Page 15 - Bullion World Issue 7 November 2021

Bullion World | Issue 07 | November 2021

This is the decade of trust and

transparency - how RJC certified

members advance the sustainability

agenda in India

Ms Iris Van der Veken, Executive Director, & Mr. Kinjal Shah, Regional
Director Indian & Middle East, Responsible Jewellery Council

The jewellery industry in
India
India’s gold and diamond trade
being a significant industry is
nothing new; diamond mining
started all the way back
in ancient India, and fast-
forwarding to February 2021,
India's gold and diamond trade
contributed ~7.5% to India's
GDP, with 8.23 million people
expected to be employed Custody model and a three-
within the industry by 2022 times revised Code of
Practices. The latest version,
Responsible Jewellery Council launched at the OECD in
(RJC) has a strong presence Paris in April 2019, is aligned
in India, with Mr. Kinjal Shah with the OECD due diligence
leading the Indian & Middle guidance, the UN Guiding
East market, providing a Principles on Business and
catalyst for RJC membership Human rights and has an
growth for mid supply chain. increased scope into coloured
stones and silver. The
membership has grown from
The impact of RJC’s
14 founding members in 2005
work – responsible
to over 1500 of which 60% are
business is resilient small enterprises spread over
business 71 countries. India has 178
The Jewellery industry had members. Despite COVID, RJC
a pioneer vision when in has seen continued growth
2005, 14 founding members - this is a testament of the
including Cartier, Diarough, commitment of the industry
Signet, De Beers Group, Rosy to advance the agenda of
Blue, Tiffany, CIBJO set up a responsible sourcing. Ms Iris Van der Veken
standards organization. RJC Executive Director
launched its first base-line Knowledge and transparency Responsible Jewellery Council
Code of Practices in 2009, are central to the Code of
increased their standards Practices, allowing members
portfolio with a Chain of to further understand their

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