make a positive difference to the lives of our employees, customers, suppliers and the wider community
ESG POLICY
ENVIRONMENTAL:
Slow Furniture
French-inspired furniture is both timeless and future-proof, providing a home with character that can be passed through generations. We are proud that our customers have coined the phrase 'Antiques of the Future' to describe our products.
We make thoughtful choices, aiming to preserve the authentic antique look without applying too much pressure on our world's precious and limited natural resources. We take care that the wood used to craft our furniture from, typically mahogany or oak, is always sourced from forests that are part of regeneration programmes. We also use reclaimed wood on some of our furniture collections.
The Outlet
We believe that even furniture items that are 'not quite perfect' should receive the same amount of love and appreciation as any other piece. Rather than discarding items with minor damage, we offer them in our outlet at a reduced price, giving them the same opportunity to find a home. This helps us reduce waste and make the most of the valuable resources used to create each piece.
By celebrating imperfections, we encourage a mindset that values sustainability over disposability. Our outlet allows customers to embrace the unique character of each item, whilst still enjoying the same craftsmanship and design as our full-priced collections.
Ethical Waste Management
We partner with Clearabee, the UK’s leading sustainable furniture recycling company, to help reduce landfill waste and ensure unwanted furniture is responsibly handled. Clearabee recycles over 95% of the waste it collects and refurbishes used furniture for resale, giving pieces a second home and lengthening their product life cycle.
The company also supports wider environmental initiatives, including planting more than 43,000 trees. We proudly recommend this service to all French Bedroom customers and members of our community as a responsible way to part with furniture they no longer want or need.
Our Future, Your Future, Their Future
Quality furniture, if looked after properly, is one of the simplest solutions to overconsumption. You should not need to buy more than one bed frame in your lifetime. We already have customers who have inherited French Bedroom furniture from their parents as well as customers who choose our high quality products to complement existing antiques in their homes.
Our pieces are made to last for generations, growing in character over time and becoming part of a family’s story, just as much as the home they live in.
SOCIAL:
Supporting Artisans
We know the hard work and dedication that goes into every piece of furniture we sell, and the artisans who lovingly produce them deserve a fair wage, which is why we don't believe in 'sales'. Our carvers are amongst the most skilled in their field, utilising specialist techniques replicated from original methods and handed down from generations of craftsmen. These skills are mastered over time; demand patience, and dedication, and deserve to be rewarded as such. Our artisans are at the core of our business - without them, we wouldn't have the delightful furniture we're famed for.
By supporting and celebrating their craft, we help preserve traditional artistry for the future. Each piece carries with it the skill of the maker and a sense of cultural heritage, ensuring that time-honoured techniques continue to thrive in a world often dominated by mass production.
Carefully Crafted
Our seven-stage finishing process included hand sanding, filling, sealing, painting, distressing, and finally antique ageing. Our hand-crafted items include specialist finishes, antique patinas, crackle glaze - all techniques that are produced by a generation of carvers, gilders, and metalworkers who create stunning hand-carved legacy pieces. Their skills are admirable, and we will never jeopardise our relationships with our artisans by attempting to shortcut these techniques or paying less than they deserve.
Each piece carries the hallmark of time, patience, and artistry, with subtle variations that make it unique. By preserving traditional techniques and honouring the expertise of our makers, we ensure that our furniture is not only beautiful but also rich in heritage, crafted to be admired today and treasured for generations.
Considered Partnerships
The company we keep reflects our values, which is why we work only with suppliers who share our commitment to quality and responsible practices. We have partnered with Vispring for many years, a brand whose passion for sustainability aligns with ours; their mattresses are made entirely from natural materials, with no plastic, polyester, foam or chemicals, making them the perfect partner for our bed frames.
Some of our suppliers repurpose excess materials, such as cotton and denim from the jeans industry, to ensure nothing is wasted. We also collaborate with a small family-run Italian mill that uses responsibly sourced cotton for our luxury bedding. These strong partnerships are built on mutual respect and a shared dedication to creating high-quality, beautifully crafted products for our customers.
Employee Welfare
Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to creating an environment where talent can thrive and grow. We employ and train a diverse and highly skilled team, encouraging them to flourish through continuous learning and development. Every employee has a documented Personal Development Plan which is reviewed quarterly to support career progression and personal growth. Our dedicated 'Learning Zone' provides both time and budget for professional development, and team members are encouraged to attend industry events and take part in training delivered by line managers and our founders.
We place great importance on providing comprehensive health and safety training to all employees, ensuring they feel supported and confident in their roles. Staff retention proudly exceeds the industry average, which we believe reflects the investment we make in our team year after year. We actively promote employee wellbeing and work-life balance through flexible working options, free gym credits, and celebrating the wins - our vibrant summer and Christmas parties are a chance for us to let our hair down and celebrate our teamwork. Above all, we foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity where everyone feels safe, respected and valued. We have zero tolerance for discrimination and remain committed to fairness, kindness, and equal opportunities, helping every individual reach their full potential.
Read more | Meet the team & discover their styling tips!
Our Community
We are proud to support those who serve the wider community by offering discounts to Blue Light Card holders as a token of our appreciation for the vital work they do. Our employees are also encouraged to give back through designated charity days, allowing them to contribute to causes they care about. Each year, French Bedroom donates a percentage of profits to charities that provide aid, food and clothing to families in need. In addition, we make ad hoc donations to charities chosen by our team members, ensuring we support not only our community but also the causes that matter most to the people who work with us.
We believe that strong businesses should play an active role in strengthening society. Whether through long-term partnerships or one-off initiatives, we aim to create positive change that extends beyond our company walls. By listening to our employees, customers and community partners, we ensure our efforts remain meaningful, relevant and rooted in genuine care, and we will continue to grow our impact year after year.
GOVERNANCE:
A Business Built with Care
French Bedroom is a privately owned business, founded by Georgia Metcalfe and Ben Cons in 2006. From day one, the business has grown slowly and sustainably, without third-party funding or outside pressure - just a genuine love for romantic, feminine furniture. Every decision has been made with care, reinvesting profits to nurture our team, expand our collections, and share our timeless style with a wider audience.
Remaining independent allows us to stay true to our values and focus on quality and authenticity, ensuring the business evolves with integrity and always puts people and products first.
Responsible & Transparent
We hold ourselves to high standards of ethical conduct. Policies to prevent bribery, corruption, and unethical behaviour are reviewed annually, with team training on the Consumer Protection Act and compliance with the Financial Conduct Authority. Risk management, including ESG risks, is carried out quarterly through scenario planning, ensuring we’re ready to respond responsibly to changing circumstances. Transparency is key to trust. We openly share our goals, financial performance, and strategic decisions with our team, suppliers, and customers.
Shared Goals
The leadership team works closely with the board to set strategic direction, managing risks with monthly, quarterly, and annual reviews. But this isn’t a top-down business, our goals are shared with the entire team at monthly Team Talks and through internal updates, so everyone understands where we’re heading and how we’ll get there.
We believe that alignment across the business creates focus and accountability. By being open about our objectives and progress, we give every team member the opportunity to see the role they play in our success and to celebrate milestones along the way.
Fair Pay & Responsible Growth
Employee salaries are reviewed annually in line with the company’s long-term sustainability goals. We don’t believe in short-sighted incentives - instead, we take a thoughtful, end-to-end approach, reviewing every part of our supply chain to ensure that we’re building a business that lasts. Suppliers are treated as true partners: paid fairly, paid on time, and invited to quarterly and annual governance meetings - always in person, because genuine relationships matter. These meetings aren’t just transactional; they’re a chance to share ideas and plan for long-term, mutual growth.
Listening & Learning
We encourage feedback at every level. Employees can speak up directly, share suggestions anonymously through our 'Blackbox,' or discuss ideas during one-to-one meetings. Customers are invited to share their experiences weekly through Trustpilot and Google reviews, which we take seriously and use to improve. Our employees also enjoy a carefully considered benefits package, including a health care plan, enhanced leave, wellness options, paid charity days, and generous staff discounts.
Our Values, Our Compass
The French Bedroom values, set at board level, guide every decision we make, from choosing suppliers to shaping how we work together:
We care how our customers feel
We are hungry, but humble
We are agile, not fragile
We embrace change
We work hard, and we have fun
These values are reviewed each year to ensure they remain a true reflection of our business, helping us nurture strong relationships with employees, suppliers, and customers.
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Looking Ahead Together
At French Bedroom, our responsibility is not just to create beautiful furniture, but to ensure that every decision we make honours people, craft, and the planet. Our ESG approach reflects a commitment to designing with integrity, supporting our artisans and employees, and treading lightly on the precious and finite world we all share. Just as our furniture is built to last for generations, so too is our dedication to building a thoughtful, responsible business. By choosing French Bedroom, our customers help shape a future where timeless beauty and sustainability go hand in hand.