As the effects and consequences of the climate crisis become increasingly stark, we seek to be transparent in how the jewellery industry impacts the planet, and the steps we are taking to ensure that our brand is as sustainable and ethical as humanly possible. 

 

Over the years ‘sustainability’ has become much of a buzzword, used by many businesses and corporations to greenwash themselves to avoid true scrutiny and maintain a good public image. We believe that behaving sustainably and maintaining a healthy planet essentially comes down to stopping or slowing down the depletion of its resources and finding a balance with the natural world. 

 

Refusing to be a part of the greenwashing facade, we’d like to acknowledge that by our very nature as a commerce business that uses elements mined from the Earth, that there are some innate issues that as artists we simply can’t avoid. We recognise that the issues facing us are complex, and we do not have all the answers. At the same time, we continuously make an effort to ensure that achieving sustainability, however unattainable it may seem at times, is at the centre of everything we do. 

 

Upon the inception of Embirikos, it, therefore, felt intuitive to partner with Fairmined, a company dedicated to the transparency of the process of mining gold. This decision allows us to play a small part, as a company, in empowering the forces of change in the industry that we represent. It is a way of ensuring that the gold that is bought and sold under the Embirikos brand is mined and processed in ways that are environmentally and socially responsible, to give both us and our customers peace of mind. 

 

Our intentions by partnering with Fairmined and sharing the great work they do is hopefully not seen as some contrived pat on the back but is done to support a company we’d love to raise awareness about - for both its values and its business model. It is our hope that Fairmined redefines a problematic industry, while also supporting and informing our long-term strategy. 

 

There is much work to be done, and while a daunting task we do not feel powerless to incite change. We believe that we must do everything we can, with everything we’ve got - and we must act with urgency. Avoiding climate disaster ultimately comes down to mitigation, and this problem can be addressed through both personal and corporate accountability; by everyone playing their part.

 

This is part of the reason that Embirikos commits to using our platform as a force for good, to educate whoever will listen about not only the climate crisis but also the jewellery industry and as best we can provide answers and tips to avoid and reverse any more damage.  

 

Beyond using Fairmined gold, Embirikos also offsets all packaging and air miles by planting a tree for every item purchased. We do this through Tree Nation, which plants different tree species around the world. Each tree we plant will remove at least 200kg of CO2 from the atmosphere, with each parcel predicted to emit 181kg of CO2. 

 

At least once a year, Embirikos plans to do a competition that will give 100% of profits to an environmental or humanitarian charity. This is in conjunction with also donating 5% of annual revenue to SeaLegacy, a charity dedicated to conserving and documenting the oceans.

 

 If you have any feedback, questions, or tips about our sustainability commitments please email Ariana@embirikos.com