A Royal Warrant of Appointment is among Britain’s most recognisable marks of distinction. It is not an award in the conventional sense, nor a commercial endorsement. Rather it grants a company the right to use the Royal Arms in connection with its business in an appointed trading capacity. Warrants are granted for up to five years at a time as a mark of recognition for the ongoing supply of goods or services used and paid for by the Royal Household.

Eligibility comes only after many years of supplying goods or services to the Royal Household, and every application undergoes a detailed and rigorous assessment. A Warrant is granted solely to businesses that demonstrate excellence both in the quality of what they supply and in the way they conduct their operations. The final decision to grant a Warrant lies with the Grantor and is conferred on a designated Grantee within the company to uphold clear personal accountability. Warrants are reviewed regularly, ensuring they recognise sustained excellence rather than focussing on past achievements. 

The standards expected of Royal Warrant holders mirror the values that continue to inform Corney & Barrow’s own core values. Those principles have shaped Corney & Barrow since 1780 and remain central to the way we work today. We aim to offer carefully selected, honestly priced wines that not only deliver quality and value but also a true sense of place. Wherever possible, we build exclusive relationships with producers, making our selection of wines unique. These relationships allow us to offer wines of exceptional pedigree with complete confidence in their origin and condition. We aim to uphold the highest standards in every aspect of our business, through careful buying, meticulous storage, dependable delivery and personal service delivered with discretion. 

Alongside excellence in products and service, and regardless of the services or goods they provide, Royal Warrant holders are expected to demonstrate a consistent and constant commitment to the highest environmental and ethical standards.

Corney & Barrow is actively reducing its environmental impact while supporting responsible practices throughout its supply chain. As wine merchants, we are acutely sensitive to the importance of sustainable farming and the realities of climate change. We believe that fine wine is inseparable from the health of the vineyards, for the benefit of growers, wine drinkers and the greater environment. Across our portfolio, we support and work with producers who have been adapting their viticulture and winemaking long before sustainability became a widely used term. Many of our producers follow organic or biodynamic practices, and sustainability is a core part of the buying process. 

We also support biodiversity directly with wild and bumblebee-friendly planting at our sites in partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

The same long-term thinking guides our own operations, and we are taking clear and practical steps to operate more sustainably across our business to reduce our environmental footprint, lessen waste and improve resource use. We have measured our full carbon footprint with Planet Mark and set a formal target to reach net zero by 2050, supported by a transition plan approved by the Board. We are reducing energy use through ESOS identified improvements, installing solar panels and refurbishing key buildings with decarbonisation in mind.