MEMBER LOGIN
RESPONSIBLE DIAMONDS POSITION STATEMENT
Jewelers of America advocates high ethical, social and environmental standards in the diamond and jewelry trade and among its members.
Jewelers of America members must adhere to our Code of Professional Practices, which includes human rights, social and environmental responsible business practices.
We believe a commitment to responsible diamonds must include suppliers, to ensure that responsible practices are addressed at every point in the supply chain. Without the engagement of all segments of our industry, retailers’ individual pledges to source responsibly will not be meaningful. With that in mind, we are working closely with a wide range of both industry and non-industry stakeholders (including the Responsible Jewellery Council* (RJC), the World Diamond Council (WDC), the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI), the U.S. Department of State and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)) to support good practices at every level of the diamond jewelry supply chain.
Jewelers of America is a founding member of the RJC. Jewelers of America also participates in initiatives such as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), the United Nations-mandated system that regulates rough diamonds in order to stop the trade in conflict diamonds. Jewelers of America also serves on the board of the DDI, which is working to develop standards for the artisanal mining sector.
Jewelers of America members must adhere to our Code of Professional Practices, which includes human rights, social and environmental responsible business practices.
We believe a commitment to responsible diamonds must include suppliers, to ensure that responsible practices are addressed at every point in the supply chain. Without the engagement of all segments of our industry, retailers’ individual pledges to source responsibly will not be meaningful. With that in mind, we are working closely with a wide range of both industry and non-industry stakeholders (including the Responsible Jewellery Council* (RJC), the World Diamond Council (WDC), the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI), the U.S. Department of State and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)) to support good practices at every level of the diamond jewelry supply chain.
Jewelers of America is a founding member of the RJC. Jewelers of America also participates in initiatives such as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), the United Nations-mandated system that regulates rough diamonds in order to stop the trade in conflict diamonds. Jewelers of America also serves on the board of the DDI, which is working to develop standards for the artisanal mining sector.
CONFLICT DIAMONDS
Diamonds are meant to be a gift of love, and Jewelers of America abhors the way in which some gems have been used to fund conflict. To stop this practice, key industry representatives, including Jewelers of America, worked with governments and NGOs around the world to bring about the KPCS, launched in 2002. KP regulates 99% of the rough diamond trade worldwide, through a system of import/export controls that prevents conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate supply chain. KP is supported and mandated by the United Nations with 75 nations currently participating. JA supports reforms, including a push to expand KP’s mandate to include human rights issues around diamond mining.
Jewelers of America advises our members to ask their suppliers for written warranties (under the KPCS approved industry ‘System of Warranties’), stating that their diamonds come from Kimberley-certified sources and are not involved in funding conflict. The warranty statement, which was officially recognized at the creation of the KP, reads:
“The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The seller hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the suppliers of these diamonds.”
*RESPONSIBLE JEWELLERY COUNCIL
The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has created a worldwide diamond and gold jewelry supply chain system for companies in all sectors, from mining through to retail. RJC published its core system documents in 2008. These included a requirement that members undertake third-party verification of their responsible practices by independent auditors, as defined by the RJC Code of Practices. RJC’s system was officially launched in 2009. It was developed over an intensive, four-year period and involved wide-ranging and transparent consultation with the industry and its stakeholders. RJC recently completed its Mining Supplement standards, developed over an 18-month period that involved three public comment periods, logging nearly 400 comments and the RJC’s responses. Jewelers of America represents the viewpoint of our members within RJC, and many of our members also belong as individual companies to RJC.
Updated August 13, 2010
Diamonds are meant to be a gift of love, and Jewelers of America abhors the way in which some gems have been used to fund conflict. To stop this practice, key industry representatives, including Jewelers of America, worked with governments and NGOs around the world to bring about the KPCS, launched in 2002. KP regulates 99% of the rough diamond trade worldwide, through a system of import/export controls that prevents conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate supply chain. KP is supported and mandated by the United Nations with 75 nations currently participating. JA supports reforms, including a push to expand KP’s mandate to include human rights issues around diamond mining.
Jewelers of America advises our members to ask their suppliers for written warranties (under the KPCS approved industry ‘System of Warranties’), stating that their diamonds come from Kimberley-certified sources and are not involved in funding conflict. The warranty statement, which was officially recognized at the creation of the KP, reads:
“The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The seller hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the suppliers of these diamonds.”
*RESPONSIBLE JEWELLERY COUNCIL
The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has created a worldwide diamond and gold jewelry supply chain system for companies in all sectors, from mining through to retail. RJC published its core system documents in 2008. These included a requirement that members undertake third-party verification of their responsible practices by independent auditors, as defined by the RJC Code of Practices. RJC’s system was officially launched in 2009. It was developed over an intensive, four-year period and involved wide-ranging and transparent consultation with the industry and its stakeholders. RJC recently completed its Mining Supplement standards, developed over an 18-month period that involved three public comment periods, logging nearly 400 comments and the RJC’s responses. Jewelers of America represents the viewpoint of our members within RJC, and many of our members also belong as individual companies to RJC.
Updated August 13, 2010