The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has unveiled a new and updated toolkit aimed at helping its members and the industry as a whole to better implement human rights practices.

The new Human Rights Due Diligence Toolkit “strengthens RJC’s commitment to drive positive meaningful impact on the ground,” the council said. RJC is a leading standard-setting organisation for the global jewellery and watch industry.

The toolkit includes upgrades, an expanded scope and a full re-design from the original toolkit launched in 2013. It also features practical advice to help RJC members meet the requirements set out in RJC’s 
Code of Practices (CoP) on human rights. The CoP standard includes workplace health and safety, remuneration, non-discrimination and other provisions, which define the meaning of human rights in a jewellery industry context. 

The toolkit will also be valuable for the wider industry to implement human rights due diligence. It features key enhancements, including context on human rights and what due diligence means for the industry. It provides practical steps to carry out due diligence, and how these steps can vary based on a company’s size and role. Each step includes a practical set of tools, including templates, forms, and checklists to simplify the human rights due diligence process as much as possible, particularly for smaller businesses, the council said.  

The RJC has more than 1,600 member companies in 71 countries.