Responsibility Committee

In the Summer of 2021 we formed a Responsibility Committee at AM HQ, made up of engaged members from across our departments - from making and management, to marketing and sales. The objective of this committee is to reflect on our current practices, discuss opportunities for positive change, and create actionable steps to increase our social and environmental responsibility wherever possible. Our Responsibility Committee meets once a month, and has already generated actionable change - including the creation of this Ethos Hub!

Challenging the Industry and our Suppliers

Whilst continually reflecting on our own business practises, our teams are also committed to engaging in open discussions with our industry friends and suppliers, who we have often worked with for years and sometimes even decades, where we feel there are opportunities for them to perhaps do things a little more responsibly! Examples we have pushed for include delivering items in more sustainable packaging and the provision of more transparent information around supply chains with our gemstone and metal suppliers.

This is a Token

In January 2020, Alex launched his podcast that celebrates the magical nature of jewellery and the stories behind some very precious pieces. In each episode, Alex explores the relationship between his guests and their most meaningful treasures - from actress Olivia Colman to fashion model Erin O'Connor.

Friends of the Earth

Since 2018 we have been a charity partner of leading environmental organisation, Friends of the Earth, supporting a variety of their groundbreaking campaigns through donating a proportion of the sales of our jewellery, and designing specific pieces and collections just for them! From our 2019 Oceans Collection in support of FOE’s Drastic on Plastic campaign, to the creation of a spectacular One of Kind Green Sapphire Trillion Ring where £2045 was donated to their 2020 ‘More Trees Please’ Climate Change campaign

We have raised almost £20000 for Friends of the Earth so far - and we are excited to continue our partnership into the future!

Designs for Hope 2020

In the first lockdown of the pandemic, we launched our first design competition, ‘Designs For Hope'. We asked our community to design a piece of Alex Monroe jewellery inspired by what hope means to them, in what has been an unprecedented and challenging time for so many.

The 4 winning ideas were transformed by Alex and our Design team into our limited edition ‘Designs for Hope 2020’ jewellery collection, with £30 from the sale of each piece donated to Mind charity - an incredible and lifesaving organisation for better mental health. This included two runners up, whose designs were crafted into One of a Kind pieces with a combined total of £1200 from both sales also donated to Mind. Our Designs for Hope 2020 collection raised over £12500 for Mind charity.

Designs for Hope

We wished to use our 2021 Designs for Hope competition to contribute to the breaking down of social and cultural barriers surrounding the UK jewellery industry - and we felt we could do this bestt through inspiring creativity and a passion for jewellery and design amongst our younger community aged 17 years and younger. Designs for Hope 2021 has been created in collaboration with three brilliant young people, and celebrates the optimism, connection, resilience and hope so clearly present within this future generation. £40 from every sale of this collection will be donated to ‘The Make Bank’ - a wonderful initiative in support of leveling the playing field when it comes to childhood creativity.

For Christmas 2018 and 2019, we partnered with Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital Charity (GOSH) in support of their groundbreaking work in the treatment of sick children across the world.

For Christmas 2018, we donated £30 from the sale of every Floral Alphabet Necklace. During this time our Floral Alphabet featured a limited edition blue topaz teardrop briolette, inspired by the teardrop in the Charity's iconic logo.

Since Christmas 2019, we have donated £30 from every sale of ‘Peter Pan’ - a whimsical capsule collection inspired by the ‘boy who never grew up’ and his magical land of dreams and adventures. Peter Pan acts as both a mascot and symbol of the hospital, since it’s creator J.M Barry donated the full rights to GOSH in 1929.

Our AM Helping Hand initiative ensures we support a diverse number of charities and organisations close to the hearts of our team. From our regular ‘Spotlight Sales’ in support of Women’s Aid, The Stephen Lawrence Trust, Shelter and more, to our work with the KLG fund, helping Black Jewellers to survive the pandemic and thrive within the jewellery industry. We are proud to have raised over £8000 for deserving causes through our AM Helping Hand activities.

At Alex Monroe we are committed to providing an inclusive, creative, collaborative and productive working environment. Free from discrimination of all kinds, and where every team member is treated with dignity and respect. Our hiring practise centers on assessing candidates without discrimination, to mitigate against any unconscious bias and ensure diversity, representation and inclusivity throughout our workforce.

We are proud to be a long term and accredited member of the Living Wage Foundation - a vital organisation at the heart of the independent movement of businesses and people that campaign for the idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. We review all salaries annually to ensure they meet requirements set by the Living Wage Foundation for a London Living Wage, supporting the higher cost of day to day life in the capital.

In 2022 we will be taking part in the ‘Black Jewellers Elevation Project’ - donating £10,000 to further support the success of the Black jewellers who were awarded grants by the Kassandra Lauren Gordon Fund in 2020.

Alex was honoured to support the KLG Fund in raising funds and awareness in 2020, and in being a part of the project learned so much about the discrimination and racism faced by Black jewellers in the UK. The objective of the project is to continue to support and progress the careers and brands of the KLG Fund recipients with publicity and marketing representation and support.

We have a longstanding relationship with the British Academy of Jewellers (The BAJ). Over the years Alex has often given talks, tutorials and individual support to BAJ students, sharing his personal experience, knowledge and skills acquired over 30 years of making, and building a business in the industry.

In 2021 we collaborated with the BAJ on ‘Adaptability, Versatility, Longevity’ - a project which aimed to raise awareness about sustainability in the jewellery industry. We challenged 18 BAJ students to design and make an original wearable jewellery piece, each incorporating a 5mm sapphire donated by us. The 3 project winners were each treated to a week’s work experience at Alex Monroe HQ, brushing up on their making skills, and learning about business logistics, marketing and sales.

RRH Diamond Academy

The Roxanne Rajcoomar-Hadden Diamond Academy is a British initiative to bridge the diversity gap in the fine jewellery industry, founded by jeweller Roxanne Rajcoomar-Hadden in collaboration with the Natural Diamond Council.

Alex was delighted to be asked to do both talk and a voluntary days teaching at the RRH Diamond Academy, contributing his time and knowledge to their groundbreaking efforts to increase diversity and representation within the jewellery industry.

Alex and our Design team regularly visit the Ethical Gem Fair in London to source stones from a diverse range of small-scale, purpose-led gemstone suppliers who are committed to transparency & the support of artisanal miners around the world. These special stones are used in our One of Kind and Limited Edition pieces and are offered through our Bespoke Service.

NSEAD

The craft of gold and silversmithing involves the use of tools, heat and chemicals. Our two workshops have been purpose built with health and safety considerations at the forefront, and we have stringent procedures in place to ensure the protection of our bench jewellers, and minimise our environmental impact. This includes a filtered ventilation system, the provision of protective equipment and the proper disposal of industrial solution waste.