Open letter to the Responsible Jewellery Council

A coalition of NGOs and trade unions acknowledges improvements in the Responsible Jewellery Council's (RJC) 2019 Code of Practices, specifically the adoption of OECD Due Diligence Guidance and the Minamata Convention. However, the letter argues that significant gaps remain regarding indigenous rights, human rights instruments, and environmental standards. The authors express concern over a phase-in period that could delay full compliance until 2024 and call for greater transparency in the auditing and certification process.

• The 2019 Code of Practices (COP) includes several improvements over the 2013 version, most notably the requirement for all members in the gold, silver, PGM, diamonds, and colored gemstones supply chains to implement the five-step framework of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.
• The authors identify critical gaps in the 2019 COP, including the use of language that weakens the requirement for free, prior and informed consent from indigenous peoples, the omission of key ILO conventions on forced labor, freedom of association, collective bargaining, and non-discrimination, and vague provisions regarding waste, emissions, and tailings.
• The current implementation timeline is criticized because some members may not be fully assessed against the new Code, including strategies to respond to human rights risks, until 2024 due to a phase-in period and certification cycles.
• The RJC's auditing and certification process is described as opaque because audit reports are not public, and companies can benefit from the RJC's reputation for two years after joining before they are required to comply with the standard.

APA

Valerio, G. (n.d.). Open letter to the Responsible Jewellery Council. Global Witness. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-resources/open-letter-to-the-responsible-jewellery-council/

Chicago

Valerio, Greg. Open letter to the Responsible Jewellery Council. Global Witness, n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-resources/open-letter-to-the-responsible-jewellery-council/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Valerio |first1=Greg |title=Open letter to the Responsible Jewellery Council |publisher=Global Witness |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-resources/open-letter-to-the-responsible-jewellery-council/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{valeriondopen, author = {Valerio, Greg}, title = {{Open letter to the Responsible Jewellery Council}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-resources/open-letter-to-the-responsible-jewellery-council/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }