Natural resources & luxury
Natural resources and luxury sector advisory projects (2022 - )
Following my tenure at Gemfields I started freelance consulting and have worked for a variety of clients in the natural resources and and luxury sector.
Achievements and key roles:
Developed a sustainability framework and responsible sourcing policy guidance for an Indian jewellery manufacturer. Undertook a series of workshops with senior stakeholders to enable co-creation of the sustainability strategic pillars within their commercial strategy, together with frameworks for roadmaps.
Developed a sustainability framework and responsible sourcing policy guidance for an Australian & New Zealand jewellery retail brand. Undertook a series of leadership discussions and workshops with senior stakeholders to enable co-creation of the sustainability strategic pillars and provided industry research to help them get started with their implementation roadmaps.
Developed a suite of policies for a UK diamond trader to ensure compliance with Responsible Jewellery Council membership requirements.
Acted as a senior adviser to a Canadian gold mining client with global assets in Nicaragua, Philippines and Mali, specifically focusing on artisanal-mining institutional readiness, risk management and impact assessment and strategic guidance to technical teams formulating on-ground strategic solutions for the management of Malian artisanal mining communities.
Group Sustainability, Policy & Risk Director, Gemfields Group (‘14 - ‘22)
Newly created role developing and implementing a sustainability and advocacy strategy for the world’s largest coloured gemstone mining company, and owner of jewellery brand Fabergé. Gemfields is a c£200m turnover, AIM-listed business headquartered in London.
Achievements and key roles:
Developed and implemented the group’s first sustainability strategy, first enterprise risk and first policy systems; across multiple sites, driving engagement with local and international stakeholders to secure social licence to operate. Total annual budgetary purview of approximately £2m
Grew a global team to 25 to implement site-level legacy livelihoods (schools, health clinics, agriculture), environmental and safety, and continuous improvement projects; providing strategic guidance and driving positive relationships with stakeholders
Instrumental in driving operational change for brand proof-points, product claims and external advocacy standards, working across the business and supply chain; providing expert input to communications and marketing campaigns
External industry advocate championing supply chain initiatives with luxury sector clients, standards-setters and industry bodies such as the Responsible Jewellery Council and Gemstones and Jewellery Community Platform to position Gemfields as a pioneer of transparency and sustainability practices driving sector-wide improvements.
Post-litigation crisis expertise and remedy, advising legal, communications and operational teams on a change process required to support new culture, training and best practice regarding security and human rights to support membership of the Voluntary Principles for Security & Human Rights - of which Gemfields is now the first and only gemstone mining member