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RJC Adds Silver to its Scope
Full integration into its Code of Practices is expected by the end of 2018.
The Responsible Jewellery Council is expanding its scope to include responsible business practices for the silver supply chain. Pictured here is Ariana Boussard-Reifel’s Frida necklace in sterling silver ($595).
London--The Responsible Jewellery Council has announced the expansion of its scope to include silver.
The RJC said its expansion into the silver supply chain comes after years of working with leading companies in the precious metal supply chains and addressing their issues.
The move allows even more businesses in the jewelry industry to show their commitment to responsible business practices.
Relevant information for the silver supply chain will be included in the RJC’s Code of Practices standard; the full integration of silver into the COP is expected by the end of 2018.
The Code of Practices defines responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices for businesses. It already includes the diamond, gold and/or platinum group metals and colored gemstone sectors.
“It is a natural progression for the RJC to include the silver sector, furthering our goal to become a fully integrated jewelry supply chain initiative,” Executive Director Andrew Bone said. “The expansion allows us to use the expertise we have gathered through our longstanding work across other precious metal supply chains and will help us better support a sustainable and ethical silver industry.”
Businesses interested in receiving relevant updates on the silver supply chain, can join the RJC’s silver supply chain mailing list online.
In other council news, the RJC has hired Edward Johnson to the newly created role of director of business development to expand its expertise and drive growth.
In his new role, Johnson will work to develop the RJC globally, focusing particularly on greater China, India and the United States, focusing his efforts around developing strategies to drive membership engagement and strengthen the RJC’s relationships with key stakeholders.
He is based in London and reports directly to Bone.
He joins the team from the Gemological Institute of America, where he worked as director of business development to establish its presence in the U.K. and further expand it across Europe.
Before his role at the GIA, Johnson, a Graduate Gemologist, ran an independent jewelry appraisal company and served as a consultant gemologist to the Hong Kong Jade and Stone Laboratory.
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