This year's JWA Sustainability Awards recognized seven winning companies, two special commendation companies, and 13 finalists. The winners' sustainability initiatives, regardless of scale, demonstrate their commitment to benefiting their business, communities, and the planet.
The awards are organized by Informa Markets Jewellery to honor outstanding contributions in sustainability made by businesses in the fine jewelry, gemstone, and related industries. There are five categories: Environmental Management Award, Social Empowerment Award, Manufacturing Innovation Award, Community Engagement Award, and Sustainable Leadership Award. The winners and finalists come from around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, the United States, and Vietnam.
Informa Markets Jewellery's Director of Jewellery Fairs, Liu Xiaowen, said, "Behind every winning and finalist company is a unique story. But they all share one thing in common: their actions, regardless of scope or reach, have made an important difference for the future of the planet. We honored both large corporations with thousands of employees and small gemstone traders employing only five people. This shows that the basic principles of sustainability are feasible for businesses of all sizes."
Sustainable Leadership
JWA Sustainability Awards Winners:
Environmental Management Award: VGL & Shop LC Global Inc
VGL is a vertically integrated retailer with a strong multi-channel presence. The company showcased robust strategies to transition gradually to renewable energy. Its solar power capacity currently stands at 3.23 MW, with both ground and rooftop installations reducing carbon emissions significantly while meeting operational energy needs. The Jaipur factory in India was certified as a "Net Zero Energy Building" by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), demonstrating its sustainable design and operations. The company also launched conservation initiatives focused on rainwater harvesting, waste management, tree planting, and the Miyawaki afforestation method.
Social Empowerment Award: Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ)
Headquartered in Vietnam, Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ) follows a corporate culture based on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The company promotes gender equality and representation, with women comprising 61.3% of its workforce, of which 40% hold leadership positions. The board of directors also reflects this commitment, with five of its nine members being women. PNJ actively collaborates with community organizations and stakeholders to empower marginalized groups, bridge social gaps, and support individuals facing economic challenges.
Manufacturing Innovation Award: Shenzhen Shangshan Intelligent Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen Shangshan Intelligent Co., Ltd. stood out with its innovative gold recycling smart terminal. Similar to a vending machine, this self-service station uses AI technology to automate gold recycling. Customers place jewelry into the device, which then automatically identifies and assesses the gold's purity and weight. The gold is then melted for recycling, with funds immediately transferred to the customer's bank account or digital wallet. The jury noted that while there is limited evidence showing increased recycling reduces mining, the terminal indeed lowers the environmental footprint of gold recycling. This innovative device promotes smarter, cleaner recycling and improves efficiency, particularly in the Chinese market.
Community Engagement Award: Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, headquartered in Hong Kong, is committed to community development through sponsorships and volunteer work, including education and talent development programs. Noteworthy collaborations include the "Ancient Chinese Gold Craftsmanship Research" project with the Chinese University of Hong Kong since 2014, the "My Modern Shop" Creative Scheme Challenge since 2020, and the "Passionate Youth" Chinese Traditional Craft Culture Inheritance Challenge. From 2018 to 2024, it also established the Loupe, a jewelry design and craft skills incubator that has nurtured 62 resident designers from around the world. The iconic jeweler also leads community projects like "Love. Care. Action," supporting underprivileged groups with home repairs, pest control, cleaning, furniture, and other supplies, mobilizing volunteers within 24 hours.
Community Engagement Award: Smiling Rocks Limited
Smiling Rocks Limited allocates 3% of jewelry revenue and 1% of loose diamond revenue to four key areas: animal/wildlife conservation, medical support, education, and environmental protection. One notable initiative is the "E-library" project, which has successfully established eight e-libraries since 2022, benefiting over 1,500 students in rural and developing urban areas of India. The company has also provided around 100 women with opportunities to learn essential employment skills, empowering them in the process. In collaboration with Smile Network, Smiling Rocks has helped provide cleft palate surgeries to children in disadvantaged communities globally, significantly improving their quality of life.
Sustainable Leadership Award: Fine Jewellery Manufacturing Ltd
Based in India, Fine Jewellery Manufacturing Ltd prioritizes ethical practices in all aspects of its business, guided by principles like "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" and "Earth, People, Product." The company sources 100% recycled precious metals from a metal refinery certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and relies on 100% green electricity from the grid instead of purchasing renewable energy certificates. Moreover, it has replaced traditional packaging materials with environmentally friendly alternatives such as cardboard boxes, biodegradable plastic, and eco-friendly tapes, reducing its operational carbon footprint from 793 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2e) to 40 MTCO2e compared to the 2020-2021 baseline. Fine Jewellery aims to achieve carbon neutrality across all aspects of its operations by 2027.
Sustainable Leadership Award: Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd (SRK)
Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd (SRK) made the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) the core of its sustainability strategy, setting science-based emissions reduction targets and striving for net-zero emissions at its diamond crafting facilities by the end of 2024. SRK's flagship facilities, SRK Empire and SRK House, both received LEED Platinum certification. Through continuous improvement and real-time monitoring of energy use, water consumption, waste management, transportation, and user satisfaction, these buildings rank among the world's highest-performing LEED-certified structures, exceeding thousands of certified buildings worldwide.
Special Commendation by the Jury
During the evaluation process, the jury was highly impressed by two nominees and decided to award them with a new Jury Special Commendation.
Hari Krishna Exports Pvt Ltd (Environmental Management Category)
Hari Krishna's "Mission 102030" plan aims to enhance environmental protection by planting 10 million trees across India by 2030. As of February 2024, the plan has planted over 2.8 million trees, providing real benefits such as improved air quality, healthier soil, and enhanced biodiversity, combining community outreach, educational programs, and tangible planting activities. Another outstanding project is "Mission 100x," aimed at mitigating water shortages in Gujarat, which frequently suffers from droughts. With the collective efforts of 400 volunteers, the company built nearly 150 lakes, benefiting over 300,000 farmers. The project also increased water storage capacity in 20 villages by 15 billion liters and turned 250 acres of arid land into a beautiful lake.
Vector Trading (Community Engagement Category)
Vector Trading is a Hong Kong-based gemstone company with a team of five, which undertook a unique mission in Myanmar during the COVID-19 pandemic. They took a hands-on approach, going door-to-door to provide critical support to gemstone cutters and polishers in Mogok and Mong Hsu, ensuring their families had sufficient food, education, and stable livelihoods during the pandemic. Given the lack of established community organizations, the company closely collaborated with local residents to assess and address the urgent needs of these families. The gemstone company noted, "The project was entirely based on stakeholder engagement and collaboration. Without the guidance of community leaders, our outreach efforts would have been less effective. The 'team leadership' consisted of three full-time employed cutters who sought support from friends when needed."
The awards ceremony will be held on September 18 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, as part of the opening reception of the international mega jewelry show - Jewellery & Gem WORLD | September Hong Kong (JGW). Additionally, the winning and finalist companies will be invited to participate in JGW's Sustainable Leadership Forum series, sharing their journey in promoting sustainability to inspire attendees.
Jury Feedback
The winners were selected by experts from the jewelry industry and other fields. The judging panel included: John Mulligan, Head of Climate Change and Market Relations at the World Gold Council and Chairman of the Sustainability Committee of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO); Nirupa Bhatt, gemstone industry expert, business leadership coach, and strategic advisor; Hayley A. Henning, colored gemstone business strategy expert; Liu De'an, Director of ESG Advisory Services at Colliers Asia; and Jan Porter, Head of Sustainability at beauty product packaging solutions provider Meiyume.
Mulligan said, "I am very grateful to the organizers for this opportunity to work with other judges to identify and recognize jewelry companies that are committed to advancing shared sustainability goals and achieving positive progress and impact. This experience has been rewarding; seeing so many projects and initiatives dedicated to environmental protection and social development has been very gratifying. I sincerely congratulate the winners and also commend many companies just beginning their sustainability journey. If the jewelry industry can draw inspiration from the experiences of these companies, we will have more to celebrate next year."
Henning said the judging process was both eye-opening and heartwarming. "Each nomination was unique and outstanding, requiring careful assessment and consideration. I am encouraged by the fact that so many companies in the industry have gone beyond standard business practices to support their employees, communities, and the environment. I applaud and congratulate you!"
Bhatt noted that companies of various sizes participated in the nominations, and the breadth of involvement surprised her. She emphasized, "Sustainability is becoming a way of life and a way of doing business, covering economic and environmental aspects. This award program provides an excellent platform to recognize efforts in sustainability. I salute the participating companies and congratulate the winners; may you continue to lead the way!"
Liu De'an said it was challenging to select winners from the many excellent nominations, but he benefited greatly from the lively debates and discussions with the other judges on the merits and impacts of the various sustainability initiatives. He continued, "Although the winners have been selected, I sincerely congratulate all the participating companies! They are determined to work towards sustainability in their business operations and are striving to create a better world for everyone. This proves that everyone can contribute to the climate and nature."
Porter noted that all participating companies demonstrated a high level of commitment and innovation in addressing the environmental and social challenges facing their businesses and communities, which left him deeply impressed. He shared, "I hope they can be role models for other companies—not only implementing initiatives for a sustainable future but also sharing their practices and experiences for others to learn from!"