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Social Responsibility
Conflict Diamonds
Conflict diamonds are rough, uncut diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments. In 1998, the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) - Global Witness brought to the world’s attention the fact that rebel groups were funding their war against the legitimate government in this way.
The De Beers Group has been working with governments through the United Nations and other international organizations to ensure that future conflicts cannot be funded in this way, and the De Beers Group was instrumental in creating the World Diamond Council to represent the international diamond and jewelry industry in the Kimberley Process.
At De Beers Diamond Jewellers, we can guarantee with 100% confidence that all of our diamonds are conflict-free.
Kimberley Process
The World Diamond Council has worked successfully with the United Nations, governments, and groups such as Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada to introduce a system for the certification of the source of uncut diamonds to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds. This system, known as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), was formally adopted in November 2002, and came into operation on January 1, 2003. Andrew Coxon, President of the De Beers Institute of Diamonds, is a founding member of the World Diamond Council and spearheaded this initiative on behalf of the diamond industry.
Today, as a result of the Kimberly Process’s success, 99.8% of the world’s diamond supply is conflict free.
The Kimberly process requires participating governments to ensure that each shipment of rough diamonds exported be in a secure container and accompanied by a uniquely numbered, government-validated certificate stating that the diamonds are conflict-free. Over 70 countries participate, representing all the nations with significant involvement in the diamond trade. All 70 importing countries agree not to accept any rough diamonds without an approved Kimberley Process Certificate.
At De Beers Diamond Jewellers, all of our diamonds are accompanied by a De Beers Diamond Passport, which clearly states our stringent conflict diamond policy and confirms that every single piece of De Beers jewelry is ethically produced and 100% conflict-free.
De Beers Diamond Policy
Every diamond that De Beers Diamond Jewellery sells is conflict-free and child labor free.
De Beers is aware of the problem of conflict diamonds and has taken measure to guarantee that no conflict diamonds enter its supply chain or its jewelry.
Thanks in part to international cooperation between governments, the diamond industry, retailer jewelers and non-government organizations such as Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada, vast improvements have been made in the fight against conflict diamonds. However, one diamond used to fund conflict is too many and continued vigilance is essential.
We believe the injury and hardship suffered by any local population when conflicts arise in diamond producing areas is unacceptable. We believe that seeking to profit from conflicts in diamond producing areas is also unacceptable, and we are committed to taking action to address concerns arising out of the misuse of rough diamonds:
1. De Beers polished diamonds and De Beers jewelry are only available at De Beers Stores, and De Beers purchases diamonds only from suppliers that adhere to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and the System of Warranties.
The System of Warranties was developed by the World Diamond Council (WDC) representing the entire spectrum of the industry from mining houses to retail jewelers. Its principal element is the requirement for a declaration on the invoice accompanying every transaction of rough diamonds, polished diamonds and diamond jewelry that declares that the diamonds are ‘not involved in funding conflict and are in compliance with United Nations resolutions’. These warranties and declarations are subject to audit and oversight by the relevant national authorities.
Under the provisions of the Kimberley Process, mandated by the United Nations, endorsed by the Security Council and enshrined in the national law of all participating countries De Beers, and all other members of the industry, are obliged to trade only with sellers that use the System of Warranties.
2. We have informed all our trade diamond suppliers in writing that we require them to supply De Beers exclusively with merchandise that complies with the Kimberley Process, which obliges them to issue the following guarantee in writing:
"The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources that are not involved in funding conflict and are in compliance with United Nations resolutions. The seller hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantee provided by the supplier of these diamonds."
3. We keep records of the warranty invoices given and received. These warranty invoices are audited and reconciled every year by our independent auditors. As detailed in Global Witness and Amnesty International’s survey into the diamond jewelry retail sector of October 2004, De Beers’ compliance is audited by independent auditors who carried out a stock audit and checked all sales invoices for compliance with the Kimberly Process.
4. Our retail sales associates are fully knowledgeable with regard to Kimberley Process requirements. Additionally we have briefed them on government regulations and the De Beers policy to combat the trade in conflict diamonds. Sales associates are encouraged to provide interested customers with copies of De Beers’ policy and supplier warranties, and to enter into discussion about the issue of conflict diamonds and De Beers' role in preventing their trade.
5. We also require that our suppliers warrant to De Beers that the merchandise they supply will be manufactured under working conditions consistent with international guidelines, primarily the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Labour Organisation conventions, particularly those relating to child labor.
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