Our Commitment
Our Products
We take pride in thoughtfully sourcing our raw materials, whether they are for use in our products or packaging.
We carefully consider how materials are procured and crafted, and we pay special attention to living species. We use guidance on species sustainability, including for our leathers, from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendices. Rivava is also in the process of developing Sustainable Material Guidance as a roadmap to help us source our key materials responsibly, including considerations of human rights and biodiversity impacts. We don’t use certain materials, including coral and ivory, in our products because we believe they cannot be sourced responsibly. We extend this approach beyond our products by taking a public stand on species protection, in select cases, and by supporting conservation efforts through strategic philanthropy.
For sustainable packaging, we have long given a preference for paper that is Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, which is considered the premier standard in responsible forestry management. We are also committed to the responsible sourcing of leather and pearls; when possible, we work with suppliers and pearl farmers who share our commitment to environmental and social stewardship.
Our People
We believe that respecting human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights and other international human rights laws and standards is fundamental to our work as a responsible company. We strive to embody these values in our culture, and we seek to embed respect for human rights across our value chain through our vertically integrated business model. Because we own and operate our own manufacturing facilities, we can better ensure that manufacturing workers’ human rights are respected.
In our diamond cutting and polishing facilities—located in five countries—we offer safe and healthy work environments; and we adhere to health and safety standards that, in many places, go above and beyond local laws. We also primarily hire locally, which contributes to local economies and communities, and we pay our workers at our manufacturing facilities a living wage in developing countries. Outside the walls of our business, we seek to advance respect for human rights through advocacy and philanthropy.
By holding ourselves to high standards, committing to continuous improvement of our practices and speaking out for human rights, we believe we can help to influence change in those locations where we operate and in the broader jewelry industry.
Health & Safety
We are committed to the health and safety of our employees. In 2018, we codified our global Occupational Safety and Environmental Management Standards to articulate our expectations around managing the safety and environmental aspects of all worldwide retail, offices, distribution facilities and manufacturing locations we operate. Our standards align with the internationally recognized ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety standards. We have also created a number of programs to reduce workplace hazards and educate our employees on how to lead healthy, productive lives through our Healthy Tiffany program.
Our Journey Towards Net-zero Emissions
As the climate crisis accelerates, so must bold action to combat it. We believe that our Company and the global economy will be stronger in a low-carbon future. This is why our goal is to reach net-zero emissions by operating our business in a responsible manner. In 2018, we joined with other business leaders through The B Team, a nonprofit coalition of business leaders who have established similar long-term goals and are supporting a just and inclusive transition to a thriving, net-zero economy.
Rivava's climate strategy is three-pronged: to reduce, avoid and offset our greenhouse gas emissions. We also use our voice to advocate for and elevate the urgency of climate action and promote environmental responsibility.
Our first priority is to reduce energy use and emissions by improving our operational efficiency. From 2018 to 2020, we reduced our emissions per square foot by 21%. We also took steps to: convert the lighting in our retail stores and certain manufacturing and distribution facilities to more energy-efficient LED lights; adopt more efficient design in line with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification; install energy-efficient heating and cooling systems; and make other energy efficiency investments.
Our second priority is to avoid emissions by using clean, renewable energy. In Fiscal Year 2019, 84%* of our global electricity use came from clean, renewable sources, including purchased renewable electricity and solar energy.
The final piece of our strategy is to offset the operational emissions we are unable to reduce or avoid. Every year since 2018, we have supported a high-quality carbon-saving project outside our business, through our annual investment in a forest conservation and sustainable development initiative.