RJC introduces revised Code of Practices
by eyetee | December 12, 2013 1:50 pm
By Jacquie De Almeida
Human rights and provenance claims are just two of the changes included in the Responsible Jewellery Council’s (RJC’s) new Code of Practices (COP).
The revisions are the result of an 18-month mandatory review that included over 500 responses from stakeholders gained through webinars, submissions, and market outreach in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Besides emphasizing RJC’s comprehensive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) from mine to retail and the growing importance of responsible supply chains, the code’s structure has been changed for easier navigation and to allow members to connect the relevance of the standards to their own business.
Catherine Sproule, RJC’s interim chief executive officer (CEO), says aligning the COP with the United Nation’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights was one of the key requirements to come out of member feedback. It’s a reflection of the greater importance put on human rights over the last few years and future considerations regarding legislation.
“A lot has changed since 2009 when the code was first launched,” Sproule tells Jewellery Business. “Out of all the responses we received, addressing human rights more clearly for members was at the top of the list… One of the guiding premises of the RJC is to get ahead of the curve before something gets legislated. We want to look at issues and try to forecast where things are going.”
Other changes to the code include a new section for making provenance claims for diamonds, gold, and platinum group metals as to origin, source, or practice in the supply chain. For instance, although the code requires disclosure of synthetic diamonds, the provenance claim guides members who trade in lab-growns to demonstrate to their clients how they are doing their due diligence to avoid the risk of non-disclosure.
While the issue of undisclosed synthetics is making industry headlines on an almost daily basis, Sproule stresses the RJC’s mandate is not to be a watchdog. Â
“We’re not there as a policing agency, but as a certification system that needs to withstand the rigour of a third-party audit,” she says, adding there is a complaints mechanism built into the code that members can turn to in cases of non-conformance.
Mid-term reviews are another new addition to the code, helping to make recertification a quicker and smoother process.
“Three years [between audits] is a long time,” Sproule says. “Auditors were finding things that could have probably been corrected at mid-term. It was felt mid-term reviews are an extra set of assurances that would satisfy the organization and would satisfy the membership against any kind of external scrutiny.”
During 2014, RJC will accept certifications against either the 2009 or 2013 versions of the code. The new COP will be in full effect starting in 2015. More than 300 RJC members have now achieved certification.
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