Eight of the World\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Leading Jewelry Retailers Urge Mining Industry To Clean Up \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcDirty\u00e2\u20ac\u2122
\nGold
\nCSR Wire
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New York City\u00e2\u20ac\u201dFor the first time ever, eight of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s top jewelry retailers have pledged to move away from \u00e2\u20ac\u0153dirty\u00e2\u20ac\u009d gold sales and are calling on mining corporations to ensure that gold is produced in more socially and environmentally responsible ways. The retailers, which are the Zale Corp., the Signet Group (the parent firm of Sterling and Kay Jewelers), Tiffany & Co., Helzberg Diamonds, Fortunoff, Cartier, Piaget, and Van Cleef & Arpels, are being praised by the No Dirty Gold campaign today in a full-page ad in The New York Times, timed to coincide with Valentine\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day, one of the biggest jewelry-buying holidays in the United States.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because jewelry retailers buy the majority of gold produced worldwide, they have the power to help clean up the mining industry,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Payal Sampat, co-director of the No Dirty Gold campaign and international campaign director for EARTHWORKS. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We applaud the leadership of these companies. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an important first step.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
More than 80 percent of the gold produced worldwide is used to make jewelry. Retail sales of jewelry in the U.S. alone surpassed $45 billion in 2004, of which gold jewelry accounted for $17 billion. The eight companies identified as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153leaders\u00e2\u20ac\u009d together represent $6.3 billion in retail jewelry sales, or 14 percent of sales in the United States, which is second only to India in annual gold consumption. Four of the top 10 U.S. jewelry firms \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Zales, Kay Jewelers (Sterling\/Signet), Tiffany & Co., and Helzberg Diamonds \u00e2\u20ac\u201c are among the firms identified as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153leaders.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The New York Times ad (available at www.nodirtygold.org) features a heart-shaped locket with images depicting the environmental and human toll of gold mining, and the headline \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing romantic about a toxic gold mine.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The ad then names both the retail jewelry \u00e2\u20ac\u0153leaders,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that have made in-principle commitments to sourcing more responsibly produced gold and those \u00e2\u20ac\u0153laggard\u00e2\u20ac\u009d companies that have not yet done so. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153laggard\u00e2\u20ac\u009d retailers identified by the campaign are Rolex, JCPenney, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer Jewelers, Whitehall Jewellers, Jostens, QVC, and Sears\/Kmart.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Despite growing demand from concerned consumers, mining corporations have yet to significantly reduce the harm their operations are inflicting on communities in many parts of the world,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Keith Slack, co-director of the No Dirty Gold campaign and senior policy advisor for Oxfam America. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When major jewelry retailers demand ethically produced gold for their products, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for the mining industry to take note and make changes in their practices.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Growing controversy over new mine proposals and news stories detailing environmental and human rights abuses and corruption within the gold mining industry have prompted retailers to worry about their brand reputations and have spurred consumers to question the source of their gold purchases. Since the No Dirty Gold campaign was launched two years ago, more than 30,000 consumers have signed a petition urging mining corporations to clean up their act and produce gold more responsibly.<\/p>\n
The jewelry industry \u00e2\u20ac\u0153leaders\u00e2\u20ac\u009d named by the No Dirty Gold campaign have endorsed human rights, environmental, and social justice principles that call for responsible practices in producing gold and precious metals. These include:
\n(1) Respect for basic human rights outlined in international conventions and law;
\n(2) Free, prior, and informed consent from affected communities;
\n(3) Respect for workers’ rights and labor standards;
\n(4) Protecting parks and natural reserves from mining; and,
\n(5) Protecting oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams from mining wastes.<\/p>\n
The production of a single gold ring generates, on average, 20 tons of waste. Gold mining has caused massive environmental destruction, contaminated fisheries and fresh water used for drinking and irrigation, and displaced tens of thousands of rural farming, fishing, and ranching communities.<\/p>\n
“For too long, the people who are buying and selling gold have been blind to mining’s impacts on the water, the air, the land, and communities like the Western Shoshone. What we’re talking about is the life of future generations \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and not just Indian children, but all children,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Carrie Dann of the Western Shoshone Defense Project. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But today, some of the leading jewelry retailers are recognizing that they have a responsibility not only to their customers but also to communities affected by gold mining.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Approximately half the gold produced worldwide between 1995 and 2015 has or will come from indigenous peoples’ lands.<\/p>\n
The No Dirty Gold campaign is not a boycott on gold, but is working to end destructive mining practices, educate consumers about gold mining\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s impacts and build consumer support for industry reform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eight of the World\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Leading Jewelry Retailers Urge Mining Industry To Clean Up \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcDirty\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Gold CSR Wire New York City\u00e2\u20ac\u201dFor the first time ever, eight of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s top jewelry retailers have pledged to move away from \u00e2\u20ac\u0153dirty\u00e2\u20ac\u009d gold sales and are calling on mining corporations to ensure that gold is produced in more socially […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[411],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n