All the Brilliants
All The Brilliants
(
Private sector
)
#SDGAction55954
Description
As an advocate and educator of responsible sourcing, I help people find jewelry (thoughtfully designed women) that amplifies their personal story and aligns with their values.
The goal is imperfect progress with all my initiatives as an educator. As a jewelry concierge I encourage people to choose fewer, better things that invest in people, their skills, and the planet.
Two examples are:
CLIMATE ACTION - Encouraging people to rediscover what they already have, normalizing repairs, sourcing post consumer recycled gemstones for jewelry, and educating on how jewelry has always been circular.
When it comes to diamond engagement rings, laboratory grown diamonds are NOT your best option. Post consumer recycled diamonds have already incurred their cost in their carbon footprint, whether they are 4 or 400 years old. Choosing post-consumer recycled gems not only mitigates our environmental footprint, antique gems are cut in a uniquely beautiful way, which means that they don’t look like every other “new” diamond.
SUPPORTING UN SDGs - Curating jewelry that is set with artisanally mined gemstones that have a short, ethical supply chain, that empowers those communities to thrive through education and vertical integration. Especially women (and their male allies) in remote communities.
A significant distinction to know about artisanal and small-scale miners is that they are often farmers living in remote areas with limited natural resources. Many of these families mine gemstones part-time using farming tools: hands, shovels, pickaxes, and sometimes compressors.
Specific to Goal 5: Gender Equality Gender Equality a reframe is artisanal miners are entrepreneurs - some of which are women, such as Beatrice and Esther! Along with a group of other widows in East Africa, they own and operate the Precious Women Mine. Another example of women entering an industry that has historically been run by men is Virtu Gem: a program founded by women that works with artisanal gemstone mining communities in Malawi, Kenya, and Zambia to expand markets through technology, good practices, and equitable relationships.
As much as possible I encourage customers to intentionally choose jewelry, thoughtfully designed by women.
Beyond ready made jewelry, I help people choose artisanally mined gemstones when they are seeking to create something new that tells their personal story. Some of these gemstones are on blockchain such as Virtu Gems and ANZA and Moyo Gems.
Others like certified post consumer recycled diamonds from Perpetuum Jewels Others have a traceable provenance, knowing where the gemstone was from and how short the supply chain is.
Specific to gold, today the vast majority of gold is mined from China, Russia, and Australia. While it is critical to ensure the gold (and diamonds) in your jewelry are not funding Russia, gold and recycled gold is uniquely complex to trace - ensuring it was not extracted illegally or linked to human rights abuses, conflict, or corruption.
For these reasons, I advocate for Fairmined gold. Fairmined is an assurance label that certifies gold from empowered responsible artisanal and small-scale mining organizations. It transforms mining into an active force for good, ensuring social development and environmental protection - providing everyone with a source of gold to be proud of.
The ongoing "Sparkling Tasting" series are events designed to create engaging experiences where consumers can learn not only about what makes one gemstone (or wine or chocolate) more valuable, but more importantly amplify the conversation about what responsible sourcing means across other business sectors.
A recent theme “Gemstones with Intention and Connection” centered around celebrating and supporting women, highlighting UN SDG 5. The gemstones curated for this women's leadership retreat were traceable colored gemstones, artisanally mined and cut by women with a super short supply chain.
During this joyful, engaging gathering, responsibly sourced gems were passed around the room as guests discovered the elemental qualities of gemstones and stories of who, how and where the gems are from.
This private Sparkling Tasting experience explored the connection of how gemstones can empower women artisanal miners and you to be seen and remembered for the extraordinary woman you are!
The phrase “sustainable jewelry” is problematic for many reasons - ambiguity and overuse among them.
Because there is only one gemstone or one nugget of gold, the material itself is not sustainable, but local communities in remote places where these resources are found can achieve sustainable local economies.
This is why responsible sourcing is a better, more holistic goal, which encompasses:
ethical
conflict-free
traceability
transparency
protecting people and their skills protecting the natural environment - be it land or sea
Responsible sourcing looks different all around the world from Columbia to Australia to Nigeria. Depending on if the gemstone is newly mined or post consumer recycled, its journey to the consumer (including the who, where and how) can take a number of forms.
While “mine-to-market” sourcing is ideal, there are realities why some gemstones’ journey may include trusted brokers.
For example one of my colored gemstone partners, Nomads, provides a “Provenance Report” for each gemstone - transparently disclosing a gemstone’s origin in 4 possible levels of traceability. Each level corresponds with the degree of certainty we have with the information and history of the stone:
Level 1 – Mining partnership
Level 2 – On-site Contact
Level 3 – Trusted Dealer
Level 4 - Open Market
In the case of post consumer recycled diamonds and colored gemstones, my partner, Perpetuum Jewels is 3rd Party Certified by SCS Global Services, a trusting leader in environmental and sustainability certification and auditing.
Perpetuum, primarily obtains diamonds and colored gemstones from origins such as private estates, store trade-ins, and auctions. Each gemstone is given a provenance, disclosing as much information as can be known about a particular stone.
All The Brilliants' jewelry concierge service guides people in finding jewelry that genuinely aligns with their values.
With customers who seek jewelry that truly aligns with their values, I take the time to understand their concerns and goals - decoding greenwashing through accessible information and conversation.
All The Brilliants blog is full of research and resources for consumers.
One example is deceptive claims about laboratory diamonds being more "ethical", "eco", or "sustainable" - claims made by companies in first world nations at the cost of third world nations whose local economies depend on minerals and metals.
Natural diamonds transformed the nation of Botswana - is a vision of socio-economic empowerment.
It is a balance where a business operates in partnership with a government and civil society. Investments are made in communities and benefits are shared.
Here are just two ways natural diamonds support UN SDGs
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Among the biggest treasures of Botswana are young minds! From primary school through advanced degrees at global universities, boys and girls are given access to high-quality education. In an industry that is historically male-dominated, today women are thriving in places that matter. They occupy roles, such as Managing Director, Vice President, Diamond Grader, Diamond Cutter, Safety Instructor, and (ginormous) Truck Operator. This is also an illustration of how Botswana achieves a full chain of custody through vertical integration that supports the nation and its people.
Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
When diamonds were discovered in 1967, the government set up structures for an industry that transformed the nation - supporting people and the planet. They also had the foresight to develop other sustainable industries in remote mining communities outside of the diamond industry - and an exit plan for after a mine is closed. From projects that address food and water scarcity to environmental stewardship through wildlife preserves, Botswana is an example of how diamonds can create positive change for people and the planet.
Diamonds from Botswana are diamonds you can feel good about wearing!
There are also other projects (often run by women) in diamond-producing countries that positively benefit artisanal and small-scale mining communities.
Women And Climate, Top Tier Impact, Fairmined Gold, Perpetuum Jewels, Virtu Gems, ANZA Gems, and Moyo Gems to name a few.
SDGS & Targets
Goal 4
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
4.1
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.1.1
Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex
4.1.2
Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)
4.2
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
4.2.1
Proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex
4.2.2
Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex
4.3
By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.3.1
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex
4.4
By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.4.1
Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill
4.5
4.5.1
Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated
4.6
By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.6.1
Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex
4.7
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.7.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment
4.a
Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.a.1
Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service
4.b
4.b.1
Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study
4.c
By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
4.c.1
Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level
Goal 5
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
5.1
End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.1.1
Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce and monitor equality and non‑discrimination on the basis of sex
5.2
5.2.1
Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age
5.2.2
Proportion of women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by age and place of occurrence
5.3
5.3.1
Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18
5.3.2
Proportion of girls and women aged 15-49 years who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting, by age
5.4
Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate
5.4.1
Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age and location
5.5
Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.5.1
Proportion of seats held by women in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments
5.5.2
Proportion of women in managerial positions
5.6
Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
5.6.1
Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive health care
5.6.2
Number of countries with laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education
5.a
Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
5.a.1
(a) Proportion of total agricultural population with ownership or secure rights over agricultural land, by sex; and (b) share of women among owners or rights-bearers of agricultural land, by type of tenure
5.a.2
Proportion of countries where the legal framework (including customary law) guarantees women’s equal rights to land ownership and/or control
5.b
5.b.1
Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex
5.c
Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
5.c.1
Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment
Goal 11
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
11.1
By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
11.1.1
Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing
11.2
11.2.1
Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
11.3
11.3.1
Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate
11.3.2
Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically
11.4
Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
11.4.1
Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)
11.5
By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
11.5.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
11.5.2
Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global domestic product (GDP)
11.5.3
(a) Damage to critical infrastructure and (b) number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters
11.6
By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.6.1
Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities
11.6.2
Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)
11.7
11.7.1
Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
11.7.2
Proportion of persons victim of non-sexual or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months
11.a
Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.a.1
Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space
11.b
By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
11.b.1
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
11.b.2
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
11.c
Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
Goal 12
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
12.1
Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.1.1
Number of countries developing, adopting or implementing policy instruments aimed at supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production
12.2
By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.2.1
Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP
12.2.2
Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP
12.3
By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.3.1
(a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index
12.4
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
12.4.1
12.4.2
(a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment
12.5
By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.5.1
National recycling rate, tons of material recycled
12.6
Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.6.1
12.7
Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.7.1
Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans
12.8
By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.8.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
12.a
Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.a.1
Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)
12.b
Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
12.b.1
Implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism sustainability
12.c
Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities
12.c.1
Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies (production and consumption) per unit of GDP
Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.1.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
13.1.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
13.1.3
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
13.2
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.2.1
Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
13.2.2
Total greenhouse gas emissions per year
13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.3.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
13.a
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.a.1
Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025
13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
13.b.1
Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|
Deliverables & Timeline
Sell 10 pieces of jewelry that have responsibly sourced gemstones (artisinally mined by women and male allies)
Source 5 responsibly sourced gemstones or post consumer recycled gemstones
Sell 2 Fairmined Gold Chains
Reimagine 3 pieces of jewelry using customer's heirloom pieces, be it using gold, platinum, or gemstones
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
Feedback
Action Network
Share
Timeline
Entity
Region
- North America
Geographical coverage
Other beneficiaries
Women (and their male allies) in remote mining communities, to encourage sustainable local economies, education and clean land and water.
More information
Countries
Contact Information
Melissa Dusenberry, Founder | Creative Director