OKURADO’s Approach to Ethical and SDGs

In this issue, I would like to write about our thoughts on society, ethics as a company (ethical), and issues that must be tackled and solved globally (adopted at the UN summit as the international goals SDGs by 2030).

Although it is difficult for OKURADO to take action on all 17 SDGs on the scale of OKURADO, we are concerned about the following on a daily basis.

・We manufacture our jewelry in-house

We try to manufacture jewelry by ourselves as much as possible.

This is partly because we want to keep a constant check on the design and shape of the jewelry, but also because we want to improve the working environment for our staff, eliminate gender inequality, and reuse materials that can be reused.

When it comes to purchasing the jewelry we use, we are more deeply committed to having our suppliers “clarify the country of origin” and confirm that the jewelry is “not a source of funding for forces involved in conflicts and civil wars.

As a result, we have a strong desire to create a healthier, more sustainable, jewelry manufacturing supply chain.

・Accepting full-custom jewelry orders

The production of full custom jewelry from a design drawing is actually impossible without in-depth design knowledge and advanced craftsmanship.　In particular, orders using the customer’s own gemstones are much more difficult, as they require more care and skill in production.　

However, the fundamental reason why OKURADO accepts custom-made jewelry is that we want our customers to use their own stones for as long as possible.　

New products made in large quantities may be attractive, but one of the great charms of jewelry is that the gemstones that contain so much thought and care will be worn for generations to come.

Some people believe that “working on the SDGs will increase corporate value,” but for me personally, I believe that doing the right thing first and moving in the right direction when there are obstacles will ultimately lead to a sense of ethics and a global commitment to the SDGs, which are now called ethical. I believe that this is the way to move toward what is now called “ethical” and the global SDGs.

The finished beautiful jewelry is the result of a solid workflow from the selection of stones to design, production, and sales.　The process of making jewelry is also beautiful.

There are many problems happening around the world, such as conflicts, the widening gap between rich and poor, soaring energy prices, and a declining population in Japan.　The jewelry industry is not totally immune to these problems.

OKURADO is tackling these issues where we can.

We believe that ethical thinking and SDGs initiatives require a tough mindset that is able to focus on reality while at the same time moving forward in a better direction.

Hitoshi Okura

OKURADO

▼the issue about tranceparency in supplying diamonds

the story about getting yourself a custom made jewelry from OKURADO

Diamonds and Conflicts

Custom-made Jewelry