INTRODUCTION

The watch and jewellery sector comprises a wide range of businesses and activities, from manufacturing, including raw material production and processing, retailing, and distribution, to marketing and advertising. While each of these different business activities will have its own human rights profile and challenges, the sector as a whole faces a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape and increased stakeholder pressure to respect and promote human rights throughout the value chain.

The following update provides an overview of important resources for watch and jewellery companies to stay abreast of developments in the business and human rights field.

REPORTS, GUIDANCE, AND INDICES

RMI publishes report on supply chain sustainability in the mining sector (link)

The report examines the growth in mining and mineral processing as decarbonization significantly increases the need for critical minerals. The report illustrates how industry can differentiate between responsibly produced minerals and their counterparts and maps out a path forward, minimizing “nonfungible” damages that cannot be offset, such as child labor. Specifically, recommendations include deploying and strengthening product-level standards to drive commodity differentiation; deploy tracking technology to enable traceability; aggregate demand with buyers’ alliances; mobilize investors with investors’ coalitions; and tighten regulations and leverage public procurement.

Human Rights Watch publishes report on social audits (link)

The report, titled “Why social audits can’t fix labor rights abuses in global supply chains”, is based on insights from numerous auditors, industry experts, workers, and social audit reports, and notes that social audits and related supplier certifications have proliferated in recent decades, but are an inadequate tool to ensure respect for human rights and environmental standards. Some of the issues highlighted in the report are the pressure to drive down audit costs which lead to a lower quality, efforts to hide irregularities during audits, and the fact that social audits cannot substitute remediation.

Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) and Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI) publish briefing on the rights of Indigenous peoples (IP) (link)

The briefing demonstrates the outsized role played by indigenous peoples in the protection of climate, land, and environment, which comes with disproportionate risks, noting that 95% of the attacks against Indigenous HRDs between January 2015 and August 2022 were against climate, land, and environmental rights defenders. The briefing includes deep dives on selected topic and industries including biofuels, transition minerals mining, and conservation projects, and discusses recent legal decisions related to indigenous peoples’ rights. It includes recommendations for States, the Board of the Green Climate Fund, companies, and investors.

SOMO publishes paper on supply chain transparency in the leatherwear industry (link)

The paper analyzes the current state of supply chain transparency through an investigation on 100 international buyers in the luxury goods and footwear segments of the garment industry, as well as online retailers. Key findings include the low percentage (less than one-third) of buyers that publish a supplier list, a lack of public information, and weak guidance provided by industry initiatives and certification schemes.

The WJI2030 team and members of the Initiative, including representatives from many of the world’s leading watch, jewellery and diamond brands, came together in an inaugural workshop in Paris in October to review the current sustainability scene in the watch and jewellery industry, to shape a vision for creating positive impact, provide updates on their governance structure, and to advance a shared focus through collaboration and partnerships. 

“We thank our members as well as Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Arabesque (ESG Book), BSR, Hill & Co for joining us in person (and remotely) for the first Members’ Workshop at Kering in Paris. Thank you Marie-Claire Daveu for hosting us in your beautiful premises,” said WJI2030 Executive Director Iris Van Der Veken.

“This is the beginning of an exciting journey towards 2030. We have an important mission to leave no one behind. The time is now.”

This is the second workshop, in follow up of our first Members Forum at Kering in October. WJI 2030 now invites its members and partners to at Cartier’s offices in Meyrin, Switzerland, just outside Geneva, on February 15, 2023, to align on roadmaps for its three key pillars, climate resilience, preserving resources, and fostering inclusiveness.

“The next workshop will focus on the strategic Roadmap ahead and give the opportunity to  discuss and share the valuable input from our members in close collaboration with  the Boston Consulting Group and BSR,” says Iris Van Der Veken, Executive Director of WJI 2030.

WJI 2030 urges no backsliding on agreements secured at the COP27 Summit in Egypt, including limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and welcomes the new fund for loss and damage as a means of helping to safeguard the most vulnerable communities.

It is vital to push forward a bolder, more ambitious agenda to protect the environment and endangered people, and WJI 2030 supports all efforts to raise environmental standards.

“Major emitters must do more to keep the 1.5 C goal alive,” says Iris Van Der Veken, Executive Director of the WJI 2030.

Iris added, “WJI 2030 welcomes the landmark new fund for loss and damage as it will contribute to better conditions for countries — and communities — hardest hit by climate change.

“The agreement at COP27 was a positive step in responding to the devastating impact that global warming is already having on vulnerable countries.”

Countries closed the U.N. climate summit in November with an agreement to create a fund to help poor countries being battered by climate disasters.

WJI 2030 urges prompt and efficient action to establish the fund. The agreement at COP27 has set out a roadmap for resolving questions such as who will oversee the fund, how the money will be distributed, and to whom.

The Initiative is driving forward its mission to accelerate positive impact in building climate resilience, as well as preserving resources, and fostering inclusiveness.

“We hope to discuss these concrete actions and roadmaps with our members and hear their thoughts and vision,” Iris says.

The WJI2030 team and members of the Initiative, including representatives from many of the world’s leading watch, jewellery and diamond brands, came together in an inaugural workshop in Paris in October to review the current sustainability scene in the watch and jewellery industry, to shape a vision for creating positive impact, provide updates on their governance structure, and to advance a shared focus through collaboration and partnerships. 

“We thank our members as well as Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Arabesque (ESG Book), BSR, Hill & Co for joining us in person (and remotely) for the first Members’ Workshop at Kering in Paris. Thank you Marie-Claire Daveu for hosting us in your beautiful premises,” said WJI2030 Executive Director Iris Van Der Veken.

“This is the beginning of an exciting journey towards 2030. We have an important mission to leave no one behind. The time is now.”

Focus on supporting ambitious goals, developing education content

CARLSBAD, Calif. – October 27, 2022 – GIA (Gemological Institute of America), the industry leader in gemological research, education and science-based gem evaluation, joined the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 (WJI 2030) as part of the Institute’s ongoing commitment to collaborative efforts to advance sustainability in its operations and activities, and throughout the global gem, jewelry and watch industry.

“GIA is very proud to support the ambitious goals and aspirations of WJI 2030 as an extension of our commitment to a more sustainable future for the world, our industry and our Institute,” said Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO. “We look forward to bringing our expertise, resources and focus on protecting consumers to support this important new initiative.”

The co-chairs of WJI 2030, Cyrille Vigneron, president and CEO of Cartier International, and Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer of Kering, shared, “We welcome GIA to WJI 2030 as the first gemological research, education and laboratory organization to join. WJI wants to grow naturally through purpose-driven leadership. The Institute, with its expertise and mindset for positive change, will bring great added value to building a strong, inclusive and impactful framework for our initiative.”

Speaking on the eve of the first WJI member workshop, held October 26 in Paris, France, Iris Van der Veken, WJI 2030 executive director and secretary general, said, “We are very pleased to welcome GIA to WJI. GIA brings with it a deep commitment to consumer protection, unparalleled understanding of the industry, a commitment to science-based standards and a well- deserved reputation for independence and trust.”

At the same event, Johanna Levy, GIA’s vice president of environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) programs, said, “Supporting WJI 2030 will build on GIA’s many existing sustainability initiatives. Our next steps are to carefully document our footprint and set science- based targets to reduce that footprint.”

As an affiliate member, GIA will work with WJI to develop robust ESG content for its industry- leading education programs to help prepare the next generation of industry leaders to further advance sustainability within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals.

Earlier this year, GIA committed to issuing only digital gemological reports by 2025, avoiding the use of 20 tons of paper and 18.5 tons of plastic each year and reducing shipping-related carbon emissions. GIA also added the GIA Source Verification Service to its gem origin programs, addressing the consumer desire and market need for verified diamond source information. Another program, the GIA gem guide for artisanal miners launched in 2017, continues to have a verifiable positive impact on the livelihoods of individuals – many women – and mining communities in East Africa. GIA has been a member of the UN Global Compact since 2012 and is a long-time member of the Responsible Jewellery Council.

About GIA

An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight and, in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading SystemTM which is recognized around the world as the standard for diamond quality.

Through research, education, gemological laboratory services and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science and professionalism. Visit GIA.edu.

About the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030

Driven by a common conviction that the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aspirations for a sustainable industry can only be achieved through collaborative efforts, the Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030 has been launched by Cartier and Kering.

The Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030, Member of the Global Compact and signatory of the Women Empowerment Principles is a global initiative open to all Watch and Jewellery players with a national or international footprint committed to a common core of key sustainability goals in three areas: building climate resilience, preserving resources, and fostering inclusiveness.