If you havent seen George in action, check out his website which is packed with essential tips for your perfect day

www.theweddingfairy.tv

Here’s what he has to say about Fifi Bijoux:

Gorgeous Gold
As you say I do , slip on those bands of love in the safe knowledge that they have been made with the same tender love and care you share, not the blood sweat and tears so many gold miners sadly experience on a daily basis. The sacred wedding ring signifies the bond between you as a couple and as such, it is comforting to know they have been produced in an environment that applies ethical principles throughout. Designer Vivien Johnston launched the Fifi Bijoux brand back in 2006 to source fair trade gold from suppliers that make a positive impact, avoiding worker exploitation or environmental damage. The luxury jewellery business has a profound history of romance, intrigue and glamour but sadly, this has often concealed a harsher reality of cruelty, corruption and abuse. Thankfully Fifi Bijoux now leads the way in producing Ethically Sourced and Fair Traded wedding jewellery here in the UK, offering an incredible mix of sensational designs from the subtle simplistic to the full-on blingtastic! Be bedazzled for yourself by checking out the full online catalogue of gorgeousness… www.fifibijoux.com

Download the e-book here:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/51-amazing-ideas-for-your/id501344006?mt=11

http://business.inquirer.net/36721/%E2%80%98ethical-gold%E2%80%99-seen-to-open-doors-for-small-miners

Black Opal

We’ve scoured the globe for suitable sources of these for a number of years and it’s with great pleasure that we can offer bespoke and ready-to-order designs featuring these special gems types.

White Opal

Our opals come from Lightning Ridge in Australia. Currently we have both a white and rare black  opal available. I’ve carefully selected the most beautiful examples of each for our inventory; the white is translucent and features green, blue and pink flecks. Opals display an unusual optical effect; the colour plays within the stone and flashes through the spectrum. For this reason, we’ve inclulded a photograph of both opals against a neutral background, shot in natural daylight (on a grey Scottish winter day. In fact for those of you in Scotland, the shots were taken 8th Dec 2011; the day ‘Hurricane Bawbag’ hit Scotland!)

These ‘naked’ shots let you see how spectacular the colours are, even in dull light. The colours in the opals look alive; as the light changes so to does the spectrum visible.

The black  opal is particulary special; these rare gems can sell for millions of dollars. Our beauty is a fine example of pattern and of bright splashes of colour across the stone. Opals are the birthstone for October and are for 14th and 18th Wedding anniversary jewellery.

Those of you who follow us on Twitter or Facebook may have seen our exciting partnership withy Jersey Pearl recently, for the Elephant Parade in Singapore. Fifi Bijoux was asked to design and paint a life size baby elephant , which will be on display in TANGS Plaza in Singapore until January 2012. The elephants are then auctioned by Sotheby’s, with a percentage of the sale price being donated to the Asian Elephant Foundation and other charities who carry out valuable work in the region to protect these majestic animals.

Jersey Pearl are the first Carbon-neutral pearl company and share our values of the significance of both bio-diversity and equitable trade for producers. Their pearl fisheries operate (in a ecologically senstive manner!) in the very areas where some of the Asian elephants are diminishing.  I used Jersey Pearls to decorate our elpehant (called Yunnan) and we hope those of you in Singapore enjoy the Parade!

Bespoke design are now available with Jersey Pearls, as well as fancy coloured mabe pearls from New Zealand which are available  in distinctive blue and green colours.

Pearl is  the birthstone for June and for anniversary jewellery in the 1st, 12th and 30th year of marriage.

UK Jewellery Trade Organisations Advocate “Diligence” in Diamond Purchases

With this weeks announcement that Global Witness has removed itself form the Kimberley Process, UK jewellers are seeking answers to why contentious diamonds remain at the forefront of news as they enter the critical festive retail period.

The decision in November by the KP to allow exports of diamonds from certain mines in Zimbabwe rocked the international diamond industry. UK jewellers expressed concern over the decision and subsequently many have sought more assurances from their dealers on the provenance of the goods being imported.

Global Witness were among the founding bodies of the KP and their departure from the dialogue marks a significant shift in confidence that the KP may not be ‘fit for purpose’ in current global politics.

In May of this year, Global Witness met with the UK’s largest trade bodies; the National Association of Goldsmiths who represent over 2500 jewellery retailers and the British Jeweller’s Association, who’s 1000 members belong to manufacturing, trade and wholesale within the industry. The NAG and BJA formed a specialist Ethics Committee in March 2011, tasked with consulting between key UK and International trade and NGO bodies, as well as with the UK Government.

Global Witness gave valuable information about the current crisis in Zimbabwe and discussed the Kimberley process objectives. They expressed frustration that finding representatives of the artisanal miners was proving particularly difficult and it was clear that ensuring a balanced outcome for the diamond miners of Zimbabwe was going to be extremely challenging.

However, despite the withdrawal of Global Witness from the KP, the Ethics Committee maintains that the UK jewellery industry will continue to seek resolutions from the World Diamond Council on the matter and in the meantime recommend jewellers and retailers remain cautious about the origin of their diamonds.

Michael Hoare, CEO of the National Association of Goldsmiths said

“It’s important to retain consumer confidence in British made jewellery .The creation of the Ethics Committee is a commitment to effecting positive changes for the jewellery industry and ensuring that a regular dialogue between all parties is maintained”.

The BJA and NAG have long advocated their memberships take every reasonable precaution in diligently checking the provenance of the diamonds used in British made jewellery. Today, the Ethics Committee announced an evaluation of the  UK response to the recent developments and will assess concrete steps which UK jewellers can take to protect their integrity from the Zimbabwe stones which have attracted the ‘Blood Diamonds’ label by KP critics .

The value of understanding the intricate supply chains in UK jewellery manufacture extends into all aspects of diamonds, coloured gems and precious metals.

In recent months the Ethics Committee have met with the Fairtrade Foundation and the London Bullion Market Exchange, where current standards to ensure best practice in both newly mined and refined or recycled gold were examined.

Simon Rainer, CEO of the British Jewellers Association said

“The UK industry is at the forefront of traceability; working towards the creation of recognisable standards to define transparency in jewellery supply chains”.

For more information; visit the UK Government Diamond Office website

http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/about-us/what-we-do/eu-restrictive-measures-zimbabwe141111

-Ends-

PRESS RELEASE                                                               18th November 2011
For immediate release

Fifi Bijoux Becomes UK Authorised Reseller for Ethical Diamond Brand

Fifi Bijoux has been confirmed as the Official UK reseller for ethical diamond supplier Open Source Minerals.
Founded in 2008 by Diamond High Council Diamond Grader and Gemmologist, Mike Angenent, with head office in Maastricht, Open Source Minerals is the first diamondtaire to offer fully traceable diamonds; from 0.80mm melee through to stunning 10ct diamonds.
Open Source’s Diamonds are certified by the Jeweltree Foundation for social and environmental practices; from the mines right through to the polishing centers. As well as offering Canadian and Australian diamonds, Open Source Minerals also offers an inventory of ‘Fair Traded’ diamonds from the The Liqhobong Women Mining Cooperative in Lesotho. This was one of the first successful diamond mining cooperatives in Africa.

Mike Angenent explains:

Open Source Minerals started as a trading and sourcing platform for traceable and fair traded diamonds. There was a demand for traceable diamonds but very little companies who could supply, let alone guarantee the social and environmental practices associated with both the mining and the polishing.
With our focus on establishing a traceable supply chain we also acknowledged that guaranteeing and certifying the same was a different ball game and should be done independently.

That’s why we decided to help develop a certification scheme in cooperation with and under the flag of the Jeweltree Foundation, which I co-founded back in 2008.
There have been various NGO’s and companies such as International Peace Information Service, Capacity for Development and Top Consultancy involved in creating the audit requirements and standards. The whole scheme, which provides online track and trace for diamonds and jewellery, should be ISO proof within the next few years. Appointing a new chairman and stepping down from the board is the next step to the foundations independent certification.
Open Source’s main objective however is being able to source from mining cooperatives. In order to make this happen I want to focus more on sourcing for the next two years. Consequently this meant less focus on polished sales and possible logistic problems from my being remote. That is why we’re very happy with Fifi Bijoux as designated UK reseller for our products. Fifi Bijoux can place orders with the polishers and import directly so we are now not only able to continue our business but also to supply UK customers faster and with less overhead costs, making our diamonds competitively priced.
Fifi Bijoux launched in 2006 and since then has become a brand synonymous with best practice for sourcing fair, responsible and equitable precious minerals as well as for design flair.
Founder Vivien Johnston said
“Since setting up Fifi Bijoux I’ve been inundated with requests from other businesses for advice on sourcing ethical diamonds. A continued lack of transparency makes it difficult for jewellers to give consumers answers and reassurance on the provenance of their diamonds. I’ve been working with Open Source Minerals and The Jeweltree Foundation for some time now and the certification scheme processes and online tracking system has been very well received by our customers. Open Source also has a large and varied inventory, which means we can quickly access the diamonds available and price up jobs for bespoke orders.  Fifi Bijoux and Open Source have built up a good trading relationship over the past few years and I’ delighted to be able to offer other businesses traceable, transparent and ethical diamonds”

Open Source Minerals® is a registered trademark used under license from Open Source Minerals ltd.

ENDS

For Further Information
http://www.opensourceminerals.com/Home.html

contact Mike Angenent mike@opensourceminerals.com or +31 627513324
www.fifibijoux.com

contact Vivien Johnston vivien@fifibijoux.com or 07789 224705.

PRESS RELEASE                                                               16th November 2011

For immediate release

Vivien Johnston of Fifi Bijoux named one

of the Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneurs for 2011

Vivien Johnston founder and Managing Director of Fifi Bijoux is announced as one of the Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneurs of the Year on Social Enterprise Day during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011.

Global Entrepreneurship Week is a worldwide movement of entrepreneurial people, with millions unleashing their enterprising talents and turning their ideas into reality.

It began as Enterprise Week in the UK back in 2004. When news of the phenomenal success of Enterprise Week in the UK spread the globe, lots of other countries got excited about the potential of running similar initiatives in their own countries. Since its inception, Global Entrepreneurship Week has spread to 115 countries, with nearly 24,000 organisations planning more than 37,000 activities.

The Future 100 Awards were first launched in 2008 to recognise and profile young entrepreneurs running businesses, which have a triple bottom line. The definition of a triple bottom line, is a business that addresses people, planet and profit. They have a strong commercial foundation as well as a significant social and environmental impact.

The Future 100 Awards recognises the success of young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 who demonstrate entrepreneurial flair and innovation in progressing a responsible business venture.

Fifi Bijoux aims to spend time and care in securing suppliers who share their vision that human rights must be respected and upheld and that environmental impact should be minimised. This ethic is carried right through the supply chain to where it all begins, with the miners.

They  use only ethically mined and fairly traded precious metals and precious gemstones and operate a strict policy on this for all our suppliers of raw materials and sundries.

Every Fifi Bijoux product is designed in-house and creates key looks for each season. The jewellery is made in London.

Johnston said, “I’m thrilled to be named as a Future 100 Young Entrepreneur. I founded Fifi Bijoux in 2006 and since then, it’s grown in reputation as a brand synonymous with luxury and best practice for fair, responsible and equitable mining of precious natural resources. As a designer, I love to create exquisite pieces for my customers and want them to enjoy beautiful jewellery; assured that no abuses of human rights or unwarranted impact on the environment has occurred to produce it. The Future 100 Award means a lot to me. Particularly in the current difficult economic climate, I think it’s especially important to recognize businesses which maintain a strong sense of conscience as well as a commercial focus”.

Founder of Striding Out and organiser of the Future100 awards, Heather Wilkinson said: “The future of our world is in the hands of individuals who are committed to generating commercial and ethical returns.

Challenging economic times can offer opportunities to question the way we operate as both a business community and a society. We have a history of  profiling the ‘Future 100′ young entrepreneurs who are changing the face of everyday business and improving commerce’s impact on the wider world.”

The Future 100 awards encourages and rewards extraordinary vision, ethical business practice and social responsibility. They aim to showcase businesses that offer innovative and sustainable solutions to social problems. The Future 100 Awards is organized by Striding Out www.stridingout.co.uk, a social enterprise which is committed to supporting the development and growth of young and ethical entrepreneurs.

ENDS

For Further Information

An Awards Celebration is taking place on Social Enterprise Day – 17^th November during Global Entrepreneurship Week in London. Press are invited to attend to interview winners.  For further information, please contact Heather Wilkinson, Director of Striding Out on 07795 646 646 or email heather@stridingout.co.uk

Future 100 – www.future100.co.uk – A full list of award winners can be found on the website from the 17^th November 2011.
Striding Out -  www.stridingout.co.uk – Business support organisation providing professional training and coaching services.
Global Entrepreneurship Week –– http://www.gew.org.uk/home For information concerning global entrepreneurship week

UK Jewellery Industry Confused by KP Decision

The UK jewellery industry has been left baffled following the recent announcement that Zimbabwe is once again to be included in the Kimberley Process. The message from inside the UK trade has been of confusion and disappointment on the lack of effectiveness of the KP to prevent diamonds mined from the troubled Marange diamond fields from entering the supply chain.

At a meeting in Kinhasa on the 1st November 2011, the Kimberley Process agreed to allow the export of rough diamonds from two KP compliant operations in the Marange region.

A third site at Anjin will be inspected within 14 days to check for compliance. This inspection may be subject to Zimbabwean army and central intelligence approval.

Since 2009, Marange diamonds have consistently been refused KP accreditation owing to human rights abuses and alleged non-compliance with KP certification requirements.

However the diamond stockpiles accumulated by Zimbabwe in 2008 and 2009 when the bouts of violence against artisanal miners were at their height will now too enter the world market.

In a press statement Zimbabwe’s Minister of Mines Mpofu announced “We want to shock the world with our stockpiles. We are going to unleash our worth to the world and Zimbabwe will not be asking for anything from anyone. I hate begging myself and Zimbabwe will not be begging from anyone,”

The Kimberley Process was established in order to prevent the flow of conflict. In allowing the market to become flooded with Marange ‘Blood diamonds’, has the KP failed in its duty and is it now fit for purpose?

Michael Hoare of the NAG said:

“NAG members are concerned about the future of the KP and have been contacting me suggesting that it has to take a firm line; being more transparent and rigorous in pursuit of its objectives. I had sincerely hoped that the Kinshasa meeting would counter retailer’s doubts once and for all so that they could pass on credible assurances to the public about the provenance of their diamonds. I fear that it has in fact generated a ‘lot of heat but not a lot of light’ and failed to put their doubts to rest.”

One of the unintended consequences outside the remit of the KP is that the largest customers of Marange diamonds, India and China are already discounting stones owing to the abundance of new supply. This will have a serious impact on the world market particularly in the supply of cut, polished diamonds and finished jewellery.

China is a huge investor in Zimbabwe and in March of this year lent $585m to the Zimbabwean government in the biggest deal of its kind.

The owners of Marange Resources; Mbada and Anjin Field; are owned or co-owned by ZMDC which remain under US, UK and EU sanctions, therefore no trade of rough can be made in these territories

However, will it now be impossible to prevent Marange Blood diamonds from entering the UK as long as retailers continue trade with China? It looks likely that any item of diamond jewellery manufactured in the Far East will now present an open route to market for a Marange diamond on to the UK high street.

The BJA has been very close to the KP process. CEO Simon Rainer comments

’At its inception, the KP was designed to prevent the sale of rough to fund conflict against democratically elected governments. Today, the KP under the same remit struggles to prevent “democratically” elected governments from using the profits of diamond rough to sponsor political violence against its indigenous population.

Whilst Marange diamonds maybe now compliant to the KP scheme, they are not compliant with the moral and ethical standards that the majority of the world subscribes to”

On November 1^st, MP Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Henry Bellingham stated in the Hansard report on the situation “This will help the Zimbabwean Finance Ministry to collect tax and royalties owed to it, and thereby ensure the financial benefits of the diamond sales can reach the Zimbabwean people”.

That view was today slammed as ‘naïve in the extreme’ by Fair Trade Jeweller and Activist Greg Valerio. He went on to say ‘I support the view that to allow Zimbabwe diamonds into the KP system is a grave mistake. It will erode consumer confidence in the diamond. It’s permanently comatosed the credibility of the KP and forces the jewellery trade back to square one in terms of integrity of the diamond supply chain. It’s a sad day for the diamond industry and a sad day for human rights’.

Vivien Johnston of Ethical Jewellery brand Fifi Bijoux agrees

“This does nothing actually to address the torture, beatings or sexual assault to miners in the Marange diamond fields. It has been alleged by BBC reporters and witnesses as recently as August of this year that miners are being held captive and subjected to brutal assaults, rape and extreme violence in Marange. Under no circumstances should the perpetrators of crimes against humanity be allowed to openly profit from their corruption. Whilst the export ban has only been lifted from two sites so far, this opens the door to middle men who will exploit any opportunity to profit from the lifting of the ban. I understand the pressure on the KP to engage with Zimbabwe but this action has only weakened its integrity and thrown the diamond industry further into disarray. We must not forget why Zimbabwe was excluded”.

Talk of the need for a ‘KP Plus’ to provide a new coherent compliance suitable for today’s political challenges give rise to further speculation that the KP in its current format is creaking under the responsibility to make itself fit for purpose.

Certainly, the feedback from the UK jewellery sector demands further assurance on the provenance of diamonds entering our market.

In the US the new Dodd Frank legislation is making strides to prevent metals from “areas of conflict” entering their supply chain. Perhaps this, with other due diligence and chain of custody initiatives to prevent the trade of conflict minerals will become vehicles to prevent cut and polished stones from entering the US market.

Simon Rainer of BJA has already noted activity:

“In Washington on November 17^th, the US State department will be holding a series of informal meetings engaging with US jewellery industry representatives, UK/EU public office officials and NGO’s. The purpose of these meetings will be to invite US industry to set its own set of voluntary measures to combat the frailties of the KP in its current form. If agreement cannot be met, then expect the State department to enter the fray and impose an amended version of the Dodd Frank Act or similar that will include diamonds from “areas of conflict”.

He added

“It is a fair reflection that the worldwide jewellery industry is confused by the current situation and that those with most to gain financially from the release of Marange diamonds have been the most vociferous in their support for Marange KP compliance”.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

CONTACT VIVIEN JOHNSTON    vivien@fifibijoux.com, 07789224705

The British Jewellers’ Association has united with The National Association of Goldsmiths to support access to ethical supply chains and chain- of- custody objectives for their members.

Realising that many small businesses are faced with substantial challenges when trying to break down the components of their supply chains and assess ethical credentials, the BJA and NAG have committed to take the lead for UK jewellery manufacturers and retailers.

Both associations have connections with RJC and CIBJO and are mindful of their contribution to the debate, but act in the best interests of their respective members.

The NAG & BJA‘s ethics working committee will assess the feasibility of a system of auditable standards covering the following areas:

• Mining
• Metals
• Diamonds
• Gemstones
• Manufacturing
• Retailing.

The Ethics Committee will tackle each field and call on experts for an open and frank information exchange in order to develop a robust system in the UK jewellery industry. Vivien Johnston, founder of ethical jewellery brand Fifi Bijoux, has been appointed to steer the project.

Greg Valerio, winner of the Observer Ethical Campaigner Award for his work to bring Fair Trade gold to market, has pledged his support for the realisation of the standards.

09/08/11

For Immediate Release

N.G.O’s Join Forces to Present Key Demands for Industry

Four leading NGO’s have presented their recommendations for action to the NAG & BJA Ethics Committee.

In a no holds barred session Global Witness, WWF, PACT and Earthworks came together in a round table discussion about the challenges the jewellery sector currently faces. Issues raised included the fragile state of the Kimberley Process, new standards on conflict minerals and the lack of representation for artisanal miners in the global drive to meet demands for transparency.

The NGO’s discussed their work on the ground, government policies and the benefits and pitfalls of the various emerging initiatives which aim to improve social and environmental standards for gold and diamond supply chains.

Global Witness gave valuable information about the current crisis in Zimbabwe and discussed the Kimberley process objectives. Global Witness has engaged with many artisanal miners, though explained the difficulty in finding representatives of the miners and found that those involved in the trading of the diamonds tended to have a stronger voice.

Ethics committee member and Fairtrade Gold campaigner Greg Valerio said that;

‘Artisanal miners remain marginalised from all the debates about the elimination of conflict from the mineral trade and the unintended consequences of all these OECD & WGC initiatives will be no change for the artisanal miner, which will mean no change in the conflict minerals story’

He also raised hard-hitting questions for the most vulnerable developing countries on the robustness of the enforcement of their conflict free mineral policy as businesses rush to meet compliance for conflict free supply chains without the inclusion of artisanal miners in the delivery of the changes.

WWF, whilst not currently engaged in mineral policy, offered the benefit of experience from other sectors such as the cotton industry and agriculture, where the successful creation of  a chain of custody for supply chains have been implemented. Patrick Laine thanked the roundtable for their open approach and for inviting the NGO’s to attend. He commented ‘The complexity of the issue is not a valid reason to avoid solving it’ and suggested that any actions agreed by the committee should be inclusive and mainstream; and ‘not eco-niche’ in their approach.

Karen Hayes of PACT described their work on the ground to implement traceability of the ‘bagging and tagging’ of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold which is compliant with conflict-free standards. PACT has also created local communication and consultation committees, with their focus on practicality, social, health and safety issues in mines.

The committee also heard from No Dirty Gold campaigners Earthworks, who joined the conversation from the USA via conference call. Earthworks created the Golden Rules for jewellers and have most recently been campaigning against the proposed Anglo American ‘Pebble’ copper and gold mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska.

Simon Rainer of the BJA commented ‘It was a hugely informative and interesting meeting’.

Vivien Johnston, who moderated the session, said “These are exceptionally complex issues. The collective experience and knowledge the NGO’s bring to the table is vital for developing a well-rounded perspective in order to tackle the challenges our industry is facing’.

The National Association of Goldsmith and British Jewellers Association Ethics Committee are now reviewing the recommendations made and plan to address these in future round tables with other key parties within the trade and also the banking sector.

Images Available

Contact Vivien@fifibijoux.com for more information

Geneva, June 30^th 2011

Lifeworth Consulting

Top jewellery brands are failing to meet the growing expectations of customers for ethical sourcing of metals and gemstones, thereby providing opportunities for new brands to emerge, according to an independent report.

Published by Fair Jewelry Action, a non-profit organisation promoting fairly traded jewellery, and strategy advisers Lifeworth Consulting, the report benchmarks ten prestigious jewellery brands on their social and environmental performance. It compares their performance with innovations in the ethical sourcing of precious metal and gemstones, and finds them significantly lagging behind, with the sole exceptions of Cartier and Boucheron, which are recognised for taking useful steps. The research also found that six of the ten brands still offered to sell Burmese rubies from the shop floor in London or Geneva boutiques last year, despite an EU embargo.

One reason for the lack of comprehensive action from prestigious brands is identified as the absence of a positive vision for the ethical role of the jewellery industry. “Although a decade of effort to reduce conflict and environmental damage from jewellery supply chains has curbed some of the worst practices, it has failed to identify an aspirational role for jewellery. Today, the efforts of responsible jewellery pioneers are outlining a vision of ethical excellence,” says report co-author Dr. Jem Bendell. “By comparing the actions of ten luxury brands with this new vision, the report finds luxury jewellery firms risk being left behind in an increasingly aspirational marketplace,” he says.

The report, entitled Uplifting the Earth: the ethical performance of luxury jewellery brands, provides guidance on how brands can move beyond a negative risk management approach to their ethical considerations, and instead use social and environmental issues as a creative inspiration and collaborate to make jewellery a positive force for all involved. “More people recognise something is beautiful if it has been made beautifully, which involves all aspects of its creation. Some in the industry understand that, and need help to get buy-in from their colleagues. This report is for them,” explains report co-author Ian Doyle, of Lifeworth Consulting.

Interviews with international experts identified new brands that embody a new approach to jewellery, including CRED Jewellery, Fifi Bijoux, JEL and Brilliant Earth. Marc Choyt, of Reflective Images Inc and co-founder of Fair Jewelry Action says “The big brands must get their act together if they are not going to lose customers to the companies that really care. They can’t hide behind vague statements or the Kimberley Process any more, because others are showing what’s possible. We can make jewellery that makes a positive difference to the world.”

Uplifting the Earth follows up Professor Bendell’s study for WWF-UK called Deeper Luxury which was widely acknowledged to have inspired the luxury industry to increase efforts on social, environmental and ethical performance.

In the foreword, Maria Eugenia Giron, former CEO of Carrera y Carrera, writes that the report “is an invaluable contribution for wise, forward-thinking executives in our evolving industry.”

The brands benchmarked in the report are: Boucheron, Bulgari, Buccellati, Cartier, Chanel, Chopard, Graff Diamonds, Harry Winston, Piaget and Van Cleef & Arpels.

The report can be downloaded for free from http://www.lifeworth.com/consult/2011/06/uplifting/

Questions about the report should be directed to Ian Doyle:

Email: idoyle at lifeworth.com

National Association of Goldsmiths & British Jewellers’ Association Ethics Committee Response to Channel 4’S Dispatches ‘THE REAL PRICE OF GOLD’ 27^th June 2011

The screening of Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches’ programme titled ‘The Real Price of Gold’ has been received with a mixed reaction by the jewellery industry.

The programme raised some interesting and worthwhile points about some of the issues the jewellery industry currently faces. It was useful for consumers to understand the complexities which jewellers looking for ‘ethical’ supply chains are confronted with when trying to establish traceability in the gold supply chain within a current system not designed for transparency.

Whilst it is undeniable that these issues remain a reality within the industry, the programme did not address in full the various initiatives that are being undertaken by the gold industry and the subsequent user; the jewellers.

The programme was misleading in stating that there was not enough recycled gold in circulation when in fact well over 80% of gold used in UK jewellery manufacture is from recycled sources.

The National Association of Goldsmith and the British Jewellers’ Association were not called upon to make comment, despite being the collectively largest representatives of the jewellery industry in the UK.

The National Association of Goldsmiths represents in excess of 900 retail jewellery businesses which, between them, account for over 2500 physical outlets in the UK and online retailers. The British Jewellers’ Association represents over 1000 member companies. Earlier this year, the organisation formed a joint ‘Ethics Working Committee’ in order to address, among other issues, the current lack of traceability for gold supplies and the lack of understanding about the processes involved. Members’ awareness and concern for ethical issues and the provenance of the goods they sell has grown over the last decade, and both organisations, through their links with bodies such as the World Jewellery Federation (CIBJO) an the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), have sought to keep them fully informed on the progress that is being made towards a fully transparent supply chain.

There are a number of initiatives in development that will offer either a chain of custody or a system of warranties that will provide assurances that Members can pass on to customers about the ethical credentials of their products, but these do have fairly long gestation periods. Meanwhile retailers’ demand for such goods grows. This is amply demonstrated by last year’s launch of Fair Trade / Fair Mined Gold, which has met with considerable demand.

The BJA, which represents the jewellery supply sector, works closely with UK bullion and refining companies, which all of whom provide documentary evidence relating to the provenance of gold entering the UK supply chain.

Newly mined gold is critically important to countries such as Ghana, Mali and Peru who benefit from the investment and tax revenues generated. Artisanal miner’s lives depend on the sale of the gold they mine and to reduce the consumption of newly mined gold only pushes these communities deeper into poverty.  Business models such as Fair Trade Fair Mined gold, although currently limited to a small number of mines can be replicated around the world to act in favour of the miner. However, replicating a model which has been successful in Latin America with the government support may need some time to gain traction in parts of Africa, or in countries where political instability remains. In the meantime, we have a duty as an industry to consider all viable ethical models. The programme made the point, although did not major on it, that the artisanal mine visited was illegal. This is that fact of many artisanal mines and whilst they operate out with the formal sector, it is impossible to regulate their activities.

The programme presented ‘recycled ‘gold as an ethical or morally superior alternative to newly mined gold. However, recycled gold currently accounts for the majority of the gold used in the UK market.

It is inaccurate to assume that boycotting all newly mined gold therefore presents a more ethical alternative. Indeed, the introduction of certified Fair Trade Fair Mined gold, as well as other gold producers who have established ‘Best Practice’ for both social and environmental standards demonstrate the shift among the industry towards transparency, traceability and social responsibility in mining.

The World Gold Council have, this month, published their draft standards for ‘Chain Of Custody’ of newly mined gold in the formal sector and this is expected to go some way to increasing a system of transparency and accountability. As mentioned in the programme, the RJC is also consulting towards its own Chain of Custody Standards, due for release in early 2013.

Achieving a fully transparent system takes international effort and both the NAG and the BJA remain fully committed to driving this forward for the British Jewellery Industry.

Contact: Vivien Johnston- 07789224705 -vivien@fifibijoux.com