Innovation

CGS empowers women, as they are a crucial part to a success in a business, since they bring to the table traits men do not often possess. In fact, pay is distributed amongst all employees based on their business experience rather than how long they have been with the company or in the industry.

Due to the manufacturing nature of the business, several acids and chemicals are in use for the daily operations. These acids have the potential to cause damage to the society and the environment. These include chemicals and acid waste that is required to clean and make the pieces of jewelry such as borax and sodium bisulfate. CGS ensures those chemicals are never released into the water system through the sink or toilet. Rather the company takes the excess hazardous chemicals/acids to a government disposable facility every three to five days. This ensures that the chemicals are processed in a sustainable way that would not negatively affect the environment or water system. In goldsmithing, a lot of water is wasted in the process of metalsmithing, quenching, and polishing the jewelry. Thus, Chohan has taken the initiative for the past three to four years to ensure that CGS minimizes the use of water by purchasing large 10 gallon buckets that are filled with water and used sparingly. Grit guards are used to settle sediment to the bottom of the buckets so that clean water is available for the top half of the bucket. Every six months the water is evaporated and the sediment sludge is taken to a refinery to be processed in a sustainable manner.

Inspiration

Chohan found his true passion for making jewelry at age eight when he made his first piece of jewelry which was a simple sterling silver ring. Coming from a jeweler’s bloodline, Chohan's father had operated a successful jewelry business in India prior to coming to Canada in the 1970’s and opening multiple jewelry stores. Through his father, Chohan always had a strong influence in this industry watching his father grow his business. Chohan grew up seeing that his father’s operations of metalsmithing produced a lot of waste of gold and other materials. He saw that these were highly avoidable by lubricating saw blades and using easily recyclable polishing disks. This would not only be economically beneficial, but also good for the environment when it comes to the end of the life cycle of the materials. This is why CGS “takes recycling, reusing, and minimizing the use of water very seriously, as it is a part of their core values to reduce their footprint as a business as much as they can," he said.

Chohan notes that “getting an education from Canada’s oldest and largest art school, OCAD University, had shown me that when it comes to designing or conceptually handcrafting jewelry, women tend to be more drawn to this than men." In fact, his program only had 10% male students. Chohan's father grew up in India where goldsmithing and silversmithing is primarily a male dominated field due to the hands-on work, heavy machinery, and workplace hazards, large flames, and ovens reaching 1500°F. Studying at OCAD University educated Chohan to the potential and talent of women in this field and made him realize that women “deserve the same equality as men in the work force, as they are equally talented," he observed.

Overall impact

Chohan Goldsmiths Silversmiths stands out from the rest of the goldsmithing and silversmithing businesses, as it takes in the Sustainable Development Goals into the core values of the business. Making sure the activities in the businesses will be sustainable in the long term, gives CGS a competitive edge in the marketplace over its competitors. CGS ensures that there is sustainable water management and consumption and production patterns for chemical/acid disposal, promotes productive employment for all, and helps reduce inequality in the workforce. Being more conservative when it comes to water and gold waste allows CGS to be more economically stable in the long term. CGS ensures that the service they provide by producing pieces of jewelry all processed in house keeps full control of the supply chain and material usage, knowledge of how waste is measured, and how the staff is treated. Through careful disposal of acids used in the operations that are highly corrosive allows CGS to avoid potential environmental problems such as contamination problems in the pipes of the city’s sewage system. This ensures that wildlife is not negatively affected since animals live in the water and sewer pipes.

Coming from an immigrant family, Chohan has seen the struggles of racism his parents experienced. As a result, he promotes labor rights of all individuals who work with him and ensures that older and younger migrant workers are treated with respect and paid equally as other workers. With more awareness of corporate social responsibility, it will not take long for customers to acknowledge and go to businesses which are environmentally and socially stable and profitable.

Business benefit

The innovation Chohan Goldsmiths Silversmiths has for their business benefits them in multiple ways. Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) will allow Chohan Goldsmiths Silversmiths to reach a higher level of business. Having their business structured in such a way where they can save money on their operations while being aligned to the SDGs gives a competitive edge to the company. They can offer lower prices to the consumers versus their competitors who charge more yet do not implement sustainable choices for their operations. In fact, with the increasing knowledge and requirements from consumers and lobbyists, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a crucial factor of a successful business. Using the SDGs helps increase Chohan Goldsmiths Silversmiths' brand recognition/reputation in the industry, as well as creates a loyal customer base. To begin with, helping minimize water use and waste contributes to reducing the company's utility bill. The up-front costs for the water buckets was a one-time expense which is negligible when compared to the company's long term water savings. Furthermore, giving back to the community while implementing sustainable business operations will allow for more employee loyalty. This will enhance customer loyalty, as some customers prefer to deal only with specific individuals rather than new employees every time. Having a balance of both women and men in the workforce allows for more diversity, which boosts creative thinking and brings different perspectives. These aspects can help take the business further and become more successful in the long-term.

Social and environmental benefit

There are numerous environmental and social benefits that Chohan Goldsmiths Silversmiths provide by implementing sustainable choices in their daily work operations. Chohan stated, “CGS will always promote equal and respectable work for women, migrant workers, and those with disabilities, disregarding race, religion, and age." CGS empowers different perspectives and opinions in the business. Chohan knows that each individual has a different view on a certain topic, thus having individuals from different backgrounds will allow the company to reach a larger customer base.

CGS also minimizes water usage by reusing water for about a month when polishing jewelry. Since new water is not required, this helps to preserve water for physical consumption. Furthermore, CGS helps improve the water quality by reducing the pollution that goes in it such as chemicals and acids that are used at work. CGS does not dispose the chemicals in the drains, as it is very harmful and dangerous to the environment and wildlife. CGS ensures that hazardous chemicals and materials are taken to treatment facilities for proper disposal so they don't contaminate clean water or harm animals that can consume it. In fact, Chohan stated that “CGS actively seeks innovative and recyclable materials that can be used in alternative ways sustainably," which also helps to reduce the companies footprint on the earth. These SDG goals that CGS implements allows them to be sustainable in the present, as well as in the future, to allow for more success for their business while ensuring the community and environment are also benefiting from their services.

Interview

Pritam Singh Chohan, CEO/Owner