TDi Sustainability is a trusted advisor to companies across the entire luxury industry, from mining to the main street. Thanks to our Strategies, Audit, Research, Impact, Digital and Marketing services, we provide expert advice on all aspects of sustainability, from the design of a unique sustainability and responsible sourcing strategy, to legal compliance and audit preparation, to supply chain mapping and risk assessment and management, to the implementation of community development projects on the ground. See below to learn more about our track record and expertise for jewellery, fashion and cosmetics.

Demand is increasing for sustainability strategies that are not only credible and impact-oriented, but also aspirational and meaningful for the creation of consumer engagement and trust. In response, TDi Sustainability has partnered with Spring Studios, a creative and content production agency that brings together leading experts in the world of advertising, events design, studio management and experiential marketing, specialising in the fashion, luxury and lifestyle sectors. 

Together, we can unlock the business value of sustainability for your brand.

The jewellery industry is currently experiencing a period of transition, as stricter regulations and voluntary standards demand greater accountability from all businesses throughout the supply chain. Customers, right up to the consumer, want to know more about the life story of gemstones, diamonds and precious metals – where they come from and through whose hands they passed – before purchasing the final jewellery piece.

Millions of people around the world rely on the jewellery industry for their family income. In particular, the jewellery industry is an important source of livelihood for mining communities around the world. It is estimated that at least 20% of gold and diamonds, and the majority of gemstones – as many as 80% of the worlds sapphires, for example – are recovered through artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. While their contribution adds to the romantic story of a beautiful piece, it is an unfortunate reality that the extraction and trade of precious minerals, diamonds, and coloured gemstones is often linked to dangerous working conditions, risks of human rights abuses and conflict financing.

To address such risks, jewellery brands are under pressure to build transparent and responsible supply chains. In the complex landscapes of gold, diamonds, and gemstones sourcing and trading, this is no easy task.

TDi Sustainability brings expertise along the entire jewellery spectrum, from mine sites to retailers, including traders, cutting and polishing companies. Since 2015, we have managed and provided technical advice to the Coloured Gemstones Working Group (CGWG), an initiative uniting leading luxury brands and gemstones mining companies – Chopard, Gemfields, Kering, LVMH, Muzo, Richemont, Swarovski, and Tiffany & Co. In Q2 of 2021, the group launched the Gemstones and Jewellery Community Platform, a free and online platform designed to enable learning and capacity building along the gemstones and jewellery industry. 

We were also selected as an implementing partner by the Fashion Pact, a global coalition of companies in the fashion and textile industry, for a project on responsible gold sourcing. 

Every day, new articles and research pieces point to the fashion industry as one of the most unsustainable, contributing 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions and 35% of all ocean microplastics, to name a few. On the positive side, new success stories are emerging of businesses that manage to turn the sustainability movement to their advantage, as an opportunity to create value for the business as well as for all those who contribute to it along the value chain.

From the use of sustainable, certified or alternative sources of fibres, to the creation of community projects for agricultural communities, or the development of resilient supply chains that place labour rights and health and safety at the centre of garment productions, to the design of collections with circularity in mind, the opportunities for a more sustainable industry are infinite.

TDi Sustainability has built, over the years, a deep knowledge and understanding of materials and supply chain risks, having assessed many materials used for textiles as part of our work with fashion and automotive brands. Our team also combines a deep practical knowledge of the issues associated with supply chain management and garment production, having audited hundreds of factories around the world, as well as numerous cotton fields.

Consumers today demand trust. And, when it comes to beauty or skin care products, they pay special attention. Transparency of product formulations and of the origin of the materials used is an essential step for building trust, and a growing challenge for businesses as the market shifts towards natural-based formulations for natural or clean products. In fact, obtaining information on materials origin and their potential impacts to people and planet is particularly difficult in the context of complex and global supply chains.

TDi Sustainability expertise is centred around a deep knowledge of mineral supply chains. We work with companies along the entire value chain and across different mineral industries, from mine to market, including mica, talczincbauxite, rare earths and other natural elements that contribute to effective product formulations. In particular, we help clients to understand the potential risks associated with minerals extraction and production, and to build traceable supply chains that meet consumers demand for formulations that are not only transparent, but also positive to people and the environment.