Here at Gem Bleu, we take Corporate Social Responsibility extremely seriously. We are highly dedicated to ensuring ethical conduct, maintaining the health and safety of our workers, ensuring compliance with all labor laws, and reducing our carbon footprint and nurturing the environment. Our group is a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, independently audited and verified on sustainable and responsible practices.

We define Ethics as a wide range of characteristics, namely business integrity, identity protection for customers and workers, and responsible sourcing of material. Gem Bleu ensures that our business does not, even accidentally, violate any trust that we may have with our competition. We also do not engage in price-fixing and offer the most honest price we can. When applicable, Gem Bleu will cut prices down as much as we can, in order to provide customers with the best possible product at the best possible price. We use the height of identity protection methods to ensure customer and worker safety online. Even as we maintain the best of the best in quality, we do not compromise on responsible sourcing. Gem Bleu strictly adheres to guidelines such as the Kimberley Process, in order to ensure that when we purchase or trade a diamond, we are sure it is conflict free and benefits local societies.

We ensure that workers have access to proper Health and Safety, and that any emergency can be dealt with in a safe and appropriate manner. Our factory facilities have fire extinguishers placed in convenient locations, with audible and visual alarms placed in all key areas. The facilities have multiple exit points, and inflammable materials are kept extremely carefully. Workers that use dangerous chemicals have access to eye flush stations, as well as goggles, gloves, masks, and other required safety material. Workers that work on the lapidary machines are required to wear masks that filter out the large particle matter from the gemstones, and workers who work in the soldering and metal melting areas are required to wear suitable gloves and protective clothing to ensure no burns occur. All of this equipment is provided for the workers, at no cost to them. The facilities maintain first aid kits to treat any accident that may occur despite all of these precautions.

Labor is an aspect of manufacturing jewelry without which it would be impossible to provide you with the products you so cherish. In many factory settings, workers hired through various international agencies can be seen working for lower wages and are often extorted for their labor. Gem Bleu does not operate in fraudulent hiring practices and ensures that workers are fairly compensated for all their work. In addition, Gem Bleu does not commit any contract fraud with our workers and ensures that they are well aware of everything in their work contracts.

Environmental degradation is an issue that Gem Bleu is committed to minimizing. In order to minimize our impact on the environment, we participate in rainwater harvesting techniques and have installed solar panels on our factory rooftop. This minimizes our dependency on the local resources and ensures that our carbon footprint is as low as it can possibly be.

PEOPLE

The first component of our triple bottom line strategy highlights a business’s societal impact, or its commitment to people. It’s important to make the distinction between a firm’s shareholders and other stakeholders. Traditionally, businesses have favored shareholder value as an indicator of success, meaning they strive to generate value for those who own shares of the company. As firms have increasingly embraced sustainability, they’ve shifted their focus toward creating value for all stakeholders impacted by business decisions, including customers, employees, and community members. Some simple ways companies can serve society include ensuring fair hiring practices and encouraging volunteerism in the workplace. They can also look externally to effect change on a larger scale. For instance, many organizations have formed successful strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations that share a common purpose-driven goal. In our case we choose for membership of the Responsible Jewellery Council as well as CIBJO The World Jewellery Confederation.

The Planet

The second component of the triple bottom line is concerned with making a positive impact on the planet. Since the birth of the Industrial Revolution, large corporations have contributed a staggering amount of pollution to the environment, which has been a key driver of climate change. While businesses have historically been the greatest contributors to climate change, they also hold the keys to driving positive change. Many business leaders are now recognizing their responsibility to do so. This effort isn’t solely on the shoulders of the world’s largest corporations—virtually all businesses have opportunities to make changes that reduce their carbon footprint. Adjustments like using ethically sourced materials, cutting down on energy consumption, and streamlining shipping practices are steps in the right direction. In order to minimize our impact on the environment, we for instance participate in rainwater harvesting techniques and have installed solar panels on our factory rooftop. This minimizes our dependency on the local resources and ensures that our carbon footprint is as low as it can possibly be.

Product

There is no sustainability without profitability but without the right product there is no profitability. In an economy as we know it, a firm’s success most heavily depended on its financial performance, or the profit it generates for shareholders. Strategic planning initiatives and key business decisions are generally carefully designed to maximize profits while reducing costs and mitigating risk. In the past, many firms’ goals have ended there. But, now, purpose-driven leaders like us are discovering they have the power to use their businesses to effect positive change in the world without hampering financial performance. In many cases, adopting sustainability initiatives has proven to drive business success. Business integrity, identity protection for customers and workers, and responsible sourcing of material are key elements for us. When possible we adapt prices down as much as we can, in order to provide our customers with the best possible product at the best possible price. We use the height of identity protection methods to ensure customer and worker safety online. Even as we maintain the best of the best in quality, we do not compromise on responsible sourcing. We strictly adhere to guidelines such as the Kimberley Process, CIBJO Blue books and Responsible Jewellery Council.

Source: Gem Bleu/public information/research