Sustainability at Ro Copenhagen

Quality, durability and sustainability. These are the core values ​​that characterise everything we do at Ro Copenhagen. These three pillars inform the materials we choose, the production partners we work with and the jewellery we create.

When we founded Ro Copenhagen in 2015, the definition of our name became a commitment: a feeling of calmness that pervades everything we do. Calmness for creating quality, calmness for thinking our actions through.

We take care of our earth. Our partners are specifically chosen because they offer fair and healthy working conditions to the individuals in their team, just as we do at Ro Copenhagen's head office in Denmark.

Calmness, well-being and consideration. We actively work with this in mind ​​every day, and we work with openness and transparency. What you see is what you get. Our goal at all times is to be able to look ourselves in the eye. We always do our best and strive to do the right thing, but we are human, not perfect. Each and every day we strive to develop and grow as a company through bettering ourselves.

We prioritise soft skills ​​and seek to create a workplace and a brand full of mutual respect. A place where you’re happy to be every day, a place with a strong sense of unity, inclusivity and shared values. 

    Design with consideration

    Ro Copenhagen produces timeless, elegant and understated jewellery. It is designed with delicate features and fine details in carefully measured doses. We have deliberately chosen to only produce in 18kt gold so we can create jewellery with a long life and a longer life cycle. We do not wish to fuel fast consumption or over production. Instead, our designs are brought to life based on the ethos ‘consume with care’. To this end we only produce new designs and collections when we have something really special to share. Small but exclusive. With no minimum requirements for production quantities, we do not overproduce and therefore you will not find Ro on sale, looking to shed itself of overstocked lines.

    All our materials are approved

    Ro Copenhagen's jewellery is made of 18 kt. gold. It is nickel free gold of the highest quality. The enduring designs create joy for many years to come – which is a sustainable mindset too.

    The gold we use can be divided into two categories. The first category is jewellery made from recycled gold, certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council. This is gold that is already in circulation. There are many benefits to recycled gold, but we have also become aware that there are other sustainable alternatives. That is why we will introduce SMO (Single Mine Origin) gold at the end of 2024. SMO is a traceability system that ensures gold can be traced from extraction to the final product

    Ro Copenhagen only works with ethically sourced diamonds and precious stones of natural origin, always untreated and from conflict-free zones in compliance with UN resolutions. All of our stones are sourced from mines that comply with the strictest environmental and human rights standards. We even go beyond standard industry regulations to ensure that we can vouch for every single stone.

     

    Local and global working conditions

    Denmark


    Ro Copenhagen's head office is located in Ishøj. It doesn’t look particularly special from the outside, but on the inside it has a unique physical and mental work environment. We have a holistic view of the working day. We see the person as a whole, and work through collaborative decision-making and lots of positive energy. All employees have height adjustable desks, access to daylight therapy lamps, the best digital tools, free lunches and a pension scheme. We enjoy a communal breakfast and a Christmas lunch every year. All of this is done with the intention to make the great cooperation at Ro Copenhagen even greater.

    Thailand

    All jewellery from Ro Copenhagen is handmade. The fine craftwork is carried out by our skilled goldsmiths in Thailand, in two ISO-certified workshops. The workshops are carefully selected, and we enjoy a close relationship with them. Among other things, it enables us to order in small batches and thus avoid overproduction.

    The workshops in Thailand are located in a green area with gardens, lawns, vegetable beds and orchards. All employees have access to air conditioning and plenty of fresh air during working hours. The workshops also have plenty of natural light and have undergone rigorous safety procedures to ensure that our goldsmiths work under the best possible conditions we can offer them.

    All waste and rubbish is sorted, and the workshops cooperate with BeingHumanity.earth to be a plastic-free workplace.

    All of our factory workers receive at least the minimum wage. In addition, we provide bonuses and paid overtime, health insurance and access to free educational courses. Employees are entitled to leave in conjunction with pregnancy and childbirth, illness or further education. The workshops also offer free childcare for employees' children and an annual health check carried out by external health professionals.

    New and improved packaging

    In 2022, we replaced our old packaging with a beautiful, more sustainable solution. All our packaging is now FSC certified and made from organic cotton. In 2024, we optimized the design of our jewellery boxes to withstand more wear and tear. This is a big step in the right direction. Our biggest sin is the foam inside the jewellery boxes. If you know of an environmentally and climate friendly solution to this we would love to hear from you at info@rocopenhagen.com.

    Minimising our paper use

    Our new digital catalogues have replaced our printed catalogues, but we still need to use some paper, such as for the return forms in our web shop. We use as little paper as possible. However, what we do use is printed on cradle-to-cradle or FSC-certified paper. This means that all paper is either 100% recycled or comes from sustainable forestry. Read more about cradle-to-cradle here and FSC certifications here.

    Read more about how we recommend sorting our packaging here.

    The jewellery can last for years and years and …

    Our jewellery designs are intended to be used as everyday objects. They can be passed on to the next generation. They just need to be looked after and cared for properly. Even the best quality materials need a little TLC. Therefore, we have made this comprehensive guide to providing the best possible care for our jewellery.

    CO2-neutral online shop

    Our online shop emits CO2 because it needs electricity to run the servers that host it. At the same time, our visitors use power on their screens and that counts towards our overall CO2 emissions. That's why we're part of a Danish initiative that invests in large, long-term projects that reduce CO2 emissions.


    We have made an active choice to build our webshops on the platform Shopify, which is also CO2-neutral. They invest $5 million annually in technologies and solutions that can solve the climate crisis. All our data in Shopify, as well as our domains run on 100% renewable energy.