JEWELLERY 57
HOW DO I KNOW I AM BUYING AN ETHICAL DIAMOND ?
The diamond industry has worked hard to transform itself over the last 20 years . Today , conflict diamonds , are virtually eliminated from the market through the regulation of the UN-mandated Kimberley Process .
Baker Brothers ensure the diamond producers we partner with go above and beyond the Kimberley Process to encompass people , planet and business ethics . We will only work with those that abide by numerous international human rights frameworks and labour regulations , alongside country-specific rules to ensure they do business in the most responsible and sustainable way .
Did you know ? Diamond producers create $ 16 billion per year in socioeconomic and environmental benefits in the countries in which they operate . 80 % of the total benefits are infused back into local communities . Every year , modern diamond recovery contributes over $ 292 million in benefits related to social programs worldwide , from education to healthcare .
IS DIAMOND RECOVERY HARMFUL TO PEOPLE ?
Modern diamond recovery provides safe , high-quality , high-paying career opportunities to people in remote regions of the world where job opportunities are otherwise limited . Employees of leading diamond producers are paid on average 66 % more than the national average salary and receive nearly five times the living wage in his / her country .
Did you know ? There is just one safety incident per 1,000,000 hours worked within today ’ s largescale diamond recovery operations . For context , the safety injury frequency is 15 times greater in today ’ s retail sector , and 30 times greater in today ’ s transportation industry .
IS BUYING A NATURAL DIAMOND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE ?
Large scale diamond recovery companies adhere to strict environmental standards and develop environmental management , monitoring and protection plans . These plans are created in collaboration with local communities , as well as local and national governments .
These focus on defining , tracking and reporting on their sustainability programs , aligning with sustainable diamond standards such as ISO 14001-the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system ( EMS ), the Carbon Disclosure Project for the management of environmental impact , and the GRI global standard for sustainability reporting , and the UNGC .
Did you know ? The natural diamond industry protects three times more land than they use . One of the world ’ s leading diamond suppliers plays a leading role in conservation through the Diamond Route ; equating to around 200,000 hectares ( an area 2.5 times the size of New York City ) of unique habitats that are home to vulnerable , threatened and endangered species . AND these same producers recycle 83 % of the water used in diamond recovery , again controlling and reducing the impact on the environment .
Issue 53 2022 THE ART OF LUXURY