Sourcing

Signet’s Plan for Tracing its Diamond Sourcing

SourcingFeb 19, 2016

Signet’s Plan for Tracing its Diamond Sourcing

The world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry has launched an ambitious initiative that, over time, aims to assure that the millions of diamonds it buys every year come from identified sources.

20160219_Signet-press-conference.jpg
Signet’s David Bouffard (left) and Erik Jens, global head of diamond and jewelry clients for ABN Amro bank, at the press conference held Tuesday afternoon announcing Signet’s new sourcing protocol for diamonds. (Photo credit: David Stewart Brown)

New York--Signet Jewelers Ltd. has launched an ambitious initiative that, over time, aims to assure that the millions of diamonds it buys every year come from identified sources.

Announced at press conference held Tuesday at Jewelers of America’s headquarters in New York, the Signet Responsible Sourcing Protocol for Diamonds builds on existing diamond industry standards including the Kimberley Process, the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains to have the retailer’s diamond suppliers map their supply chains more thoroughly than ever.

It’s an initiative that, at its root, addresses the U.S. government’s desire to ensure that consumer goods sold here aren’t tied to human rights abuses, the banking sector’s concerns with transparency in the diamond industry and the younger generations’ desire to know the origin of the products they buy.

“Today’s millennial expectations are very high,” David Bouffard, Signet’s vice president of corporate affairs, said in opening the press conference. “They want to know where the products came from, they want to know who’s made them, they want to understand the journey that the product’s taken as they make a considered purchase like a diamond engagement ring or any piece of diamond jewelry.”

In the protocol’s first year, 2016, the retailer is asking its diamond suppliers to work toward compliance by demonstrating that they are examining their supply chain and determining what proportion of their supply comes from “responsible sources,” Bouffard said.

Signet also expects all its diamond suppliers to join the Responsible Jewellery Council “at the earliest opportunity.”

This initial due diligence will, in turn, tell Signet what percentage of its diamond supply currently is traceable back to the industry’s known diamond producers, De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond, providing it a baseline from which it can map its progress.  

By September of this year, Signet expects its suppliers to start classifying all the diamonds they provide to the retailer into one of four categories.

1) Single stone tracking. Individual diamonds supplied by or sourced from “identified and verified” diamond producers such as De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto or Dominion, which mines diamonds in Canada.

2) Parcel tracking. Parcels of diamonds from sources such as those listed above that were not individually tracked but verified to have derived from these producers.

3) Mixed sources. This category allows for the mixing of diamonds deriving from a number

of different sources, with some percentage of the diamonds deriving from identified and verified sources. This category would include melee.

4) Other identified and verified sources. This category applies to diamonds that derive from a producer country or particular mine, originally sourced from companies other than De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto or Dominion. This category includes diamonds mined by artisans.

In 2017, the second year of the protocol, supply chain audits likely will begin.

Bouffard said during the press conference that because Signet is conscious of potential “audit fatigue” among suppliers, it harmonized its audits with those already required by the RJC and De Beers’s Best Practice Principles, or BPP, so they all can be done at the same time.

Tuesday’s announcement raised a number of questions about the implementation of such a system; chief among them were the feasibility of sources reliably reporting the origin of their diamonds and the potential impact the protocol could have on smaller suppliers, particularly in a market where the midstream players already are struggling to remain profitable.

The one manufacturer present at the press conference, Michael Steinmetz of Leo Schachter Diamonds, said while he doesn’t dispute that the fact that there are going to be extra costs involved in implementing the protocol, they haven’t turned out to be significant for his company, although he added that he “can’t speak for those small manufacturers who can’t tell you where their goods are from.”

The speakers at Tuesday’s press conference also reiterated several times that the protocol is a work in progress.

“We don’t pretend that this is the perfect approach,” said John Hall, who worked as a consultant for Signet on the project. “We know it can be improved.”

This is the third sourcing protocol established by Signet.

The other two--for gold and for the “three Ts,” tin, tantalum and tungsten--were established after the federal government passed the Dodd Frank Act and its so-called conflict minerals provision in 2010.

The provision required that all publicly traded companies essentially map their gold supply chains and report to the Securities and Exchange Commission if any of the minerals they use originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or one of nine neighboring countries.

Bouffard said Signet did not lose a single supplier in implementing its sourcing protocol for gold.

When asked if he expects the same for diamonds, he said, “We intend to do everything we can (to keep them all) but we’ve got to understand the supply chain better.”

Signet’s entire Responsible Sourcing Protocol for Diamonds is available on SignetJewelers.com. The retailer said all companies involved in the diamond industry are free to adopt the protocol and apply it to their supply chains.

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

Future Fortune sapphire ring
TechnologyMar 28, 2024
Pinterest’s 2024 Wedding Report Is Out

The report shows that couples are searching for vintage and antique rings, gold jewelry, pearls, and colorful pieces.

David Ettinger
IndependentsMar 28, 2024
David Ettinger of Bechdel Jewelers Dies at 69

He’s remembered as a “font of passion,” leaving behind a legacy of dedication to his craft and community.

Jewelers of America logo
IndependentsMar 28, 2024
JA to Host Series of Learning Workshops

The first one will take place next month during the Jewelers of Louisiana’s and Mississippi Jewelers Association’s conventions.

Jewelers of America Fly In Washington, D.C.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers of America Represents Your Business

For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Madison Avenue NYC store
WatchesMar 28, 2024
Peek Inside Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Revamped NYC Flagship

The redesigned boutique features interactive displays and a workshop space for hands-on learning about watchmaking.

Weekly QuizMar 28, 2024
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge with this short test.
Take the Quiz
Kira Diam solar plant
Lab-GrownMar 27, 2024
Indian Lab-Grown Diamond Manufacturers Keep Growing

A combination of factors is driving growth in the industry despite the precipitous drop in prices across the board.

SRK Empire and SRK House
Policies & IssuesMar 27, 2024
SRK Exports’ Journey Toward Net Zero Impact

By the end of this year, SRK’s diamond manufacturing complexes will achieve net zero emissions, one of an impressive array of achievements.

BTYB-HoBrothers-updated.png
Brought to you by
The Scalable, Professional, and Effortless Solution for High-Demand Custom Jewelry Retailers

Ho Brothers offers scalable solutions for the future of custom jewelry.

Georgia May Jagger Tommy Hilfiger ad campaign
FinancialsMar 27, 2024
Movado’s Full-Year Sales Sink 11%

The company plans to invest $25 million in marketing initiatives to boost awareness around its namesake and licensed brands.

Hand holding shopping bags
SurveysMar 27, 2024
Consumer Confidence Held Steady in March

Optimism about the current state of the economy was offset by anxiety around inflation and the political environment.

Bernadette Mack
Policies & IssuesMar 27, 2024
Mercury Free Mining Hires Bernadette Mack

The former WJA executive director is MFM’s new managing director.

April Is Diamonds Do Good Month
Policies & IssuesMar 27, 2024
Diamonds Do Good Announces Its April Initiative

DDG encourages retailers to educate customers on the positive impact of purchasing natural diamonds.

Tiffany & Co. With Love, Since 1837
MajorsMar 26, 2024
Tiffany & Co. Debuts ‘With Love, Since 1837’ Campaign

Highlighting the most iconic Tiffany collections, it’s inspired by the company’s late window designer, Gene Moore.

National Jeweler columnists Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams
ColumnistsMar 26, 2024
Creative Connecting: AI Tools and Tips for Social Media

Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen explore how jewelers can save time and money by using AI to analyze engagement and create content.

Nordstrom Men’s Store New York City
MajorsMar 26, 2024
Nordstrom May Go Private, Says Report

The retailer previously turned down an $8.4 billion offer in 2018.

Interior of Miami Lakes Jewelers
IndependentsMar 26, 2024
Miami Lakes Jewelers to Close After 37 Years

The Florida store’s owner Miguel Gonzalez is retiring.

 International Gemological Institute
GradingMar 26, 2024
IGI Announces Tech for ID’ing Lab-Grown Colored Diamonds

The lab stresses the importance of accurate identification, as the difference in price is “substantial.”

Kendra Scott lab-grown diamond jewelry
CollectionsMar 25, 2024
Kendra Scott Debuts Lab-Grown Diamond Fashion Jewelry

The brand also plans to expand its retail footprint from 138 to 200 stores over the next three years.

Instappraise logo NAJA logo
Events & AwardsMar 25, 2024
NAJA, Instappraise Offering Scholarships for Aspiring Jewelry Appraisers

One is reserved for a NAJA member, the other for a non-member.

Carie Lehrke and Megan Mattice
MajorsMar 25, 2024
Borsheims Announces New VP of HR, Assistant Manager

Longtime employees Carie Lehrke and Megan Mattice have received promotions.

My Next Question graphic vintage jewelry webinar
Recorded WebinarsMar 22, 2024
Watch: How to Buy and Sell Vintage Jewelry

Three guests joined National Jeweler and Jewelers of America to discuss trending time periods, spotting reproductions, and more.

Chris Clipper and Robert Lepere
MajorsMar 22, 2024
David Yurman Announces New CFO, Chief People Officer

Chris Clipper and Robert Lepere join the company with 50 years of combined experience.

Nakard pyrite earrings
CollectionsMar 22, 2024
Piece of the Week: Nakard’s Pyrite Earrings

The trendy, metallic earrings wink at classic spring colors.

Stock image of police cars with their lights on
CrimeMar 21, 2024
Sparks Fly as Burglars Lose Safe on California Freeway

JSA said a man and woman pulled the safe out of an Oakland jewelry store but couldn’t quite get it into their van.

Grizzly Mining rough emeralds
SourcingMar 21, 2024
Grizzly Sells 4,145-Carat Emerald for Over $1M

The miner’s March auction generated $19 million.

Helen McCluskey
MajorsMar 21, 2024
Signet Jewelers Names New Board Chair

Helen McCluskey will succeed H. Todd Stitzer when he meets his 12-year term limit in June.

Julia Roberts wearing a Chopard necklace
CollectionsMar 20, 2024
Julia Roberts Co-Designs New Chopard Jewelry Collection

“Chopard x Julia Roberts” showcases the first gems cut from the 6,000-carat-plus “Insofu Emerald."

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy