The most innovative companies have moved beyond viewing sustainability as a reporting exercise and embraced it as a catalyst for business transformation. These organizations are creating measurable value through strategic sustainability initiatives that resonate with consumers, optimize operations, and build resilience.
We sat down with Holly McHugh, VP of Sustainability & Social Impact at Mejuri, to explore how this relatively young jewelry brand is leveraging sustainability data and partnerships to drive meaningful impact and business advantage.
The business case for voluntary sustainability reporting
While many companies approach sustainability reporting as a response to regulatory requirements, forward-thinking organizations like Mejuri recognize that limiting sustainability efforts to regulatory compliance misses significant opportunities. Although they are currently exempt from reporting requirements in any of their operating regions, the company has voluntarily embraced comprehensive sustainability reporting.
Voluntary reporting creates multiple advantages: enhanced brand reputation, increased customer trust, better preparedness for future regulations, and improved operational insights.
This proactive approach allows companies to stay ahead of the regulatory curve while building robust sustainability programs at their own pace. By the time reporting becomes mandatory, these organizations have already developed the systems, processes, and culture needed to excel.
Small but mighty: How emerging brands can lead in sustainability
Mejuri's story offers a blueprint for how smaller, growing organizations can build impactful sustainability programs.
Securing executive buy-in and support
Mejuri's success in sustainability stems partly from strong CEO commitment. As Holly noted, "our sustainability is very CEO-driven. She's incredibly interested in it." Before hiring a dedicated sustainability leader, Mejuri's CEO personally drove the company’s sustainability efforts.
This top-down commitment ensures sustainability is woven into business strategy rather than treated as an afterthought, creating the foundation for resource allocation, strategic prioritization, and the cultural alignment needed to make sustainability part of the company's DNA rather than a compliance checkbox.
Accessing expertise with limited resources
Rather than hiring generalists, Mejuri works with seven external specialists who bring targeted expertise when needed. "I needed people that had very deep knowledge in certain areas," Holly explained. This flexible model allows the company to tap into specialized knowledge while managing costs.
By focusing on effectiveness rather than headcount, smaller organizations can build sustainability programs with comparable sophistication to those of much larger companies.
Operationalizing sustainability across the organization
Mejuri has found success through "operationalizing everything," focusing on embedding sustainability into day-to-day business operations rather than treating it as a separate reporting function.
This integration extends throughout the organization: "We're very systematic about including sustainability into every single job description, but also putting KPIs that are directly related to reporting into every person's job responsibilities."
By distributing sustainability responsibilities across the organization, Mejuri has avoided creating a sustainability "silo." When everyone from supply chain managers to marketing teams has sustainability KPIs, the organization can move more quickly and effectively toward its goals.
Leveraging collaboration and partnerships for greater impact
Effective sustainability programs, especially for smaller companies, often depend on collaboration. As Holly explained, "We see it as very, very important as a small, 10-year-old company to collaborate with others within our industry to get things done." This approach allows Mejuri to amplify their impact far beyond what they could achieve independently.
<div class="blog_content_callout-component"><h6 style="margin-top:0rem;">Case Study: Regeneration and responsible mining</h6><p>One of Mejuri's most innovative initiatives involves partnering with RESOLVE and major companies like Apple, Rivian, and Caterpillar in the Regeneration project. This collaboration enables them to remine abandoned sites, repair environmental damage from previous mining operations, and create a traceable, environmentally positive gold supply chain from Northern Yukon, Alaska, and British Columbia. The project exemplifies how partnerships can create transformative environmental and social impact.<p style="margin-bottom:0rem">Intra- and cross-sector collaborations enable companies with limited resources to leverage the expertise, research, infrastructure, and influence of larger partners. This allows them to share development costs and advocate for industry-wide improvements in sourcing and production standards, and address complex sustainability challenges, while contributing their own unique perspectives and innovative approaches.</div>
Data as the foundation for sustainability success
Quality data forms the foundation of effective sustainability reporting and decision-making, yet collecting and managing this data remains one of the biggest challenges for many organizations.
Leveraging supplier relationships for better data
Mejuri’s approach to traceability begins with strong supplier relationships and a "sliding scale of traceability." This flexible approach allows suppliers to share information at their comfort level while building trust over time.
Instead of demanding full transparency immediately, the company works toward greater transparency by allowing suppliers to share information at their comfort level while building trust over time.
"Do I know the country that a particular material came from? Do I know the region within that country? Can I get to the city? Can I get to the mine or the cutter or the refiner?"
This approach acknowledges the reality of supply chain relationships and the sensitivity of supply chain information.
<div class="blog_content_callout-component"><h6 style="margin-top:0rem;">How Pulsora helps automate traceability tracking</h6><p style="margin-bottom:0rem;">Pulsora offers specialized tools to automate traceability tracking by creating digital supply chain maps and managing supplier data in a centralized system. This capability helps companies track materials from source to product, providing the visibility needed to address environmental and social impacts throughout the value chain.</div>
Centralizing sustainability data
Many companies begin their sustainability journey using basic spreadsheet-based systems for data management. They eventually reach a critical tipping point, though, where manual data management becomes unsustainable as reporting requirements expand, data volumes grow, and audit needs increase.
For Mejuri, with approximately 20 primary suppliers, spreadsheets remain manageable for now. However, as Holly acknowledged, this approach has clear limitations as the company continues to scale.
When to move beyond spreadsheets
Several key tipping points typically drive companies to adopt more sophisticated sustainability data management systems:
- Regulatory requirements and audit needs: As companies face formal verification requirements, the limitations of spreadsheet-based systems become more apparent.
- Supply chain complexity: As supplier networks grow, manual data collection becomes increasingly burdensome.
- Target setting and tracking: Ambitious goals like science-based targets require more robust monitoring capabilities.
- Resource constraints: When spreadsheet management consumes too much team time that could be better spent on strategy and implementation.
As organizations grow and their sustainability programs mature, purpose-built solutions become essential for maintaining data integrity, ensuring auditability, and enabling strategic decision-making based on accurate sustainability metrics.
<div class="blog_content_callout-component"><h6 style="margin-top:0rem;">How Pulsora streamlines data collection</h6><p>Purpose-built sustainability platforms like Pulsora offer significant advantages by automating data collection, validation, and reporting processes. These systems free sustainability teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than data management.<p>Pulsora provides a single source of truth for sustainability data, eliminating the version control and fragmentation issues that often plague spreadsheet-based approaches.<p style="margin-bottom:0rem">For companies facing audit requirements, platforms like Pulsora provide the data governance and audit trail capabilities needed for verification while simplifying reporting across multiple frameworks.</div>
Using sustainability data to drive strategic impact
As sustainability reporting evolves, forward-thinking companies are shifting their focus from compliance to creating strategic business value. Consumer expectations continue to rise, with growing demands for transparency and verified claims. Simultaneously, while specific regulations may shift with political changes, the overall trajectory toward increased sustainability disclosure remains constant.
Informing business decisions
For Mejuri sustainability data directly informs product decisions, material sourcing, and market strategy.
For instance, the company only uses lab-grown diamonds that are certified as being produced using renewable energy. Although these diamonds come at a higher price, Mejuri's team is analyzing the long-term cost implications and comparing them to the potential future costs of carbon offsets or regulatory expenses associated with conventional diamonds. By considering these factors, Mejuri can make informed business decisions that align with both financial and sustainability goals.
<div class="blog_content_callout-component"><h6 style="margin-top:0rem;">How Pulsora's analytics turn data into strategy</h6><p style="margin-bottom:0rem;">Pulsora helps organizations move from data collection to decision support by providing analytical tools that turn sustainability information into actionble insights. By visualizing trends, modeling scenarios, and identifying opportunities, these systems help sustainability leaders demonstrate the business value of their initiatives.</div>
Preparing for future growth
Companies expanding internationally must navigate varying sustainability expectations and requirements. Mejuri's approach involves proactive preparation for these differences, recognizing that sustainability regulations will eventually apply to them as they grow into new markets.
Mejuri's participation in the Geneva-based Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030 exemplifies this strategy. Through this industry alliance, they've proactively aligned their practices with CSRD standards—despite these regulations not currently applying to their business.
This forward-thinking approach allows them to systematically build sustainability capabilities and ensure a smooth transition to compliance as their business grows. Rather than reacting to regulatory changes, Mejuri is strategically preparing for them.
<div class="blog_content_callout-component"><h6 style="margin-top:0rem;">How Pulsora grows with you</h6><p style="margin-bottom:0rem;">As Mejuri demonstrates, sustainability programs must scale with business growth. Pulsora's platform accommodates this scaling, whether you're expanding your supply chain, entering new markets, or facing additional reporting requirements. Our experience working with companies across industries and sizes—from small brands to multinational corporations—informs our flexible, adaptable approach.</div>
Building a “moat around your brand”
For Mejuri, sustainability isn't just about responsibility—it’s a powerful business differentiator. As Holly put it, "sustainability is the moat around your brand"—a protective barrier that safeguards reputation and builds trust with increasingly conscious consumers.
"We believe that a more informed customer is going to choose us over our competitor because they understand how we work,” Holly shared.
This approach is paying dividends. In Mejuri's after-sale surveys, sustainability was selected as a reason for purchase one in eight times. This clear connection between sustainability and consumer preference demonstrates how effective reporting and communication can directly impact the bottom line.
Key takeaways for sustainability leaders
Whether you're beginning your sustainability journey or enhancing an established program, focus on these critical elements:
- Build robust data foundations that can withstand scrutiny and support strategic decision-making
- Secure executive buy-in to align sustainability with business strategy and ensure adequate resources
- Leverage partnerships and collaborations to amplify impact, particularly for companies with limited resources
- Implement systems that scale with your organization's growth and evolving reporting requirements
- Integrate sustainability metrics into business decision-making processes beyond compliance reporting
As Mejuri demonstrates, companies of all sizes can lead in sustainability by approaching it as a core business driver rather than a regulatory burden. By establishing the right foundations today—from reliable data management to strategic industry partnerships—organizations position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly conscious marketplace.
A platform for every stage of your sustainability journey
As organizations navigate their sustainability journeys, platforms like Pulsora provide scalable solutions that grow with their needs. From early-stage data collection to sophisticated impact measurement and reporting, these systems offer the flexibility and functionality needed to support evolving sustainability programs.
Pulsora's enterprise platform serves companies across the sustainability maturity spectrum – from those just beginning to track emissions to those implementing complex science-based targets. This scalability makes it particularly valuable for high-growth companies that need solutions that can evolve with their sustainability ambitions.
By providing a single source of truth for sustainability data, streamlining reporting across frameworks, and turning information into actionable insights, Pulsora helps organizations move beyond compliance to create genuine business value through sustainability.
Whether you're a small company voluntarily embracing sustainability reporting or a large enterprise navigating complex regulatory requirements, the right tools and approaches can transform sustainability from a reporting burden into a strategic advantage.
Want to learn how Pulsora can support your sustainability journey? Book a meeting with a member of our team.
