Some Advice To The World Jewelry Federation (CIBJO) Corporate Social Responsibility Meeting
Introduction:
I am naturally encouraged by any efforts toward greater Corporate Social Responsibility in any business sector. When I think of the Jewelry sector, there is one real and meaningful issue that as far as I know has not been adequately addressed.
According to an article published on the National Jeweler’s Website, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri said that his organization “has ‘taken the lead’ on raising awareness on CSR in the jewelry industry and has broadened its efforts in creating better industry standards for diamonds, colored gemstones, pearls, precious metals and gemology.”
As I read this, I become concerned about the issue of how general the approach seems to be. Plus, there are already several cross sector initiatives in place, attempting to develop this at the ground level, via the Madison Dialogue Working Groups.
This meeting is indeed an excellent opportunity to address something of critical importance that has been a great concern of mine. I can best explain this with a little story first.
Suppose that someone you did business with, a jeweler, murdered your brother and sister in 1999. They fled your city and nation and did not return until 2006. At that time, this same jeweler tells you, “I’ve change my ways! I’m now an now a responsible person and I’m going to create a committee with all my friends to uphold ethical standards.”
Would you believe them? Of course not. You would think that they were psychotic.
Yet, perhaps we find an echo of this situation in the trade, particularly if you consider people in Africa as brothers and sisters.
The very executives who ordered paramilitary groups into African countries, resulting in about four million deaths in Africa through the blood diamond tragedy, are alive and well and may be attending your meeting.
This brings to mind the famous quote by Joseph Stalin: ‘A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.’
It would take a great courage to call for some truth and reconciliation and create an initiative that would involve representatives from mine to market that have been impacted by blood diamonds– including customers who may be wearing conflict diamonds right now.
Acknowledging past human rights as well as environmental atrocities are the moral bedrock from which a new CSR program can be built. Without this public humbling, such efforts easily seem empty to all but the most devoted jewelry sector public. Indeed, what assurances do we have, without this recognition, that that anything has been learned?
It is not possible to win a race by cutting off your dirty feet.
Here’s a link to the original article from National Jeweler where my idea is certainly not on the radar:
http://www.nationaljewelernetwork.com/njn/content_display/independent/
