A Summary Of The RJC Certification System: I Hope I’m Wrong
Editorial By Guest Writer, Katherine DalPra
On December 18, 2009, the Responsible Jewelry Council announced the official launch of its certification system, just weeks after the 60 Minutes interview with Matt Runci of RJC revealed that “source of origin is not yet a part of the council’s framework.”
Based on the information available, here is my understanding of what the certification will allow:
If my understanding of the RJC certification is incorrect, Please feel free to post a correction in the comments.
So, let me see if I have this straight: It doesn’t protect sea life or drinking water. It doesn’t prevent unnecessary violence and rape related to conflict mining. It doesn’t seek the cooperative involvement of affected communities. It doesn’t request the council of NGOs or labor and civil society groups. It doesn’t establish standards for reduced emissions. It doesn’t guarantee the recovery of farmable lands post-extraction.
What exactly does the RJC certification do? Who has independently verified that it is useful? And what are their credentials and intentions? And, most importantly, who exactly is this certification for the benefit of?
I must be missing something. There must be some tremendous advantage to this certification system that I’m not seeing. I just can’t comprehend why a large membership body would develop an entire other arm for the purpose of developing an ethical certification, if it didn’t contain any provisions whatsoever to ensure ethical mining? If it really doesn’t do anything, why bother?
Unless….
The certification is just a smoke and mirrors tool designed to fabricate a false consumer confidence and boost the ethical appearance of commercial jewelers.
In other words, it’s a cop out for every conventional jeweler out there that desperately needs to be able to convince their environmentally and ethically conscious consumers that they aren’t contributing to the dirty side of gold and diamond mining…without actually having to prove it.
Please tell me I’m wrong. This is one of those times in my life where I want someone…RJC, other jewelers, NGO reps, anyone…to tell me that I’m way off base and that there is actually a world of good being done here and I’m the only one that doesn’t see it.
In my heart, I want to believe that the RJC has only the best intentions; that they are a driving force behind the ethical transformation of the jewelry industry. But I’m still waiting for them to show me that this is who they are.
Without requirements of transparency within a jeweler’s supply chain, the RJC is nothing more than a blanket title intended to make the wealthiest jewelers look good. It’s a false designation they can spout off to customers in their retail centers, knowing that few consumers will take the time to research the legitimacy and ramifications of their so-called ethical certification through the RJC. What the consumer doesn’t know won’t kill them.
The real tragedy here, is that there are actually a small number of jewelers, such as the participants on this blog, that feel very strongly toward the virtue of an open, ethical supply chain and are making great strides to create one Without certification. These pioneering jewelers are spending more money, more time and more energy trying to do the right thing…and they aren’t even getting credit for it. No certification. No fancy labels. Just a jeweler with an ideal that their craft doesn’t have to be associated with bloodshed, heartache or pollution.
Let’s be honest here. If a lowly young hand-craft jeweler, like myself, who runs a tiny studio founded by nothing more than the money I earned working hard in the corporate world for over a decade can make the financial and ethical commitment to start sourcing in a way that is more responsible, why shouldn’t consumers expect the same of large big box jewelers with a budget millions of dollars larger than mine? They have the staff, the funds and the resources to start taking deliberate steps towards transparency; so why wouldn’t the RJC pressure them to do so?
If that is not the role of the RJC, then what is the point of the organization? Don’t misunderstand, I am not trying to bash, insult or demean the RJC and their work. I truly want to believe that the RJC was founded to initiate change and to provide a third-party verified system for recognizing those that have put forth an effort to build transparent supply chains, but I’m just not convinced.
RJC – Please convince me!
Open the lines of communication. Respond to this post, or any post on this forum and share with those of us that are most active on the topic, what your intentions are and how we can support you in developing a system that really works.
I promise you, there isn’t one jeweler in this group that wouldn’t jump at the chance to make an even greater positive impact. So, come join the conversation!
Katherine DalPra
Green Diva
www.greendivabridal.com
