FOCUS 12 | JNA March/April 2023 Zerouki said, “While we do not operate in this sector directly, it is an important source of global diamond supply and an even more important source of livelihood for millions of people, often in some of the poorest parts of the world. We want to help foster the sector’s development as a legitimate and trusted source of supply and will do this through the continued expansion of our dedicated GemFair artisanal and small-scale diamond mining (ASM) programme, currently operating in Sierra Leone.” GemFair aims to help formalise the ASM sector. EM, founded in 2004, is a community of buyers, suppliers and emerging and established jewellery designers who are committed to fostering transparent, responsible and environmentally sound practices for all facets of the gem and jewellery industry. Through education, connection and action, EM’s mission is to inspire responsible jewellery practices. “EM members are mainly smaller business entities such as bench jewellers and artisans who share the organisation’s vision of creating a jewellery industry where a beautiful product does not bear a human or environmental toll,” said Wheat. While they may not have the ESG challenges as larger companies, EM members may have an advantage since implementing sustainable business practices is easier to adopt and track as a small-business owner, she added. EM recently launched an innovative jewellery recycling and community mining project, Radical Jewelry Makeover (RJM), an initiative developed to raise awareness of the connection between mining, metalsmithing, activism, collaboration and art. Christina T. Miller Consulting and its team of professional consultants have been pioneers in this space since 2004. “We focus on the distinct activities brands can do to improve their own impacts. We are aiming for change, not protection from the cost of the issues,” said award-winning sustainable jewellery consultant Christina Miller who works with clients to address the environmental and social impacts of their business, as well as to consider how business practices (governance) should be changed to help meet goals in those areas. “We go beyond helping our clients meet industry standards and certifications to making sure that the foundational ethical framework that they apply to their business translates through their sourcing and other business decisions,” she added. “We are realistic about the tensions between the cost of implementing ethical frameworks and the potential impact to shareholder profits, but we chose to focus on changing practices and on businesses that are committed.” Fairmined options The mining of gold is increasingly under scrutiny for its association with human rights abuses, and mercury pollution. With the Russia-Ukraine war, jewellers are also under pressure to distance themselves from gold and diamonds coming from Russia. We live in the era of transparency. The new consumer and the evolving regulations on transparency reporting will accelerate this movement… In practice, this means companies have to act and to show measurable progress over time in all aspects of sustainability. Accessible, comparable, transparent data is key. – Iris van der Veken, executive director, Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030 Jewellery by Dana Bronfman Dana Bronfman的珠宝
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