Once you have reviewed your business, you will move into change management. What kind of strategies can be adopted to make your business more sustainable? Making your business sustainable is a long-term deal, and these can be simple fixes or complex technologies. There are no common set of rules or standards you must follow to source responsibility, so it is completely in your own hands. 

Look at where you are currently located in terms of sustainability and picture what the future of your company will look like in order to decide which strategies to implement to change existing operations. We are going to focus on human resources management and labour practices, in addition to what other top jewellery companies are doing.

• Human Resources Management. Employees are one of the strongest assets to a company. Human resources management relates to hiring, motivating, and maintaining these employees in the workforce. HR is a leading agent in adopting sustainability and can greatly impact it. They have the power to educate and train employees on sustainable practices when it comes to their own work within the company and when working with other companies as it relates to supply, production and distribution. This change will already be embedded in new employees because of onboarding. HR can provide objectives and encourage employees in energy-saving practices such as turning off lights, carpooling, and using public transportation. By supplying technology, HR can help save paper by moving necessary employee documents electronically. Reducing the need for paperwork can save space and provide additional organization. Incorporating employees into sustainability practices will not only bring more efficient business processes but it will leave employees more engaged.
  
  
• Labour Practices. Poor working conditions can lead to harsh employee treatment. Some groups, like workers with disabilities, women, and youth and older workers, are vulnerable to discrimination too. Gemstones have a special elegance to them that customers value but sometimes unethical labour comes behind them. Businesses need to verify labour standards within their own operations and supply chain. During the extraction process, miners often work in unsafe and poorly constructed mines that are vulnerable to collapse, resulting in injury or death. Most of the time, miners are working long hours in hot temperatures with little food and water. They are exposed to pollutants like chemicals and dust from the extraction process. Some equipment can be hazardous and produce loud sounds that can be uncomfortable and damaging. Any errors could greatly endanger the health of another miner, and the pay is little compared to the rigorous physical work and harsh working conditions. Ensure precious metals and other natural gemstones are ethically sourced and guarantee no human rights abuse, child labour or war profits. Although a majority of unethical labour practices occur during the mining process, they can still take place within production and distribution. Businesses should do their part when it comes to protecting human rights and becoming diverse. Diversity, inclusion, and equality, or DIE, should be valued in the workforce. When it comes to diversity, it doesn’t have to necessarily deal with skin. Other aspects including gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, sexual orientation, and disabilities are a part of diversity. A company should implement DIE strategies and stick to them, so rights are made top priority. Having a diverse workplace will also bring new ideas and strengthen work ethic. In addition to DIE, your company should take interest in certain groups, like women’s empowerment and gender equality. Until recently, women have been underrepresented in top decision-making roles. Women continue to be targeted and do not receive equal pay for the same work, compared to their male counterparts. Because of this, it is essential to create a workplace where gender equality is present, and women can become leaders and be a part of company decisions. Creating a positive work culture will attract top talent because employees will want to be a part of a company that prioritizes ethics over profits. If any negative human rights issues arise, be sure to respond quickly to remove them. Focusing on the people within your company will help build an inclusive and productive business environment and create a stronger, sustainable future.
  
  
•  Other leading jewellery businesses. As discussed in a previous blog article, two of the leading jewellery businesses in the world have sustainable business models – Tiffany and Co. and Pandora. However, these companies did not completely start off being sustainable. They are currently implementing strategies and are taking years to work towards coming completely eco-friendly. Some of their best approaches include setting high standards for diversity, inclusion, and equality in their workforce, ensuring every step of their products’ journey does not harm the planet or any people by sourcing responsibly, and taking actions to protect the natural world by using natural energy and recycling materials to eliminate their environmental footprint, which you can relate back to your jewellery business.

Your business can still create beautiful jewellery pieces while diminishing the environmental footprint. When turning to sustainable practices, source from mines that provide fair wages and safe working conditions for miners. Within company operations, human rights should be protected as well. We provided you with strategies that your business can adopt but may be wondering how this will benefit your business. We are going to discuss the return on investment in the next section.