Here’s my best list of resources and suppliers. I will make additions to it as more information is passed to me. I put comments after those organizations that I know something about.
This list was drawn and expanded from the resource section my Ethical Jewelry Handbook, a free e-book available upon request.
RESOURCE LIST [Read more →]
Introduction:
This article from Market Watch educates consumers on ethical jewelry issues. This type of press will be needed in order to educate customers on these issues. As the JCOC surveys show, it is education which will ultimately build the market demand that will shift the jewelry sector toward higher ethical standards. ~ Marc
By Marshall Loeb
Though the article was initially posted on May 7th for the Mother’s Day market, it’s precepts ring true for any jewelry purchase… [Read more →]
Introduction:
An article in the Journal Times from Racine WI discusses a local jeweler’s line of fair trade gemstones from Eric Braunwart’s Columbia Gem House, along with supporting comments from Steve D’Esposito from Earthworks. [Read more →]
Introduction:
Here is a brief statement that captures the spirit of the Madison Dialogue by the Diamond Working Group. ~Marc
The Way We Work
The Madison Dialogue is a cross-sector initiative established to promote communication and collaboration among companies, civil society groups and others seeking to encourage best practices, sustainable economic development, and verified sources of responsible gold, diamonds and other minerals. Organizations, companies and individuals participate in the Madison Dialogue on a voluntary basis.
Among the initiatives currently under way is an exercise that aims to develop standards for what we are calling “ethical diamonds”. These standards will apply to all diamonds, whether produced in large kimberlite mining operations, or in small-scale artisanal operations. We believe the initiative will have value for the entire diamond industry, but that it will have special value for small-scale producers in Africa and South America.
The process of developing viable standards begins with the enunciation of broad principles such as ³no child labour². Many codes and sets of principles already exist, and the Madison Dialogue is in the process of distilling these into a document specifically relevant to the diamond industry.
The second step will be to convert the principles into meaningful and workable standards. Child labour, for example, may be understood differently in situations of extreme poverty, or where the laws defining the age of a child are ambiguous, or where birth records do not exist. The challenge of converting principles into standards will, therefore, be a more lengthy exercise. We will consult the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance and others on issues relating to appropriate procedures and participation in the development of these standards.
The final stage in the development of effective standards is third party verification. We see this as an essential part of the exercise, but we understand that agreement on questions about how it will be done, who might carry it out, and how it would be financed need to be elaborated as the discussion about standards moves forward.
We do not underestimate the potential complexity of the exercise, but we believe that it is an important one that will have significant benefits for all stakeholders. In order to underline the importance we attach to it, we
will endeavour to complete the exercise within a period of two years, by the end of April, 2010.
This exercise is being undertaken by the Madison Dialogue Diamonds Working Group. The MDDWG is an open group where companies, NGOs and government officials can share information and ideas in this field. For more information, please email Lloyd Cotler (lcotler@earthworksaction.org) or contact the Acting Chair, Estelle Levin (estellelevin@resourceglobal.co.uk).
I live in the American Southwest, and we have an environmental movement out here which I am part of: it is called the “Radical Center.” Basically, this movement is comprised of conservative Republican ranches and left wing green environmentalists who work together toward sustainability in our fragile environment. [Read more →]
Source: http ://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=21412#
NEW YORK – In celebration of Earth Day 2008, which was April 22, the International Gemological Institute (IGI) announced plans to launch the IGI Eco Report series, diamond and gemstone grading reports printed on recycled and/or biodegradable paper using soy and water-based inks.
With its team of expert gemologists [Read more →]
Introduction:
Laurent Cartier asked me in the previous post how complete transparency is possible in your supply chain, apart from saying that somebody brought you a stone and you paid him a fair price.
Three models currently exist where we can have trusted transparency from the artisanal miner to the marketplace. Each of these scenarios involves a great deal of [Read more →]
Introduction: This post is an ongoing discussion of fair trade issues in the gemstone sector. It was first posted on the Madison Dialogue list server. Laurent has worked on issues relating to artisanal mining in Madagascar and has studied global gem supply chains.
Midway through this writing, Laurent poses a question to me personally which I respond to in a companion post.
Laurent raises several critical issues around marketing, sourcing and spin that gets to the heart of why the fair trade gemstone market poses so many challenges to the jewelry sector. [Read more →]
Buckhold Mountain in Late Spring
Introduction:
This article, describing a break through among conservation groups and mining interests, show what is possible through strong leadership and creative risk taking. ~ Marc
Tonasket, WA – An accord was reached between conservation groups and mining interests, ending an 18-year effort to stop the development of a large gold mine on Buckhorn Mountain in north central Washington State. [Read more →]
Introduction:
Here we have the standards that are being discussed by the International Manufacturing Group that came out of the Madison Dialogues. This is currently being discussed on a list serve. If anyone reading this post wishes to participate in this discussion, please contact us. [Read more →]
