Earth Day Celebration: Earth-Conscious Business Practices
Make every day Earth Day with these three best practices for jewelers.
Today, April 22, marks Earth Day 2022 — a day recognizing a decades-old movement to promote the protection of the Earth and its environment. Earth Day began with a goal to bring awareness to a massive over-use of energy resources throughout the early 1900s. The negative impact to the environment was becoming more apparent and something needed to be done.
So, what does Earth Day have to do with those of us in the jewelry industry? Surprisingly, a lot. Today’s fine jewelry consumer is environmentally aware. They want to know that their jewelry did not come at the cost of the world they live in. With so many options available, this goal is easily attainable.
According to EARTHDAY.ORG, this year’s theme is Invest in Our Planet. I think this is the perfect way for jewelers to see the mission of Earth Day: an investment. There are finite amounts of precious metals, diamonds, and gemstones on this earth that we have available to use to create pieces meant to last beyond a lifetime. To ensure we can continue our work, we must treat these resources as well as the environments and communities they come from with respect and care.
At Stuller, we take this investment to heart with the approach of principled sourcing. We strive to maintain an ongoing environmental consciousness and fair-trade awareness in our manufacturing processes. We are committed to conducting all operations in the most socially responsible manner possible. You can learn more about our continuing journey at Stuller.com/EarthFirst.
You too can make every day Earth Day by following a set of best earth-conscious business practices. Check these ideas out and see how Stuller can help you get there.
Use Recycled Metals
One of the great benefits of precious metals, such as silver, gold, and platinum, is that they can be recycled without losing the integrity of the raw material. In fact, these metals can be reused and recycled multiple times without losing their quality.
When we use recycled metals, we use less energy, conserves natural resources, and reduce the need for further mining.
The Stuller Difference
SCS Global Services is an international leader in third-party certification and standards development in environmental and sustainability claims according to global standards. They have certified Stuller as a manufacturer than uses 100% recycled content in our fabricated precious metals, including silver, gold, platinum, and palladium. You can feel confident when using Stuller’s fabricated metals that they were manufactured with a goal of ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability.
Purchase Gemstones Sourced With Principles
Beautiful, jewelry-quality gemstones come from all corners of the globe. However, they are mined, cut, and exchanged quite frequently, which makes it difficult to collect traceable documentation on sourcing. We are continually working to bring transparency to this complicated supply chain. Our vendors are required to follow international laws, rules, and regulations, which helps to build confidence in knowing where your gemstones come from.
The Stuller Difference
Our team works with our gemstone sources to ensure international standards are being met regarding principled sourcing and fair labor. All diamond and gemstone vendors are required to sign the Stuller Vendor Code of Conduct, which draws upon international and industry-specific standards to advance social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
Use Conflict-Free Diamonds
Those of us in and out of the jewelry industry are aware of the history of diamonds. Mining for natural diamonds had its effect on the environment, and there were social issues surrounding mining and trading that left its own mark. Today, international organizations like the World Diamond Council, and standards such as The Kimberly Process, help ensure that natural diamonds leave a positive mark on the planet and the communities where they are mined and cut and polished.
Conflict-free diamonds comply with an internationally accepted set of standards known as the Kimberly Process, which ensures rough natural diamonds are
- Explored and imported with a government-validated certificate stating the diamonds are conflict-free.
- Transported between signatory countries in a sealed, tamper-proof container.
- Sold with a statement from the seller on all invoices guaranteeing the diamonds sold are conflict-free.
The Stuller Difference
Stuller maintains a membership with the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA), which means we share their commitment to upholding the highest standards for ethics, integrity, and professionalism in the diamond industry.
For the utmost certainty in natural diamond sourcing, we offer Canadamark™ Diamonds. Canadamark diamonds are sourced from the remote regions of Canada’s northwest territories, where their mines follow strict environmental regulations and have a history of protecting the integrity of the land, water, and wildlife. Canadamark diamonds are documented at every stage from origin to polished stone.
Every day truly can be Earth Day with the right business practices. Look at how you source your materials and see what steps you can take to ensure the jewelry industry continues to be proper stewards of our natural resources.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Taylor Dizor
Staff Writer
Taylor holds degrees in Political Science and Communication from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as well as multiple certifications from GIA. His years in the wedding industry and love of fashion trends helps him write content for the on-trend and creative jeweler.