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cutting and polishing owned or controlled by the De Beers Group of Companies or by Sightholders, are undertaken in a professional, ethical and environmentally friendly and accountable way. The BPP Assurance Programme * comprises a management system and set of assessment tools, a key element of which is self-assessment using the BPP Workbook. The information provided by completing the BPP Workbook measures compliance with the BPPs systematically, in accordance with the BPP Requirements.
The BPP Requirements incorporate best practice measuring and reporting standards, such as the standard of Social Accountability International (SA8000) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
For example, the requirements of the BPPs to provide proper working conditions and to ensure the fair treatment of individuals means in practice that the BPPs require freedom of association, adherence to standards relating to health, hygiene, overcrowding, working hours and safety hazards, and the elimination of the use of child labour, discrimination, and forced or bonded labour. This guidance is rooted in the labour standards of many countries and the International Labour Group/Entity/Facility (ILO). The reporting guidelines and performance indicators of the GRI are used to produce BPP Workbooks, which help to provide assurance to a range of different stakeholder groups.
Critically, the BPP Assurance Programme provides a means of checking compliance with requirements relating to anti-money laundering and terrorism financing activities, as well as independent monitoring to ensure that the obligations of the Kimberley Process are satisfied.
Responsible Jewellery Council (14)
The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international not-for-profit standards setting organisation, co-founded by Rosy Blue (NI) and 13 other organisations in 2005 (ABN AMRO, BHP Billiton/ Dominium Diamonds, Cartier, World
Jewellery Confederation, Diamond Trading Company, Diarough, Jewelers
of America, National Association of Goldsmiths (UK), Newmont Mining, Responsible Jewellery
Rio Tinto, Signet Group, Tiffany & Co and Zale Corporation. RJC Members Council
are committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social and
environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the industry. Their commitment aims to reinforce consumer and stakeholder confidence in diamond, gold and platinum metals and jewellery products.
Over 500 companies and trade associations have joined the initiative, representing the whole supply chain, from mine to retail. Rosy Blue NI has been actively involved from the start at Board and Committee levels.
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