The Responsible Jewelery Council offers the first ESG (Environmental, social, and corporate governance) toolkit to association members. The Responsible Jewelery Council is a non-profit, standard-setting and certifying organization with approximately 1700 member companies working in the jewelery supply chain from gem mining to retail. The objective of the toolkit is to extend the commitment to comply with ESG standards to all members, providing all the information necessary for sustainable procurement, the mapping of the COP, i.e. the Conference of Parties, the annual meeting of the countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and of the SDGs, Sustainable Development Goals, i.e. the sustainable development objectives. It is a collection of 17 interconnected goals designed to be a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
The toolkit analyzes the scope and scope of all ESG reporting in an effort to equip RJC members with the knowledge to make an informed decision based on individual business needs. The Responsible Jewelery Council also points out that according to a McKinsey study, by 2025, 20-30% of global fine jewelery sales will be influenced by sustainability considerations, from environmental impact to ethical sourcing practices. This equates to a $110 billion business, which represents a three- to four-fold increase in sustainability-influenced purchases since 2019.
We are today with sustainability where we were with digital transformation 20 years ago. Those who embraced it thrived but also gained new and younger clients, those who dismissed it in many ways got left behind. Sustainability is the greatest single issue facing watches and jewellery today, and I want to help everyone understand what they can do to be part this movement.
Melanie Grant, executive director, Responsible Jewelery Council
