Megan Shearer is a distinguished leader in the jewellery industry, possessing extensive expertise in design, craftsmanship, and sustainable production. While she has been a cornerstone of Monica Vinader since July 2010, she was appointed to the role of Chief Product Officer in September 2021. In this capacity, she oversees the end-to-end lifecycle of the brand’s collections, from initial design and development to the final production of its acclaimed jewellery and leather goods. A central pillar of Megan’s leadership is her responsibility for the brand’s sustainability and ESG initiatives. She directs supplier management and quality assurance with a steadfast commitment to ethical sourcing, ensuring that every piece reflects the company’s dedication to environmental responsibility and supply chain transparency.
What motivated MV to join the Responsible Jewellery Council?
For us, joining the RJC was about credibility and community. When Monica founded the business, she quickly realised that the jewellery supply chain can be incredibly opaque. We didn’t just want to ‘say’ we were ethical; we wanted to prove it and be held accountable.
The RJC provides that rigorous framework we needed to validate our supply chain due diligence. Beyond the certification itself, the motivation was collaboration. We know that no single brand can fix the systemic issues facing the jewellery industry. Joining the RJC allows us to also be part of a collective voice driving standards up across the industry.
What does ‘sustainability’ mean to you and how do you implement this into your strategy at MV?
To us, sustainability is about continuous improvement centred on three pillars: Preserving our Planet, Protecting our People, and Inspiring our Industry.
In terms of implementation, we take a very data-driven, product-led approach.
● Materials: We’ve transitioned to 100% recycled gold and silver and introduced lab-grown diamonds manufactured using 100% renewable energy.
● Traceability: We are obsessed with knowing who makes our jewellery and where it comes from. This is why we implemented our Product Passport initiative. Our customers can trace over 75% of our products from design to doorstep, viewing the specific certifications of the factories and mines involved.
● Circularity: We view sustainability through the lens of longevity. We offer a 5-year warranty and a lifetime repair service because the most sustainable piece of jewellery is the one you keep wearing.
What does ‘responsible business’ mean to you?
Responsible business means operating with total integrity and transparency, even when no one is watching. It’s about moving beyond compliance and building trusted relationships with all those who touch our operations; from our suppliers all the way through to those who buy our jewellery.
For me as CPO, it means we don’t just ask ‘Is this legal?’ but ‘Is this right?’. It means we don’t just audit our suppliers; we partner with them to improve their environmental management and labour practices. It involves focusing on ESG targets alongside financial metrics, and working closely with our suppliers to make incremental – and bolder – changes to the way they work.
Are there any exciting projects you’d like to highlight?
Absolutely. I am incredibly proud of our recent partnership with the Zimbaqua mine in Zimbabwe for our ‘Odyssey’ collection. It is the world’s first gemstone mine managed and mined by an all-female team.
We know that 90% of jewellery demand is driven by women, yet discriminatory barriers still exist – particularly in cutting and polishing, where women are often relegated to lower-skilled, precarious roles. In 2024, our research with Positive Luxury identified India as a region with significant gender disparities, so we knew we had to act there.
We approached Pinkcity, our manufacturing partner of over 15 years, with a bold idea: to create a collection ‘made by women, for women’, using gemstones from Zimbaqua.
Pinkcity has been phenomenal in helping us break down cultural barriers to make this a reality. They implemented:
● Female-only transport to address safety concerns.
● Flexible working hours and dedicated women’s training units.
● A female HR representative to provide ongoing support and ensure voices are heard.
This project goes beyond just making beautiful jewellery; it’s about proving that we can design supply chains that actively empower the women who build our industry, as well as achieving full mine-to-market traceability.
How have consumer demands shifted in your view?
Fundamentally, we have seen a shift from aspiration to accountability. While our customers still seek beautiful design and craftsmanship, they now view trust and transparency as non-negotiable currencies. They are no longer satisfied with vague ‘responsibly sourced’ claims; they demand evidence.
As mentioned in Positive Luxury’s recent “Luxury At A Crossroads” report, we are seeing that the definition of value is moving away from “buying more”, shifting instead toward integrity: “buying better”. For the modern consumer, sustainability is no longer a separate ‘nice-to-have’ – it is a marker of quality. When a customer can verify exactly who made their piece and where it came from, the emotional connection to that piece is multiplied.
We’ve also seen a shift away from ‘disposable’ fashion toward investment pieces and circularity. Our customers are increasingly utilising our recycling program – an increase of 30% this year. They are buying less, but buying better, and they expect the brands they support to align with their personal values.
Ultimately, the consumer of 2026 isn’t persuaded by polished marketing narratives. They want proof, not just good intentions. They expect us to demonstrate that the people who crafted their jewellery and the environments that provided the materials were treated with respect.
What do you hope to see more of in the jewellery industry?
I hope to see transparency become the default, not the differentiator. Currently, granular product-level traceability backed by verified processes such as Blockchain, is the exception, but it needs to become the rule. I want to see the industry move away from guarding supply chain data as ‘intellectual property’ and start sharing it to drive collective progress.
At Monica Vinader, we are strong advocates for this open approach. We believe that solving systemic issues requires a collective voice, which is why- alongside the RJC- we are actively involved in key industry-wide and cross-industry initiatives, including the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 (WJI 2030), Positive Luxury, and the UN Global Compact.
We need to stop seeing sustainability as a competitive advantage and start seeing it as a pre-competitive requirement, where we share data and best practices to lift the entire industry.
