RESPONSIBLE DIAMOND SOURCING
THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS
How does the diamond industry promote responsible trading practices?
To promote the trading of diamonds from legitimate sources and to ensure that consumers can be confident in their diamond jewellery purchases, governments, NGOs and the international diamond industry have worked together to implement a ‘certificate of origin’ system, known as the Kimberley Process. Pobjoy Diamonds adheres to this process in sourcing the diamonds we sell to our customers.
The Kimberley Process is a certification system that prevents diamonds from an area of conflict entering the legitimate diamond supply chain. The Kimberley Process ensures that only rough diamonds accompanied by a government-issued certificate can be imported and exported, providing an assurance that the diamonds are from conflict free sources. Under this United Nations mandated system, only countries that are part of the Kimberley Process can import or export rough diamonds.
The countries in green participate in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. As you can see, many countries, including some diamond producing countries, aren’t part of the Kimberley Process. Map created by Aglaja.
Today, 74 countries are members of the Kimberley Process, ensuring that more than 99% of diamonds are from conflict free sources.
Anyone who imports or exports rough diamonds between these countries without a Kimberley Process certificate is breaking the law.
In addition to the Kimberley Process, the System of Warranties was developed by the World Diamond Council (WDC) to extend the Kimberley Process conflict free assurance to polished diamonds and provide a means by which consumers can be assured their diamonds are from conflict free sources. Its principal element is a declaration on the invoice accompanying every transaction (apart from the transaction directly to the consumer) of polished diamonds that declares the diamonds are ‘not involved in funding conflict and are in compliance with United Nations resolutions’.
The System of Warranties provides assurance that diamonds are from conflict free sources all the way to the diamond jewellery retailer. CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, is an international confederation of national jewellery trade organisations with 40 nations represented.
In addition to the national members there are 33 associate members from the commercial organisations. Founded in 1926, CIBJO's purpose is to encourage harmonisation, promote international cooperation in the jewellery industry, and to consider issues which concern the trade worldwide. Foremost among these is to protect consumer confidence in the industry. The Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices (CRJP, “the Council”) was founded in May 2005 with Members from the diamond and gold jewellery supply chain, from mine to retail.
The current 81 Council Members are committed to promoting responsible business practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the industry from mine to retail. Their commitment aims to maintain consumer confidence in diamond and gold jewellery products and the trust of all interested stakeholders in their industry.
Source Reference: diamondfacts.org