Taking an Active Role in Jewelry Industry Sustainability Practices
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), the leading standard-setting organization for the jewelry and watch industry, has launched an SDG Taskforce to create a unified platform to ensure its members are tracking towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda. We are delighted to be part of the SDG taskforce and to help promote and protect the integrity and sustainability of the jewelry industry.
Based out of London, the RJC’s members include 1,300 companies, which commit to regular auditing against standards for human and labor rights, environmental impact, mining practices, product disclosure and supply chain diligence.
Conceived to drive change and track progress throughout the jewelry supply chain, the taskforce comprises 26 leaders of the global watch and jewelry industry from mine to market, plus representatives of trade associations. The members of the Taskforce include organizations such as De Beers Group, Richemont, Hermès Jewelry, GIA, World Diamond Council, World Gold Council and Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.
Iris Van der Veken, Executive Director of Responsible Jewellery Council, said: “15 years ago RJC had a vision to transform the jewelry and watch industry to be more responsible and sustainable. We began by uniting the industry behind a common set of standards, and now we are uniting the industry again as we go beyond compliance from ‘do no harm’ to ‘do good’. The launch of the RJC SDG Taskforce signals a monumental shift in the industry and is an exciting milestone for the global jewelry and watch industry.”
“We are very excited to be part of this initiative alongside esteemed organizations. The Natural Diamond Council is committed to providing global consumers transparency and insight on the ethics, sustainability and progress of the jewelry industry”, says Raluca Anghel, Head of External Affairs and Industry Relations representing the Natural Diamond Council on the SDG taskforce. “The natural diamond industry already supports the livelihood of millions of people, providing much valued economic and social benefits for communities across the world. Through this joint effort initiated by the RJC, we can reach an even greater impact in a measurable way.”
So be sure to keep an eye open for major transformations coming to the jewelry and watch industries soon.
