Sustainability permeates every aspect of our business. We are committed to taking action against climate change, ensuring fair and safe labour practices, empowering women, practising comprehensive due diligence and innovating for a sustainable future. We aim to achieve our full potential in becoming leading partners in achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
PROTECTING OUR PLANET
We exclusively use traditional methods of mining which allows us to exclude use of chemicals, plastics and heavy machinery and rely instead on biodegradable and reusable material. The gem bearing soil illam is brought up in a manual process requiring no fuel or electricity, the residential spaces for miners known as pathal vadiya are constructed out of biodegradable plant material and all lights are powered using solar power. Meanwhile, the groundwater that we encounter while digging is safely diverted into nearby streams using a drainage system setup by specialist engineers, ensuring no water is wasted.
We are strict about not using ecologically sensitive land and conduct independent environmental impact assessments prior to opening a mine. Once mining is completed, we carefully backfill the mine in the order it was unearthed and plant the land with indigenous vegetation or hand it to local farmers for agricultural cultivation. We are careful to make sure none of our processes cause pollution, degrade land or harm biodiversity.
PARTNERSHIPS
At Rohan Sapphires, we are sensitive to the realities of different people in difficult circumstances and are proud to support charitable causes that help improve conditions for our fellow human beings. Each year, we auction a number of gemstones to raise funds for a variety of initiatives that positively impact the people in our communities, including upgrading of public healthcare facilities and supporting children with disabilities, orphanages and elder care facilities.
SECURING THE FUTURE
We function on a model of ethical collaboration, where our workers are our partners, our processes are transparent and we prosper, sustainably, together.
We ensure decent work for all our employees: a workplace where health and safety is a top priority, paying living wages that ensure a decent livelihood for our workers and their families as well as sharing of profits from the sale of each stone, processes that ensure financial and other assistance during times of crisis, insurance and financial planning for employees and their children, and zero tolerance of forced or child labour.
We do not condone harassment or bias based on race, gender or sexual orientation and have comprehensive grievance and whistle blowing policies in place. We also take care to respect the cultural practices of our workers, honouring their rituals such as collectively practising vegetarianism for three months before opening a new mine, offering pooja upon discovery of each stone and making pilgrimage to the temple of Saman, the guardian deity of gemstone mining folk.
We treat our employees with dignity and respect, value open and honest communication and conduct regular assessments of our workplaces to make sure we provide the best working environment.
We respect the right of our employees to join, form or not join a labour union without fear of reprisal, intimidation or harassment.
We are passionate about making ethical products more easily available to consumers and commit to providing truthful, reliable and relevant information about all our products.
We have created a work environment that is peaceful, hygienic and safe, with all workers provided relevant personal protective equipment.
We employ miners from the residents nearest our mine, allowing them to enjoy the resources of their own village while reducing their carbon footprint.
We prize innovation and give our artisans the freedom to execute their creative visions and improve upon techniques.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
We aim to break through the walls of this traditionally male-only industry by employing female staff and ensuring a safe environment, free of harassment or discrimination, offering flexible timing so they can balance work and home, and proving paid maternity leave as well as paid further education opportunities. Vidarshi herself is a rare example in the local industry of the possibilities ahead, playing a lead role in the running of Rohan Sapphires.
