RJC Membership Tops 500

Jul 31, 2014 1:39 PM By Nirali Sheth

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RAPAPORT... The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) reached a milestone this month as the organization's membership surpassed 500. Already, 363 of RJC's members have been certified as meeting the RJC's code of practices, which entails a rigorous self-assessment process along with an independent third-party audit for commercial members.

During the first six months of 2014, applications to join RJC increased, leading to a 9.2 percent rise in overall membership, according to Catherine Sproule, the group's interim CEO.

Sproule said that the increase "shows the growing commitment to ethical, responsible business practices in the jewelry industry" and "the credibility it provides to businesses of all sizes in the jewelry supply chain is attested to in RJC's continued growth since its inception in 2005."

The RJC is committed to setting higher standards across the jewelry supply chain, from mine to retail. They have worked with a range of industry leaders to increase awareness and bring about discussions on responsible sourcing. The group has routinely held seminars and panel discussions at industry trade shows and through independent venues. RJC is a full member of the ISEAL Alliance, which aims to strengthen sustainability standards to benefit the people and the environment.

As membership continues to rise, RJC works with accrediting audit firms all over the world, most recently in India, to train them on the new code of practices. Guidelines addresses human rights, labor rights, environmental impact, mining practices and product disclosures. It is only once a company is audited by a third-party, based on these best practices, that they can call themselves certified members of the RJC.

Over the years, RJC has increased its scope to include platinum group metals in their standards along with the original diamond and gold standards. The nine-year-old nonprofit most recently re-certified Bachet SARL, the French jewelry manufacturer, and welcomed Valcambi SA, Swiss precious metal refiners, into certified membership.

Tags: diamonds, Jewelry, membership, Nirali Sheth, Responsible Jewellery Council, RJC