Climate Changes Emerges As Single Biggest Issue Facing Jewelry Industry At Harvard Summit

Held at Harvard University Friday, June 23, the inaugural State of the Art Jewelry Summit covered responsibility in jewelry from all angles, with speakers and panels from across the industry. Hosted by Melanie Grant, RJC Executive Director (RJC) ; Susan Jacques, Gemological Institute of America (GIA) President and CEO; and Raquel Alonso-Perez Ph.D, Curatrix, the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University (MGMH), the event was a chance to come together, learn and exchange about the future of responsibility in jewelry. “My mind was blown,” wrote Grant on Instagram over the weekend, “I was pinned to my seat for nine hours of big-picture thinking that surpassed my hopes, and I always aim high!”

Key speakers and attendees share their thoughts and impressions of the State of Art Jewelry Summit event.

Alongside inspiring sessions on the creativity of jewelry, new materials and how to make responsible jewelry desirable, climate change and CO2 emissions emerged as the biggest issues facing the industry today, directly or indirectly impacting almost every stage of the supply chain. Keynote speaker Dan Schrag, Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology, Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Harvard University Center for the Environment, set the tone, before speakers went on to explore the impacts and opportunities for action in the jewelry industry, at a panel discussion on renewable energy featuring academics from Harvard and MIT. “This was the session that most surprised me, with its discussion on quantum entanglement and the bionic leaf. It demonstrated the impressive breadth of expertise we had at the summit,” says Grant. “We can do our part in the jewellery industry, and we have to act now in whatever way we can.”

For panelist Yang Shao-Horn: JR EAST Professor of Engineering and faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT, “one of key issues is to find mechanisms – organization, policy and technology to reduce carbon footprint and organize/share information across the distributed supply chain. “What a privilege to be able to hear all these scientists on how gold mining impacts carbon emissions,” says Pippa Small, jewelry designer, activist and ambassador for Survival International. “The single most vital out of all the vitals for me, is the eradication of mercury in gold mining. Also, the alleviation of poverty.” Jewelry designer Thelma West highlighted the discussion around new and innovation materials and their applications, as well as mining emissions and how the impact of extraction can be mitigated: “this us a high priority subject for me as we aim to reshape the jewelry industry into a beacon of responsible practices and environmental stewardship.

Small also cited training as key for the future of the industry, a view shared by jewelry artist and innovator Wallace Chan: “Education will always be the most important. From miners to suppliers, jewellery makers, artists and collectors, everyone needs to have knowledge on the subject and be part of the conversation.” For Laura Inghirami, founder of Donna Jewel and IED teacher of jewelry Design Management, it’s about engaging the upcoming generation: “We need to keep fighting to demonstrate to the young generations the beauty of the craftsmanship professions, that today unfortunately tend to be associated with “less valuable” careers compared to the ones that follow a university path. Young people are a priority to ensure a prosperous future for the sector, and the enhancement of creativity and of innovation.”

Related to the impact of climate change on supply chain, is transparency and lack of communication, which Alonso-Perez believes to be an important hurdle to overcome for the future of the industry. West elaborates: “Through honest and powerful storytelling and reliable certification programs there can be more transparency around ethical sourcing.” She believes calling out examples of bad practise to be important, and suggests using pricing as a mechanism for accountability: “There must be a clearer demarcation between the better players in the industry and the less good ones. It must be much easier for independents to access responsible companies. The better players deserve a premium on their goods, the others must be out of the market or, at worst, be forced to sell at a steep discount.”

In any industry, role models and experience sharing are highly valued. For Inghirami, “It is fundamental and reassuring to have examples of wisdom in our path. One extraordinary example of this, is Melanie Grant, Susan Jacques and Raquel Alonzo-Perez: the three women who made this summit happen and who represent women’s leadership. They all demonstrate how culture and knowledge are fundamental to guaranteeing a certain future to our industry.”