Social and Ethical Issues Archive | Professional Jeweler

Social and Ethical Issues Archive | Professional Jeweler

Social and Ethical Issues Archive

• Introduction
• Backgrounders on Countries in the News
• News Headlines

Introduction

During the past five years, the jewelry industry has begun to address its social and ethical responsibilties to the people and countries where its products are mined, made and sold. Among the topics the industry has tackled include health, safety and environmental issues; terrorist and other illegal exploitation of precious commodities; and disclosure issues concerning gems and metals.

Professional Jeweler has been reporting on these topics since we began publishing in the late 1990s. Among the highlights recorded here over the years: The long development of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme to fight conflict diamonds, the USA Patriot Act regulations to fight terrorist exploitation, and the introduction of various private industry codes of conduct to foster ethical business practices at all levels from miners and suppliers down to retailers. Not only are trade associations acting, but so are charitable organizations such as the Jewelers Charity Fund, which is underwriting AIDS and other disease prevention efforts in Africa. Private companies are also doing their part, such as De Beers covering the costs of anti-retroviral drugs to fight the HIV virus among its workers in Africa.

Becoming aware of these issues going forward will be critical to jewelers' business success in the 21st century. Consumers' ever-growing consciousness about topics as diverse as human rights and gemstone disclosure make the jewelry industry a vulnerable target for boycott campaigns and exposes that cast unwanted negative spotlight. This archive will help you stay posted on any new crises, as well as industry response and action.

The Editors of Professional Jeweler

Backgrounders on Countries in the News

Professional Jeweler's backgrounders give you a short history of various countries that have been in the news on social, ethical and environmental issues involving the jewelry industry. Use these articles to learn more about the countries in which gems, metals and jewelry are sourced.

2006 News Headlines

03/17/06 - Report Calls for Investigation into Illegal Brazil Diamond Trade

2005 News Headlines

05/31/05 - IGI Selling Jewelers for Children Bracelets at JCK Show
05/03/05 - Michigan Jeweler Sentenced for Swapping Stones
05/02/05 - U.N. Concerned About Liberian Diamond Activity
03/31/05 - U.N. to Stay Involved in DRC and Liberia
03/28/05 - Diamonds for Humanity Print Ad Debuts
03/10/05 - Human Rights Group Hails Tiffany Refusal to Buy Myanmar-Mined Gems
03/09/05 - Diamond Development Initiative Formed
03/07/05 - Tiffany Reverses Course on Myanmar Gems
02/23/05 - Madagascar Liberalizes Gem Trade
02/16/05 - Tiffany Resumes Buying Gems Mined in Myanmar
01/11/05 - Labs Issue Ruby Alerts

2004 News Headlines

12/22/04 - U.N. Extends Liberian Diamond Ban
12/21/04 - U.S. Settles Nazi 'Gold Train' Lawsuit
12/16/04 - Leaded Jewelry Found to Cause Harm to Kids
12/09/04 - Consumers Say Corporate Social Issues Count
12/08/04 - Global Witness Says Liberian Sanctions Must Stay
12/07/04 - Antwerp Court Convicts in Conflict Diamond Case
11/22/04 - Rapaport To Support Digger Cooperatives in Sierra Leone
11/08/04 - Tiffany's Kowalski Speaks Out on Social Responsibility
11/01/04 - eBay Educates Sellers on FTC Guides
10/26/04 - Kimberley Controls Flawed in Many Countries
10/08/04 - UN Won't Lift Liberia Sanctions Yet
10/07/04 - JVC Finds Undercarated Diamond Weights in 65% of Jewelry Tested
09/24/04 - Grumblings in Diamond Land
09/21/04 - CIBJO Consumer Confidence Commission Meets; JA Moves Forward on Corporate Responsibility Initiative
08/30/04 - Bushmen in U.S. to Complain About Diamond Mining
08/26/04 - Diamond Miners Offer To Settle in Botswana
08/12/04 - Republic of Congo Seeking Kimberley Reinstatement
08/09/04 - AP Reports More Al Qaeda/Diamond Links
08/04/04 - DRC Takes Steps to Combat Illicit Diamond Sales
07/21/04 - CIBJO to Create Social Responsibility Standards
07/16/04 - WDC Endorses Kimberley Expelling Congo
07/12/04 - Congo-Brazzaville Expelled from Kimberley
07/07/04 - Rubies With Glass Treatment Seen
06/28/04 - Diamonds/Al Qaeda Link Exists, Says U.N.
06/24/04 - Angola's Diamond Diggers Abused, Says Report
06/21/04 - U.N. Continues Liberian Diamond Embargo
06/15/04 - Congo Brazzaville Admits to Diamond Trafficking
06/03/04 - Kimberley Team Inspects Congo-Brazzaville
06/01/04 - U.N. Court Says Terrorists Converted Cash to Diamonds
05/28/04 - De Beers Group Wins Awards for HIV/AIDS Projects
05/26/04 - NWT and De Beers Sign Environmental and Social Pacts
05/14/04 - De Beers Cleared of U.N. DRC Charges; Botswana Denies Link Between Iman and Bushmen
05/11/04 - Angola Ceases Expulsion of Congolese Diamond Miners
05/05/04 - Diamonds & Terrorism Book Published
04/28/04 - AGTA GTC to Issue "Standard Heat Treatment" Reports
04/27/04 - Human Rights Abuses Reported on Diamond Miners Near Angola-DRC Border
04/16/04 - GIA to Issue "Standard Heat Treatment" Reports for Sapphire Treatment
04/08/04 - Arab Militants Threaten Antwerp Diamond Trade
04/07/04 - Steinmetz to Develop Sierra Leone Diamond Mine
04/01/04 - WDC Proposes Annual Reports to Monitor Kimberley Compliance
04/01/04 - Diamantaire Pleads Guilty in Terror Sting Case
03/31/04 - WDC Meeting Addresses Kimberley Progress
03/30/04 - Retailers Fail Kimberley Test, Says Global Witness
03/08/04 - Diamond Trade Still Vulnerable to Money Laundering, Says U.S. Report
02/23/04 - "Dirty Gold" Campaign Targets Gold Miners
02/19/04 - JA Adopts Supplier Code of Conduct

2003 News Headlines

12/19/03 - Treasury Department Disputes Diamonds and Terrorism Report
12/15/03 - Diamonds Still Linked to Terrorism, Says Report
12/03/03 - JVC Lauches Web Help for Patriot Act
11/26/03 - Labs Near Consensus on HPHT Nomenclature
11/20/03 - More Consumers Plan Cause-Related Holiday Shopping
11/07/03 - Clinton Praises Kimberley Progress at Antwerp Diamond Conference
10/31/03 - Kimberley Group Votes for Voluntary Monitoring
10/30/03 - DRC Problems Threaten Kimberley System
10/23/03 - USA Patriot Act Workshop Scheduled
10/21/03 - WDC Urges Kimberley Compliance, Peer Review
10/10/03 - AGTA Describes Emerging Sapphire Treatment
09/29/03 - Consumers Asked to Sign Conflict Diamond Pledge
09/08/03 - Jewelry Store Robbers in Indonesia Sentenced for Financing Bali Terrorist Attack
09/02/03 - Fighting Continues in Liberia's Diamond Region; U.N. Troops Due Oct. 1
08/14/03 - New York Gem Dealer Arrested In FBI Missile Sting
08/07/03 - Kimberley Confirms 53 Participants
07/30/03 - One in Four Consumers Aware of Conflict Diamonds, Says Study
07/29/03 - Kimberley Will Have Force of Law in U.S.
07/21/03 - U.S. Will Ban Imports from Myanmar
07/16/03 - De Beers Plans Return to DRC
07/01/03 - CAR Gets Kimberley Approval
06/27/03 - Global Witness Presses Industry To Monitor Self Regulation
06/23/03 - Sierra Leone Plans for Diamond Expansion
06/19/03 - China's Jewelry Workers Develop Occupational Disease
05/01/03 - Kimberley Nations Make Some Progress
04/30/03 - Oppenheimer Champions Kimberley Monitoring
04/28/03 - Bush Signs Clean Diamond Act
04/24/03 - Industry Presents Comments on Patriot Act
04/18/03 - Human Rights Group Calls on Industry To Investigate Ties Between Terrorists and Diamonds
04/16/03 - U.N. General Assembly Supports Kimberley
04/10/03 - U.S. House Passes Act Giving Customs Kimberley Authority
03/25/03 - Central African Republic's Kimberley Participation Questioned
03/12/03 - Retailers Buying Mostly from Industry Sources Exempt from Patriot Act Compliance
03/04/03 - WTO Makes Exception for Kimberley Rules
02/20/03 - Thai Dealers Agree to Disclose Corundum Treatment
02/13/03 - WDC Guide to Kimberley Process Now Available
02/10/03 - Associations Issue Joint Statement on Diffusion Treatment at Tucson
02/03/03 - U.N. Expresses Support for Kimberley Process
01/09/03 - U.S. Kimberley Process Authority Consolidated
01/06/03 - Al Qaeda Converted $20 Million Into Diamonds

2002 News Headlines

12/17/02 - WFDB Urges Full Kimberley Implementation
12/13/02 - JA Issues Guidance to Members on Kimberley Process Compliance
12/10/02 - WSJ Links Gold, Diamonds and South Africa to Terrorists
12/09/02 - U.S. Has New Agency to Issue Kimberley Certificates
11/27/02 - JVC Identifies Underkarated Jewelry for CBS
11/06/02 - Fifty Nations Adopt Kimberley Certification Scheme
10/30/02 - WDC Approves System of Warranties to Support Kimberley
10/25/02 - Amnesty International: Human Rights Violated in Congo Diamond Fields
10/24/02 - Corundum Diffusion Treatment Due to Beryllium
10/23/02 - U.N.: Diamond Companies Among Congo "Plunderers"
10/18/02 - Diamond Smuggling Continues from Liberia
10/11/02 - WDC Pledges Industry Will Play Active Role in Kimberley Rules
10/09/02 - Antwerp Conference Says Conflict Crisis is Over
09/18/02 - U.S. Can Enforce Kimberley Rules Without Legislation
09/13/02 - Sierra Leone Asks Peacekeepers to Stay
09/12/02 - JCF Dinner Will Honor Forte and Runci
09/06/02 - Al Qaeda Gold Shipments Continue
08/29/02 - Botswana May Lose 30% of Economic Growth to HIV
08/27/02 - Diamonds in Conflict Update
08/08/02 - EU Plans Tough Conflict Diamond Rules
07/02/02 - Human Rights Groups and WDC Urge U.S. to Enact Legislation
06/21/02 - Fatal Accident at Tanzanite Mine
06/19/02 - Al Qaeda Shifted Funds to Gold, Gems, Before Sept. 11
06/03/02 - JCF Raises Record Amount
05/30/02 - GIA and AGTA Update Wording for New Corundum Treatment
05/29/02 - Congress Urges Diamond Sanctions; U.N. Explores Terrorist Links
05/23/02 - Sapphire Treatment Source Revealed
04/30/02 - Tucson Tanzanite Protocols Moving Forward
04/17/02 - Anglo American Drops AIDS Plan
04/04/02 - Human Rights Groups Nominated For Nobel Prize by U.S. Legislators
03/28/02 - CIBJO Affirms Kimberley Process, Tanzanite Protocol
03/27/02 - Kimberley Process to Launch in November; Group Addresses Criticisms
03/21/02 - U.S. Senators Introduce Another Conflict Diamonds Bill
03/19/02 - UN Urges Completion of Kimberley Process; WDC Endorses System of Warranties
03/12/02 - Tanzanite Task Force Sends Export Recommendations to Tanzania
02/28/02 - Labs Avoid Diffusion Description for New Corundum Treatment
02/27/02 - Industry Creates Tanzanite Task Force
02/22/02 - Conflict Diamond Update
02/22/02 - Tanzania Takes Measures to Protect Tanzanite
02/20/02 - Spotlight on al Qaeda's Use of Gold
02/15/02 - Sept. 11 Suit Filed Against Tanzanite Dealer and TAMIDA
02/12/02 - Tanzanite Cleared, but Gem Community Warned
02/08/02 - Tanzanite Meeting Scheduled for Feb. 9
01/29/02 - GIA Releases New Corundum Treatment Report
01/24/02 - Labs and Experts Question Whether Diffusion Causes Corundum Color Change
01/23/02 - Underkarating Exposé Airs
01/21/02 - Corundum Diffusion Treatment Includes Rubies
01/18/02 - WSJClaims Proof of Tanzanite/al Qaeda Link, U.S.Task Force Says No Proof Yet
01/16/02 - Nothing Proven in Tanzanite Allegations
01/15/02 - Zale Drops Tanzanite
01/04/02 - Padparadscha Treatment Surfaces

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