焦点 JNA March/April 2023 | 13 Conflicting assertions about the positive impact of recycled gold has also been denounced since much of the illegally mined gold is being laundered as recycled gold and subsequently enters the supply chain. This has prompted a shift towards Fairmined gold, a label that certifies gold from empowered, responsible artisanal and small-scale mining organisations. Wheat shared, “Some jewellers who are EM members offer a choice to clients and let them choose. The cost of Fairmined is sometimes prohibitive for the client, but by providing information about Fairmined, they are able to influence consumer choices.” Increasingly, jewellers and independent designers are seeing value in collaborating with mining communities that are committed to ethical and sustainable practices. They are ever more aware of where their raw materials come from and demand full transparency. Polly Wales, Pippa Small, Ming Lampson, Dana Bronfman, and Saskia Shutt are among the brands that have chosen to use certified metals extracted by miners working on a small scale. Miller commented, “Fortunately, we are seeing progress in gold mining. The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) for industrial-scale operations and the Fairmined Standard for artisanal and small-scale mines have helped gain more insight into what the ground conditions are and where improvement still needs to be done. By encouraging jewellers to purchase from artisanal and small-scale miners with certifications like Fairmined and Fairtrade, jewellery businesses can support miners and verify their gold is responsibly produced. However, this does not mean zero negative impact.” Prevailing challenges As the narrative surrounding global climate change continues to mount and consumers increasingly want to align their purchases with their values, brands are responding by making sustainability commitments, setting climate goals and vowing to minimise their environmental impact. However, as consumer interest continues to grow so has the act of greenwashing, which Miller defines as the practice of advertising or misleading consumers into believing a product is more sustainable than it is or making environmental claims that cannot be substantiated. “There is a lack of consensus on the definitions of commonly used marketing terms and a lack of data around how to measure and compare the GHG emissions of recycled gold versus newly mined gold, or the carbon impacts of lab-grown diamonds versus newly mined diamonds. Environmental claims are being made that are challenging to substantiate," she explained. The best way to combat greenwashing is for the general public to ask the right questions. “If a company makes a public claim, they should be able to provide proof of that claim and answer questions that may arise from that claim. If your questions are met with vague answers, marketing jargon or no answer at all, that should raise suspicion of greenwashing,” Miller said. Tackling greenwashing is also one of the topics EM addresses on a regular basis. “Members share information via our member forum, which helps them to recognise greenwashing and avoid making product claims or statements that are misleading, unsubstantiated and even false, as is found in the market today," said Wheat. Noting that trust is based on responsible actions, Van der Veken said companies need data transparency with detailed precision along the entire value chain to understand their operations better. “Our aim is to shape a credible ESG framework based on international best practice. Our first kick off workstream has started and we will report on our progress accordingly. Getting accurate, quality ESG data is a must. This is a process that takes time and will take a lot of education throughout the supply chain,” she disclosed. Gemmologist and veteran gem explorer Yianni Melas strongly believes in giving back to the communities through education. His goal is to work with groups that focus on education versus ethical certification. GemFair sold its first parcels of ethically sourced, traceable ASM diamonds via De Beers Group Auctions in October 2021. Picture courtesy of GemFair.JPG 2021年10月，GemFair通过戴 比尔斯集团拍卖会出售了第一批道德来源的、可追踪的ASM钻石。 图片由GemFair.JPG提供 36 Percentage of women who specifically seek information on a brand’s ethical credentials when buying diamond jewellery, according to research by De Beers Group. 据戴比尔斯集团最近的一项研究结果显示，36%的女性在 购买钻石首饰时，尤其关注有关品牌的道德证明信息。
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