The Ethical Jewellery Industry

Something interesting is occurring in the ethical gold market.  Companies are starting to emerge and market consumers with a social conscious.  My almost year experience working directly with Urth Solution opened a unique door to view a market that was almost untouched this time last year, in terms of consumer awareness of the plights of gold miners and the market for ethical gold.  With internal changes taking place with Urth Solution, it is crucial they continue to develop their message and get it out there (not miss the boat).  While I am very optimistic that the market will have enough demand to sustain competition between many competitors, I really want Urth to get out there, be seen, and not go quietly into the night like so many companies have done, with their messages lost.  I think they offer a very unique perspective that even current competitors now visible on the landscape don't offer.  I would hate to see that lost.  My experience with Urth only wet my appetite to go forward and work with other consultants in the industry and I am actively pursuing the opportunity to work with Estelle Levin’s company.  She is a leading consultant on Minerals and Sustainability.  Her consulting firm is called Resource Consulting Services Limited (http://www.resourceglobal.co.uk/). She is a well published author and considered an expert in the field, often quoted.

Companies such as Ruff and Cut and CRED Jewellery are starting to build a niche in the market.  I wrote an article mentioning CRED before but Ruff and Cut (http://www.ruffandcut.com/) is an interesting company.  It is a company that invests 10% from each sale and a portion of the company’s overall profit into nonprofit organizations which work to improve the lives of people in mining communities.  It seems that Ruff and Cut’s focus is mainly on conflict free diamonds and I was unable to tell if this includes ethical gold or will expand to cover the use of ethical gold in their collections. Some organizations they work with are:

• Bambai Bling
• Shine on Sierra Leone
• Foundation for Environmental Security and Sustainability (FESS)
• The St. George Foundation

Ruff and Cut was founded by Wade Watson, who attributes his social conscious entrepreneur ship to the events of 9-11.  Read Wade’s blog (http://blog.ruffandcut.com/) on using business to make a positive global impact. Wader previously owned a socially responsible diamond-mining company in Sierra Leone which was later sold to Target Resources Plc.   Target Resources' social responsibility in Sierra Leone, published in the article 'Sierra Leone Travelogue' Rapaport Diamond Report, September 5, 2008 can be found in the info/research link of this blog along with some recent publications by CASM.

Comments

[Sharon]

I believe ethical jewellery is a good thing. Have you worked with James Scott personally?

[V]

Is James Scott still involved with URTH - is this still his Company?

[admin]

If you have questions for James Scott, Urth Solutions Founder, please contact him through his website at www.urthsolution.com. Thank you.

[Pawnshops New England]

All their jewellery is procured and produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Now what does that mean in an industry where exploitation of Earth and people is almost conventional? It means Ingle & Rhode are tackling the three main problems in the jewellery industry,human exploitation, conflict(or blood)diamonds and environmental damage. The key lies in having created, through careful investigation, a supply chain where the origin of each metal or gemstone can be traced.

[Speckhard]

Ah but all use different sets of standards on what is considered to be "ethical". People and the Earth are always going to be exploited. I think you have to look at it as what can we do to make the practice safer and healthier for the miners. How can we minimize the dangers and the impact to the surrounding environment.

I don't buy into the traceable supply chain. Walmart has such a thing, but I take issue with the way their supply chain is setup. Proving something is/was ethically mined if you do not trace it direct from ground to store is almost impossible.

[Speckhard]

Yes, Sharon. I have had the opportunity to work directly with James and Urth Solution for about a year. It was very interesting work and I learned a lot about the conditions of mining, affects to the surrounding community, and the destruction to the environment.