RJC implements its Certification System

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced that its Certification System is now enabled to certify that members across the diamond and gold jewellery supply chain, conform to its RJC’s Code of Practices and practice ethical and socially responsibility. According to reports, the Certification System works on independent, third-party auditing, for verification of a member’s compliance to RJC’s Code of Practices. The involvement of the third party auditing assures transparency and fairness in the System. The RJC is currently conducting the auditor accreditation process and is training RJC members through sector-specific webinars, reports say.

The RJC Certification System has also formulated its Mining Supplement standards, based on opinions of civil society and similar organisations, reports say. The entire scope of the RJC Certification is committed to rope in businesses from mining to retail in the diamond and gold jewellery supply chain. From December 31, 2009 onwards, the present RJC members would be asked to undergo independent verification by December 2011, or by December 2012, if they have mining facilities. Those organisations which join the RJC from 2010, are required to undergo independent verification within two years of becoming members.

The RJC is also working at enhancing product traceability, and has already received approvals from some of its members. In the scope of product traceability, the RJC will allow its members looking to apply the chain of custody, as a complementary element to the RJC certification process, reports say. In 2010, the RJC will investigate the applicability of such tracking systems to jewellery products, although RJS is not intending to create its own system of product tracking. The RJC, as reports add, is keen on investigating the possibility of certifying the effectiveness, validity and claims made by proprietary tracking systems.