RJC Certification programs are designed to support responsible business practices in the jewellery supply chain.
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Code of Practices Certification
RJC’s Code of Practices is a landmark standard for the jewellery supply chain and addresses a wide range of supply chain issues, including business ethics, human rights, social and environmental performance. The Certification provides evidence of responsible business practices which can be communicated to suppliers, customers and other stakeholders. Certification against the Responsible Jewellery Council Code of Practices is compulsory for all RJC Commercial Members within two years of joining.
By using the Responsible Jewellery Council Code of Practices Certification Methodology a clear picture emerges of a company’s commitment to responsible business practices. The Certification process is supported by Standards Guidance, an Assessment Manual, and tools and training to support implementation and audits, and covers the following key topics:
- General Business Requirements
- Responsible Supply Chains and Human Rights
- Labor Rights and Working Conditions
- Health, Safety & Environment
- Gold, Diamond and Platinum Group Metal Products
- Responsible Mining
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Chain of Custody Certification
In March 2012, the RJC launched its Chain-of-Custody (CoC) Standard for the precious metals supply chain. The CoC Standard is applicable to gold and platinum group metals (platinum, palladium and rhodium).
The CoC Standard aims to support claims for responsibly-sourced jewellery materials (known as CoC Material) produced, processed and traded through the jewellery supply chain.
Responsible Jewellery Council defines responsibly sourced as:
- Conflict-free as a minimum, and
- Responsibly produced at each step of the supply chain.
This means that appropriate standards apply for human rights, labour standards, environmental impact, and business ethics: as articulated in the RJC Code of Practices, applicable to the jewellery supply chain from mine to retail. RJC can also recognise comparable standards from other initiatives under the CoC Standard, and has already done so for gold refiner due diligence audits and the artisanal mining sector.
Intertek & the Responsible Jewellery Council
With nearly 20 years of experience in social accountability, Intertek has created monitoring services based on an in-depth understanding of local labor issues, workplace safety, and environmental laws and regulations. The audit team will visit the client organization´s sites and facilities and assess the implementation and effectiveness of the RJC standard to confirm the facility´s compliance with RJC requirements. Intertek auditors maintain local presence monitoring in more than 100 countries worldwide for most major retail brand companies.
Intertek is a global approved RJC certification body providing accreditation services to RJC members in the following:
- Diamond Trading
- Diamond Cutting or Polishing
- Jewellery Manufacturing or Wholesale
- Jewellery Retail
- Service and Support Industries
