Birgie Diamonds, along with the global diamond industry, has a zero-tolerance policy toward conflict diamonds. Through measures such as the Kimberley Process, which tracks diamonds from mine to market, the industry in partnership with the United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations, polices diamond exports to prevent the trade of illegal diamonds.
At Birgie Diamonds, we only purchase diamonds through the largest and most respected suppliers who, like us, proudly adhere to and enforce the standards established by the Kimberley Process. All Birgie's diamonds are warranted to be conflict free. If one of our suppliers was ever found to be in violation of that process, we would immediately sever that relationship. We will continue to support and promote any process that works to uphold legitimacy in the diamond trade.
About the Kimberley Process
Birgie Diamonds supports the Kimberley process, which is an International process to track and certify diamonds. In April 2003, congress and President Bush passed a law adopting the Kimberley Process that requires all US diamond retailers to buy diamonds from manufacturers who have documentation warranting that the merchandise was obtained through legitimate channels. Today, the US Customs Service actively enforces the Kimberley Process requirements as diamonds enter American ports.
Concerning Zimbabwe Diamonds
Birgie Diamonds is committed to ensuring that the highest ethical standards are observed when sourcing our diamonds and jewelry. Because of the reported human rights abuses in Zimbabwe's Marange diamond district, Birgie Diamonds will not purchase or offer diamonds from that area. As a responsible member of the diamond and jewelry industry, we are working with our suppliers to ensure our consumers receive only the finest goods procured from ethical sources.
The Birgie Diamonds Position on Responsible Mining
Across our business, Birgie Diamonds observes the highest ethical standards. We insist our business partners do the same. This extends to our gold sourcing. The issue of responsible mining is an important one and deserves our attention.
As a signatory of The Golden Rules, and as a first step, we will:
- Work to ensure that our gold and metals come from suppliers that meet the highest human rights, social, and environmental criteria.
- Engage suppliers to influence the sourcing of gold products.
- Research mining, refinement, and manufacturing practices of gold that moves through the supply chain.
- Give preference to suppliers that source gold from mines that observe high standards of environmental stewardship.
- In concert with our suppliers, commit to increased gold sourcing from recycled and secondary sources.
- Measure and establish benchmarks with a goal of continuous improvement.
Birgie Diamonds views its policy on responsible mining as an evolving standard. It commits to continuously review our position with the goal of expanding it over time to have the broadest possible impact.
