Swarovski, a name synonymous with dazzling craftsmanship and innovation, proudly presents its fifth comprehensive Sustainability Report. This pivotal document meticulously details the brand’s pioneering advancements across its intricate global supply chain and highlights strategic collaborations that are actively reshaping the fashion, jewelry, and design industries towards a more responsible and sustainable future. More than just a report, it stands as a testament to Swarovski’s enduring commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility, values deeply ingrained in its corporate DNA.
The legacy of sustainability at Swarovski dates back to its visionary founder, Daniel Swarovski. When he established the company in 1895, his ambition extended far beyond revolutionizing crystal production; he meticulously cultivated a corporate culture deeply rooted in social responsibility and an unwavering commitment to sustainable practices. This foundational ethos, established nearly 125 years ago, continues to serve as the guiding light for every facet of the business today, demonstrating that innovation and ethics can, and must, go hand-in-hand.
The 2019 Sustainability Report provides an in-depth reaffirmation of Swarovski’s dedication to thoroughly understanding and proactively addressing critical sustainability issues throughout its entire value chain. It meticulously outlines a myriad of initiatives and activities undertaken by the company, all meticulously aligned with Swarovski’s five strategically defined pillars: **Women’s Empowerment, Water Stewardship, Fair Partnerships, Conscious Design, and Sustainable Innovation.** These pillars represent the core tenets of Swarovski’s holistic approach to corporate social responsibility, guiding its operations from concept to consumer.
Beyond external collaborations, the report also proudly spotlights how Swarovski is making profound positive contributions within its own operational framework. This includes fostering an increasingly diverse and inclusive workplace environment, alongside rigorously ensuring that all sourcing and manufacturing processes are conducted with the highest standards of responsibility. A landmark achievement underscored in the report is the successful launch of Swarovski’s **Positive Production Program** in 2018. This ambitious program specifically targets all Swarovski-owned production centers, implementing stringent measures and innovative practices to guarantee that the company’s manufacturing operations are both socially equitable and environmentally sound, setting a new benchmark for ethical production within the industry.
To further illustrate the tangible impact of these commitments, the report details numerous notable achievements related to each of Swarovski’s five strategic sustainability pillars, as well as its day-to-day operational advancements. These examples showcase a practical, results-driven approach to integrating sustainability into every level of the business.
Women’s Empowerment
Swarovski occupies a uniquely influential position to champion gender equality and illuminate the path toward female empowerment. This advantage stems from a fundamental demographic reality: women constitute the vast majority of Swarovski’s global customer base, and impressively, 77% of the company’s dedicated workforce is female. Recognizing this inherent connection and responsibility, Swarovski leveraged its influence in 2018 by forging a significant partnership with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This groundbreaking collaboration initiated the very first multi-stakeholder exploration designed to deeply understand and address the specific, often complex, challenges faced by women across the entire jewelry supply chain. This pioneering effort aims to uncover systemic issues and pave the way for actionable solutions that can uplift and protect female workers in the industry globally.
Further solidifying its commitment, on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2018), Swarovski significantly expanded its global annual campaign titled: **“The Future is Equal.”** The report highlights how this powerful campaign actively encouraged concrete actions to advance equality and diversity within and beyond the company, while also celebrating the myriad achievements of women worldwide. The 2018 iteration of the campaign was particularly impactful, with 40 global locations enthusiastically hosting a diverse array of activities and events specifically designed to promote action on equality. These initiatives successfully engaged approximately 3,500 Swarovski employees, fostering a pervasive culture of inclusivity and shared responsibility. Through workshops, discussions, and awareness campaigns, the company reinforced its dedication to creating a workplace where every individual, regardless of gender, feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Water Stewardship
Understanding the critical importance of water as a finite resource and its indispensable role in crystal manufacturing, Swarovski deepened its commitment to responsible water management in 2018 through a strategic partnership with the Asia Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in Thailand. This crucial collaboration is designed to bolster the business’s resilience against escalating environmental hazards, particularly those exacerbated by climate change. Through this initiative, Swarovski colleagues are empowered and equipped to proactively assist their local communities in preparing for and mitigating the severe impacts of climate change, including the increasingly prevalent threat of flooding. Employees actively participated in intensive capacity-building workshops and comprehensive Community-Based Disaster Risk Management training. These programs provided them with vital skills and knowledge, enabling them to assess local risks, develop emergency plans, and coordinate effective responses, thereby safeguarding both lives and livelihoods. This partnership underscores Swarovski’s holistic view of sustainability, extending its impact beyond direct operations to the well-being of the communities it touches.
Fair Partnerships
Swarovski recognizes that true sustainability extends far beyond its immediate operations, deeply embedding itself within the entire supply chain. To this end, Swarovski’s **Responsible Sourcing Initiative (RSI) program** embarked on a groundbreaking environmental pilot in 2018. This significant expansion increased the scope of its rigorous supplier assessment processes to explicitly include a comprehensive environmental element. By integrating this new dimension, Swarovski gained invaluable insights into the specific environmental challenges confronted by its diverse network of suppliers, from raw material extraction to intermediate processing. This detailed understanding not only facilitates targeted support for suppliers in mitigating their environmental footprint but also plays a crucial role in enabling Swarovski to establish robust environmental performance benchmarks across its supply chain. These benchmarks ensure a consistent, elevated standard of environmental responsibility, promoting a culture of shared accountability and driving continuous improvement among all its partners. This proactive approach helps to foster trust, transparency, and a collective commitment to ethical and sustainable practices throughout the global supply network.
Conscious Design
For Swarovski, design is not merely about aesthetics; it is a powerful tool for positive change. Over the past two years, demonstrating a profound commitment to fostering responsible creativity, Swarovski has successfully executed 22 **Conscious Design projects** across 11 prestigious design schools worldwide. This impressive network includes renowned institutions such as Parsons School of Design, Central Saint Martins, and The Savannah College of Art and Design, among others. These projects challenge future generations of designers to think critically about the environmental and social impact of their creations, integrating principles of sustainability, circularity, and ethical material choices. Since the program’s inception, Swarovski has generously donated over six million upcycled crystals to these design schools and to burgeoning emerging designers. This significant contribution not only reduces waste but also provides invaluable resources for students to experiment with sustainable materials and techniques, fueling innovation and showcasing Swarovski’s longstanding and unwavering commitment to nurturing the creative industry and supporting the visionary talent of young designers who will shape the future of fashion and design responsibly.
Sustainable Innovation
Swarovski’s commitment to sustainability is powerfully demonstrated through its continuous investment in cutting-edge technology and innovative manufacturing processes. At its flagship Wattens glass factory, the company has made a significant investment in installing new burners that harness advanced oxygen fuel technology. Unlike conventional air combustion methods, these state-of-the-art burners utilize oxygen-enriched fuel, allowing for a much cleaner and more efficient melting of crystal glass. This technological leap results in a remarkable reduction in both energy consumption and carbon emissions, significantly lessening the environmental footprint of its core production process. This innovation exemplifies how Swarovski leverages scientific advancements to achieve its sustainability targets, setting new standards for eco-efficient manufacturing in the industry.
Further enhancing its operational sustainability, Swarovski’s Wattens production site is also at the forefront of adopting the latest technology in crystal washing and drying machines. The newly installed processes represent a substantial upgrade in resource efficiency. These advanced systems now use 20% less chemicals, significantly minimizing environmental impact and promoting safer working conditions. Moreover, they ingeniously recycle a remarkable 90% of the heat generated during the water cycle, drastically reducing energy waste. The drying equipment alone boasts a 30% reduction in energy requirements compared to the older drying system, showcasing a holistic approach to energy conservation. These integrated innovations underscore Swarovski’s dedication to optimizing every stage of its production for maximum environmental benefit and resource efficiency, reinforcing its leadership in sustainable luxury manufacturing.
Operational Sustainability
From the careful selection of raw materials to the meticulous crafting of its exquisite products, Swarovski maintains an overarching goal: to make a profoundly positive contribution to the planet and its people. This commitment is evident in impressive operational metrics. Since 2010, Swarovski has achieved a significant 29% reduction in its total energy consumption across all operations, a testament to continuous efficiency improvements and strategic energy management. Furthermore, a substantial 35% of the energy utilized at Swarovski’s manufacturing and production sites worldwide now originates from renewable sources, demonstrating a decisive shift away from fossil fuels towards cleaner, greener alternatives. In 2018, the business also initiated a crucial project dedicated to thoroughly exploring the environmental impacts associated with the raw ingredients that form the very essence of Swarovski’s signature crystal. This initiative aims to identify opportunities for even more sustainable sourcing and material innovation, striving for complete transparency and responsibility from the ground up.
In a landmark move that underscored its leadership in ethical luxury, Atelier Swarovski, the brand’s premium line, launched its first fine jewelry collection featuring **Fairtrade Gold** in the spring of 2018. This pioneering range not only incorporated responsibly sourced gold but also proudly showcased both **Swarovski Created Diamonds** and created emeralds. As detailed within the report, Atelier Swarovski has made an unwavering commitment to exclusively using responsibly sourced gold in all its future fine jewelry collections. This strategic decision champions ethical mining practices, supports fair wages for artisanal miners, and promotes environmental protection within the gold supply chain, while the use of created diamonds and emeralds offers a beautiful, sustainable alternative to mined gems, significantly reducing environmental impact and eliminating ethical concerns often associated with traditional mining.
Swarovski is equally dedicated to fostering an engaged, diverse, and inclusive workforce within a truly equitable working environment. This dedication was powerfully demonstrated through its partnership with the NeuroLeadership Institute in 2018. This invaluable collaboration offered 113 employees comprehensive online training modules specifically designed to address unconscious bias. By providing them with essential resources and practical tools, the training empowered employees to identify and actively mitigate biases from both personal interactions and critical business decisions. This proactive approach is fundamental in cultivating a workplace that is not only more inclusive and diverse but also fosters greater innovation, collaboration, and mutual respect, aligning perfectly with the Women’s Empowerment pillar and the company’s broader ethical framework.
Nadja Swarovski, a distinguished Member of the Swarovski Executive Board, articulated the essence of these efforts, commenting: “We are incredibly pleased to unveil our 2019 Sustainability Report, a document that profoundly reflects Swarovski’s longstanding commitments to both people and planet. These are values that were first established by our visionary founder, Daniel Swarovski, nearly 125 years ago, and they continue to inspire us every day. This year’s report meticulously details our company’s ongoing and proactive efforts across crucial areas such as Water Stewardship, Women’s Empowerment, Fair Partnerships, Conscious Design, and Sustainable Innovation. It powerfully reaffirms our global strategies, which are precisely engineered to shape a positive and sustainable future for all, embodying our belief that true luxury must be responsible luxury.”