Category Archives: Press Releases

An Open Letter to RJC and the ARM signed by 152 jewellers, organisations and civil society groups

Posted on July 5, 2012 | 2 Comments

An Open Letter to The Responsible Jewellery Council and the Alliance for Responsible Mining

We, the undersigned, are writing to express our concerns in regards to the Fairtrade and Fairmined gold label, in context to the current relationship between the Alliance for Responsible Mining and the Responsible Jewellery Council.  We are concerned about how this relationship might impact the jewelers currently selling, and those interested in selling Fairtrade and Fairmined (FT/FM) gold in the future. We are also concerned for the strength of the Fairtrade and Fairmined brand, the enhancement of the quality of life for artisanal and small-scale miners and the expansion of responsible mining practices everywhere.

From its conception, the Fairtrade and Fairmined standard for gold and associated precious metals was the realization of a dream shared by small-scale miners and jewelers.   The result of this collaboration is the FT/FM brand and story based upon traceability and transparency from FT/FM certified mines.  The purity from source is critical. Therefore, all gold labeled as Fairtrade and Fairmined must continue to be traceable from a certified FT/FM mine, to a Fairtrade and Fairmined license holder.  Gold that is a mixture of FT/FM gold and gold from other sources (mass balanced gold), must not have any association with the FT/FM product, the certification process, or any vague association with fair trade language.

We actively encourage RJC members to become a part of the FT/FM certification system by purchasing FT/FM gold, paying the FT Premium, and thereby making a positive contribution to future development and security of the certified communities. Any attempt to bypass this process would be a blatant attack not only on efforts to create a consistent consumer brand; but also on, the work that many have done to bring us where we are today.  The chain of custody from producer through manufacturing must remain traceable, transparent and third party certified.

As FT/FM gold gains acceptance in the market through the pioneering efforts of smaller, artisanal jewelers, large companies will step into the market, which we view as an entirely positive development.  However, systems must be put into place to assure that jewelers currently holding FT/FM licenses and jewelers who will be license holders in the future will continue to have full and complete access to purchase FT/FM gold.

We believe that FT/FM gold is a transformative opportunity for the artisanal small-scale mining community and jewelry sector.   It is truly the most precious gold in the world.  We hope to see the day when FT/FM gold is the first choice for all consumers who wish to purchase gold jewelry.

Thank you for considering these critical points. We request that you sign this open letter if you share the views expressed herein.

Christina Miller, Ethical Metalsmiths

Marc Choyt, Fair Jewelry Action USA

Greg Valerio, Fair Jewellery Action UK

Mike Angenent

Jeweltree Foundation

Open Source Minerals

Dr. Michael E Conroy

Colibrí Consulting — Certification for Sustainable Development

Shamsa Diwani,

Gemstyles Company and Sparkling Sun-Gem Company Tanzania

Katherine DalPra
Green Diva Jewelry

USA

Beth Gerstein

Eric Grossberg
Brilliant Earth

USA

Carolyn Barker
Carolyn Barker Jewellery
Australia 

Julia Turner
Julia Turner

Helen Chantler
Reflective Images Inc. 
USA

Amy Pieroni
A Pieroni Design
Gail Shaner
Gail Shaner
 Shelby Fitzpatrick 
Shelby Ferris Fitzpatrick
Ralph Parus
Ralph Parus
Susan Saul
Susan Saul Design
Amanda Hunter
Amanda Hunter Designer Silversmith

Amanda Quinby
Amanda Quinby
Hobbs Wells
The Derelict Group, LLC
Designed Silver, UK
Raissa Bump
Raissa Bump Jewelry & Knitwear
T Lee
T Lee Fine Designer Jewelry

Orland Larson
Ilektrom Design Studio

Jennifer Cross Gans
Jenny’s Jewels

Kim Carpenter
Todd Reed Inc. USA

Ute Decker

Ute Decker, UK

Karin Birch-Cromar

Salish Sea Silver Co.

 
Susan Kingsley
Susie Ganch
Ethical Metasmiths

Genevieve Flynn
G. Flynn Jeweler

Josh Humbert

Kamoka Pearl

Tahiti/USA

 
Kate Wilkonson  
Arcatus Jewelry, LLC
USA
Todd Pownell
TAP Studios
Boris Bally
Bally Humanufactured, LLC
Douglas Zaruba
Vortex 13, LLC
Sheena Thomas, 
Co- Elements, Ltd.
Evelyn Colemandin
Ekstasi Jewelry/OAK Collections, Inc.
Thomas Michaels
Thomas Michaels Designers. 
Savannah Lisle
Harmony Jewelry
USA

Sarah Kate Burgess

Sarah Kate Burgess

Robin Gaston
Uncommon Metals

Cassandra Adams
Cassandra Adams Architect

Julie Ashton
String of Blue Jewelry

USA

Linda Tien

James Hutchinson
4th Street Gallery

Rosemary Mifsud
The Story of Two

Judy Geib
Judy Geib Plus Alpha, LLC

Marianne Hunter

Marianne Hunter

Susan Crow
East Fourth Street Jewelry

Michele Ratté
Michele Ratté Textiles

Jennifer Trude

Trudesign Metalsmithing

Daniel Szwaczkowski

UTEP

Sarah West
Sarah West Designs

Susan McCauley
Susan McCauley

Nina Dinoff

Nina Dinoff Jewelry

Wanesia Spry-Misquadace

Wanesia Fine Arts

B.M.Friedl artist

Beate Maria Friedl

Gary Roberts

Ruby Fair

Tanzania

Christine Lawrence Caratess (UK)

Vivien Johnston BA(HONS) FRSA — Fifi Bijoux, UK

Tessa Holland, Jeweller, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Ardis Bartle
Apex Measurement and Controls

Audrée H.St-Amour

Audrée H.St-Amour

Jennifer Trask
Trask Studio Jewelry

Dee Frost

Silverworkz Gallery.

Caz Guiney and Ali Limb
Northcity4

Cheryl Kelly

Metal Wear

Hattie Rickards Hattie Rickards Jewellery  (DK)

Orland Larson

Ilektrom Design Studio

Anna Moltke-Huitfeldt,

Jewellery in Life

Denmark

Brooke Battles
Brooke Battles Design

Bethan Carr

Bethan Carr Jewellery

Linda Weiss

Linda Weiss Designs

Molly Dingledine
Molly Dingledine Jewelry

Felicity Peters,

Felicity Peters, Australia

Stefan Alexandres

Art
Nancy Zappala Pierson  Metalsmith
Nanna Grønborg, Germany, Nanna Gronborg

Miia Turunen

LaNinja

Marina Belsito
Dalanisha

Linnie Mclarty
Linnie Mclarty  (UK)

Melinda Nugent

Ethical Jewellery

Australia Pty Ltd

Katie Walker, Believer Jewellery Limited, UK.

Gina D’Onofrio

Jewelry Appraisal Services

Ryan Justin Holandes
Meriken Metals

Jimena Bolaños
Jimena Bolaños jewelry

Annika Rundberg

Annika Rundberg

Catherine Pépin
Catherine Pép

Elisabetta Brodaska

Eco Fairtrade Jewellery Designer — Italy

Juliet Cline
Juliet Elaine Design

Charlene Modena

Modena Designs

Erin Fader

Erin Fader Jewelry Design

Naomi Padowicz

Mietek Padowicz

Becky Thatcher

Becky Thatcher Designs

Julia Thompson
Designer Maker in Silver & Gold

Renee Mendola

White Goat Studio

Linda Weiss
Linda Weiss Designs

Michelle Lenáe Jewelry

Goldsmith, Fine Jewelry Artist

Mary Jo Goralski

Jamie Windhaeuser

Michael Goralski

The Jewelry Mechanic, Inc.

Penny Payne

Olive & Reg (UK)

Caroline Lepargneur

Cachou Bijoux

Claudia Abderhalden
Claudia A. designs  (US)

Jorge Arrieta

Niccolo Bella

Jessie Turner
Jessie Turner Designs

Wiebke Goos
Goos Jewellery

Germany

Erin Daily

Brooklyn Metal Works

Rochelle Dodson
Rochelle Dodson

Robin Halpin

RxRox Jewelry

Barbara Heinrich

Barbara Heinrich Studio, LLC

Ursula Bettmer

Bettmer-Gold

Germany

Laura Ryan

Gemologist

Brazil

Ingeborg Ohly

Bijohly

Germany

Tania Kowalski

Synnove Saelthun

Oria Jewellery

Margherita de Martino Norante

April Doubleday

(UK)

Kristen Bak

Baks

Denmark

Carol Dacre

Contemporary Jeweller,

New Zealand

Professor Patricia Madeja
Patricia Madeja Studio Jewelry — Pratt Institute

USA

Meghan Connolly Haupt

Sulusso, USA

Spring Rees

Spring Rees

Neke Moa

Maori Jewellery

New Zealand

Godfrey Gardner

Jewellery Designer, UK.

Jo Taylor

Tootsie Valentine UK

Blanca Schusterman

Jewelry by Blanca

Elyse Demaray,

Demaray Designs

Felicia Szorad

Independent Jewelry Artist

Joe Muench

Associate Professor of Jewelry Iowa State University, USA

Ed Lay

Educator/Metalsmith

Breeta Toma,

Vitriarts

David Crump

Vipa Designs Ltd

UK

Gina Johnson

Chocolate Couture (UK)

Alan Frampton

CRED Jewellery UK

Ben Manning

Utopian Creations

Australia

Anna Loucah

Fine Jewellery

Judith Lotter

Kleinodien-Werkstatt

Germany

Thomas Becker-

Atelier für Schmuck

Germany

Alexandra Simpson

Enchanting Jewellery Design UK

Amanda Li Hope

Amanda Li Hope UK

Jan Spille

Jan Spille – Schmuck

Germany

Jane Macintosh

Jane Macintosh Jewellery
UK

William Rohtert

Geologist and Gemologist

USA

Harriet Kelsall

Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design  UK
Martha W D Bushnell

W D Bushnell

USA

Liv Runa Ditte Thrane

Jewelry Students

Hereford College UK

Samantha Rose

September Rose Ethical Jewelry

UK

Julia Bray Garretson

Julia Bray Garretson Jewelry

Anna Bario
Bario-Neal jewelry- USA

Ian Doyle

Associate, Lifeworth Consulting: France

Andrea Antonucci, Andrea Antonucci Ädelstenar

Sweden

Cindy Dennis Mangan Jewellery Designer Manufacturer UK

Individuals

Mariah Jo Layton Marie

Vanek

Stefan Padowicz

Erin Pinto

Laura Judith Ryan

Erika Miller

Magdalena Goudie

Total number of signatures 152

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Posted in Fair Trade Jewellery, Fairtrade Fairmined Gold, Fairtrade Gold, Press Releases

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Purity of Fairtrade Gold at Risk

Posted on June 30, 2012 | 3 Comments

I am writing to all the subscribers of my blog to ask them to download and sign (see bottom of blog post for link) an open letter from Ethical Metalsmiths and Fair Jewellery Action in support of the purity of the Fairtrade Fairmined chain of custody on the gold from certified mines.

Currently the Alliance for Responsible Mining and Responsible Jewellery Council are moving towards a partnership that MAY lead to the mass-balancing of certified Fairtrade Gold to RJC members (refiners, jewellery brands etc).

Mass balancing is endemic in the gold industry, a process where by you can mix different sources of gold so that the origin of that gold becomes lost. Currently this practice is not permitted within the spirit of the Fairtrade Fairmined standard.

Ameriko is one of the Oro Verde Fairtrade Fairmined certified miners

The strength of the Fairtrade Fairmined Gold standard has been its purity from source, the excellent standards created by ARM and FLO and minimum price and premium paid to the miners to secure community development. In just one year SOTRAMI, one of the Peruvian certified mines received in excess of £70000 in FT premiums that has gone to education and the creation of a community co-operative store.  The system is working, albeit still small, but growing. For example we are currently putting the finishing touches to a UK and Ireland Fairtrade Fairmined gold campaign that over its three year duration is targeting one ton of FT Gold into the UK by 2015. Fair Jewelry Action and Ethical Metalsmiths are actively working on introducing the certified gold to the USA, as well as Sweden and Holland being the latest countries to adopt the product.

The risk to the system lies squarely in the lack of clarity and transparency around the deal that ARM and RJC are about to do on (the potential) mass balancing of gold from certified sources. As things stand at the moment (and they could change) RJC members could buy from a certified source, call it responsible (which it would be) mass balance it with gold from other large-scale or recycled sources (to increase volumes) and NOT pay the Fairtrade premium. They big companies would benefit from everyone’s hard work and not reward the miners.

Let us be clear and honest. Not all the gold currently being mined from certified sources is being sold into the Fairtrade Fairmined system. This is true. What is also true is that all the certified sources are selling their gold into the normal supply chain regardless. So no miner is stock piling their gold, it is all being sold. The real issue here is not sales of gold, it is that the volume of Fairtrade sales needs to climb and that is a market issue not a gold sales issue.

As the open letter states very clearly;

We actively encourage RJC members to become a part of the FT/FM certification system by purchasing FT/FM gold, paying the FT Premium, and thereby making a positive contribution to future development and security of the certified communities.

If RJC members do this, all is good, volumes increase, miners are rewarded for their diligence in becoming certified and consumers will benefit from being able to buy Fairtrade gold in their jewellery.

If this does not happen and mass balancing takes place through RJC members, the miners will not benefit from premiums, (they will just have different customers), the traders will make more money as they benefit from the volume game, the consumer will be denied choice in the gold jewellery purchase and the possibility of a heavy weight corporate company buying up all the production and denying others the possibility of paying the miners a premium and having access to certified production, becomes a very real possibility.

Therefore I am asking every jeweller, jewellery company, Fairtrade Fairmined license holder, industry activist, NGO and concerned consumer, (if you have not done so already) to sign the Open Letter by downloading it here and then emailing Marc Choyt directly at reflective@cybermesa.com and he will add your name to the growing list (54 jewellers in the first 4 hours) of jewellers from around the world who have a different vision for the future of our industry.

ARM-RJC_Community_Letter_FINAL (Download here).

I want to thank you for your support in this. Rome was not built in a day, but to quote Ervin Renteria a small-scale miners from Colombia and one of the co-founders of ARM, alongside myself, ‘We will keep walking’.

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Posted in Fairtrade, Fairtrade Fairmined Gold, Fairtrade Gold, Gold, News, Press Releases, Small-Scale Mining

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Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold celebrates first birthday and moves into Africa

Posted on March 6, 2012 | 1 Comment

The world’s first independent ethical certification system for responsibly mined gold – Fairtrade and Fairmined gold – celebrates its first anniversary this Fairtrade Fortnight (27 Feb – 11 March).

Highlights  for Fairtrade and Fairmined gold jewellery’s first year included bespoke commissions which adorned the fingers of TV presenter, radio DJ and model Lisa Snowdon and Livia Firth as part of her Green Carpet Challenge at the 2011 Oscars.

The Fairtrade Foundation, which certifies the gold, announce that 350kg per year of gold will soon be available to jewellers, with more to follow.  In the first year of trading, four gold mining organisations have become certified and an additional two are currently going through the inspection process and will enter the system in May.

The Fairtrade Foundation reports that sales of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold bullion reached  an estimated £700,000 in 2011.

People living in the isolated Peruvian community of Santa Filomena have already reaped the benefits Sotrami, the first Peruvian mining organisation to be certified, began working with Cred Jewellery. Thanks to the Fairtrade premium, the community invested in healthcare, built an extension to the primary school and bought computers for the senior school. They opened a not-for-profit convenience store which means the 500-strong community can buy food at reasonable prices.

Retailers and jewellers say customers have responded positively to the gold, indicating that businesses will continue to expand their commitment to Fairtrade’s model of ethical sourcing. Fairtrade and Fairmined gold jewellery commissions have adorned the fingers of TV presenter, radio DJ and model Lisa Snowdon and Livia Firth as part of her Green Carpet Challenge at the Oscars this year.

And supplies of gold are set to increase further. Thanks to a grant of £820,318 from Comic Relief over the next three years, the Fairtrade Foundation will be partnering with Fairtrade Africa, the Alliance for Responsible Mining and Solidaridad to develop gold supplies from artisanal and small-scale miners in Africa.

Mining in Africa often involves unsafe use of mercury, deforestation, poor working conditions and child labour. The programme will work with eight mining groups in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to develop their technical skills to improve hazardous working conditions. Training will also concentrate on eliminating child labour and the democratic organisation of the mining groups. This will mean that gold mined by impoverished African artisanal and small- scale miners can get into international markets through transparent supply chains.

The project aims to raise consumers’ awareness of the challenges faced by the African miners as well as influencing the international public policy agenda, through the development of a network of civil society and local governments.

Fairtrade Foundation Business Development Manager Victoria Waugh says:  ‘We are very excited to celebrate the anniversary of the world’s first responsibly mined gold and are delighted that Comic Relief are making this hugely significant investment which gives a real opportunity to some of the world’s poorest miners in Africa.

‘Through the financial and developmental benefits of Fairtrade – including additional premium, pre-finance and long-term business relations with traders – even more producers have a chance to lift themselves out of poverty and create sustainable livelihoods for their families and communities.

‘We’re calling on the jewellery industry to support artisanal miners by choosing to source certified gold for their business, and consumers to take a step for gold miners by buying jewellery pieces marked with the Fairtrade and Fairmined dual stamp.’

The Fairtrade Foundation is currently working with 40 jewellers, almost double since the launch, and has licensed 591 individual jewellery pieces plus several entire collections.  New companies which have come on board since the launch include Cool Diamonds, Charles Green, Anna Loucah, Steven Einhorn, Samantha Salmons, Jessica Poole, Hattie Rickards, Dale Aldington-Hunt, Oak Fine Jewellery, September Rose, Melville Fine Jewellery, Arabel Lebrusan, Kaanaanmaa, Pravins, Diana Porter Jewellery, Alex Monroe, Lynsey Pluck, Regal Jewellery, Erica Sharpe, Good as Gold and Vipa Designs. Anna Loucah Fine Jewellery designed the first Fairtrade and Fairmined gold to be seen on the Oscars red carpet in 2011, and will launch initial pieces from her new ‘Sacred’ collection during Fairtrade Fortnight 2012 with the full collection, including engagement rings, planned for later in the year.  Made from Fairtrade and Fairmined ecological gold with diamonds, the pieces have a geometric feel and feature kinetic elements. http://www.annaloucah.com.

Pioneering Fairtrade licensee Cred Jewellery has signed an exclusive manufacturing and licensing partnership with British bridal jewellery manufacturer Brown & Newirth.  Their Fairtrade and Fairmined gold wedding rings were launched at The Jewellery Show this month, and will be available under both the Cred and Brown & Newirth brand names. http://www.credjewellery.com

Specialist diamond jewellery brand, Cool Diamonds is now offering customers the choice of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold when ordering designs in store and through their website http://www.cooldiamonds.com.

Wedding ring and jewellery manufacturer Charles Green have created an 18 carat bridal collection in Fairtrade and Fairmined gold.  The range includes engagement rings with matching ‘wed fit’ plain and diamond set wedding rings.  http://www.charles-green.com.

The Fairtrade Foundation plans to build consumer awareness of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold over the coming year and will help consumers better understand why buying jewellery made from Fairtrade and Fairmined gold for a special occasion holds greater value and significance.

Estimated UK retail sales of all Fairtrade products in 2011 reached £1.32bn, a 12% increase on sales of £1.17bn in 2010.

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Posted in Fairtrade Fairmined Gold, Fairtrade Gold, Gold, News, Press Releases

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