Are Diamond Mines Benefiting All Producing Communities?

with Farai Maguwu of the Center for Natural Resource Governance in Zimbabwe, and Hans Merket of International Peace and Information Service (9.20.2024)

The mental images diamonds conjure include luxury and beauty. However, behind the glitz and glamor lies a complex reality that in some cases involves human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and poverty in mining communities. During the September Living Room session, our guests Farai Maguwu, Executive Director of the Center for Natural Resource Governance in Zimbabwe, and Hans Merket, Research and Policy Manager at the International Peace and Information Service (IPIS) explored these issues and proposed solutions for a more sustainable and ethical future for the industry.

Go to the Takeaways.

Women in Mining: Gender, Climate, & Experimental Work on the Horizon

with Cristina Villegas of Pact and Hannah Wang’ombe of AWEIK (7.26.2024)

During our July Living Room session we delved into the critical role women play in the mining industry, particularly in the realm of colored gemstones. Together with our guests, Cristina Villegas of Pact and Hannah Wang’ombe of AWEIK, we explored the challenges faced by women in this sector and the potential for a more sustainable and equitable approach.

Go to the Takeaways.

Carbon Footprint Considerations for Jewelers

with David Jaber of Climate Positive Consulting (5.17.2024)

During this Living Room session, our guest David Jaber of Climate Positive Consulting provided valuable insights for jewelers seeking to understand and decrease their overall carbon footprint including considerations about emissions from jewelry materials like gold.

Go to the Takeaways.

Sierra Leone: Artisanal Diamond Mining as a Means for Change

with Fas Lebbie of Root Diamonds and Root Studios, and jewelry wholesaler Jared Amadeo Holstein (3.15.2024)

This Living Room session was dedicated to methods of working towards systemic change and a more sustainable future for diamond mining and impacted communities in Sierra Leone. Our guests for this session, Fas Lebbie, founder of Root Diamonds and Root Studios; and Jared Amadeo Holstein, San Francisco-based jewelry wholesaler, shared their approaches to increase local benefit from the industry for artisanal diamond miners.

Go to the Takeaways.

How CRAFT & the new ASM Progress app can help jewelers support artisanal miners

with Andres Ortega of the Alliance for Responsible Mining (2.16.2024)

For this Living Room session, we invited Andres Ortega, the Mining Sustainability coordinator at the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), to tell us about the Code of Risk-mitigation engaging in Formal Trade (also known as CRAFT) for artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM). Andres explained how CRAFT can become a bridge between ASM organizations and international purchasers. During the session, we also had a chance to take a look at the new ASM Progress app developed by ARM as a verification tool that jewelry companies will also be able to use in the future.

Go to the Takeaways.

Community Check-in

(11.17.2023)

We kept the November Living Room Session in a more casual and conversational format, offering jewelers an open space to be in community with each other. We took this time to review our consulting services, share experiences from the recent Fairmined trip to Colombia, answer your questions, swap advice between peers, and talk about what topics you’d like to see more of in future Living Rooms.

Go to the Takeaways.

Increasing Benefit to Producing Countries 

with Namwezi Nicole Batumike (Gender and Responsible Sourcing specialist, Panzi Foundation), Lotanna Amina Okpukpara (Principal Partner and Gemologist, Mina Stones), and Ola Erogbogbo (Co-founder, Deinté Fine Jewelry) (9.15.2023)

The September Living Room Session highlights the importance of creating more equitable systems in the jewelry industry by supporting producing-country value addition.

Go to the Takeaways.

Some seek to revive gold mining in CA, others say no 

with Wendy Schneider and Jaime Lopez Wolters of Friends of the Inyo, Kris Hohag, and jeweler Deb Durant (7.21.2023)

Friends of the Inyo is an organization whose mission is: “to ensure the public lands of the Eastern Sierra exist in an intact, healthy natural state for people and wildlife through preservation, stewardship, exploration, and education” and they are currently working to protect these public lands from being staked for new gold mining operations because environmental and indigenous land rights concerns are high.

Go to the Takeaways.
Submit comments to BLM here.

B-Corp Certification for Jewelers 

with Jenifer Gorin and Robin Gambhir (5.19.2023)

Decide for yourself, is B-Corp certification right for you? We know that the work to improve your jewelry company’s business, sourcing, and production practices is not easy and we’ve had numerous conversations with jewelers in the past about how to best convey those efforts to consumers. With the complexity of jewelry industry issues in mind, is it even possible to easily and quickly convey the extent of your efforts to your clientele?

Go to the Takeaways.

Making of: Talking Hands 

with Camilo Gómez Durán, Juana Méndez, and Ana María Sierra (3.17.2023)

During the March Living Room Session, we’re went backstage with Camilo Gómez Durán maker of the upcoming documentary film, Manos Que Hablan, that was mentioned in our 2021 ASM Living Room. Before this film is officially launched through the film festival circuit, we brought you a conversation about everything that went into the creation of the movie. Go to the Takeaways.

Redefining Recycled 

with Sabrina Karib (1.20.2023)

The January Living Room Session, “Redefining Recycled” is the second Living Room session dedicated to the topic of “recycled” precious metals. The Responsible Jewellery Council is in the process of changing the definition of “recycled” for their Chain of Custody standard. New definitions of “recycled gold” and “reprocessed gold” have also been proposed by the Precious Metals Impact Forum, founded by Sabrina Karib. During this session, we talked about the need to reach an industry-wide consensus on the definition of recycled precious metals and discussed the newly proposed definitions as well. Go to the Takeaways.

Understanding Legal Requirements for Jewelers

with Jewelers Vigilance Committee (11.18.2022)

What do the acronyms KYC, AML, SEC, or FTC have to do with your jewelry business? What does that revision to the Green Guides mean for the marketing language you use? What does “due diligence” actually entail? Learn the answers to these questions and more! Featuring a presentation by Tiffany Stevens, President, CEO and General Counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) and Sara Yood, Deputy General Counsel at the JVC. Go to the Takeaways.

Ethical Making Pledge and We Wield The Hammer - Sustainable Jewelry Education

with guests Dr. Karen Westland, Lisa McGovern, and Karen Smith (10.21.2022)

Teaching and learning systems have changed. Is the content keeping up with the needs of today? During this October Living Room Session, we brought together jewelry and metalsmithing educators from across the globe to begin a collaborative process of striving for clear guidelines in responsible and sustainable practices in jewelry and metalsmithing education programs. Go to the Takeaways.

Communicating Your Brand's Sustainability Story 

with a presentation by and Q&A session with communications specialist Brandee Dallow (08.19.2022)

Whether you’re a designer, a manufacturer, a small business or a larger-scale company, showcasing your sustainability initiatives and credentials can unlock some incredible benefits for your organization. So what does sustainability communication look like beyond clichés and greenwashing? In this Living Room session, we talk about the importance of having a sustainability communication strategy, how to identify what is important to communicate, what makes business communication about social and environmental commitments different from traditional communications and provide tips and examples of honest, transparent and realistic types of communication. Go to the Takeaways.

Behind the Scenes: Fairmined Trip to Peru

Presentations by Morgane Nzelemona, Account Management Specialist at the Alliance for Responsible Mining, and jewelers Daniella Samper, Saskia Shutt, and Francesco Belloni. (07.15.2022)

This Living Room session is a behind the scenes look at Fairmined certified mines located in Peru from the perspective of jewelers, Saskia Shutt, Daniella Samper, and Francesco Belloni. All three recently completed a trip organized by the Alliance for Responsible Mining for Fairmined licensed jewelers. In addition to their perspectives, technical insights about Fairmined Eco Gold are provided by the Alliance for Responsible Mining. Go to the Takeaways.

Back to Basics: Responsible Jewelry Practices

With an introduction by the CMC team (05.20.2022)

This Living Room session is about developing more thoughtful sourcing practices. With a presentation of CMC's methodology, we'll be cutting through the noise and helping make sense of what a responsible jewelry practice can look like while giving you a few tools to get started. Go to the Takeaways.

Diamonds and Their Troubled Realities - What's the Right Thing to Do?

with guests Susan Wheeler, Founder of The Responsible Jewelry Transformative, and Brad Brooks-Rubin, Senior Advisor at The Sentry (04.15.2022)

On the heels of a great discussion about international development at our March Living Room Session, we wanted to take a look at how that work is hindered by conflict in its myriad forms and definitions. This was a timely conversation in that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is being funded in part by diamond sales from the two thirds state owned Alrosa. However, we wanted to take this opportunity to once again shine a light on some of the other communities around the world that are negatively impacted by diamond production and to discuss the bigger picture of systemic changes in the diamond industry. Go to the Takeaways.

The Intersection of Jewelry and International Development

with guests Nikki Duncan, Technical Director/Chief of Party on the USAID-funded Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project, and Cristina Villegas, Director of Responsible Sourcing and Minerals at Pact (03.18.2022)

This Living Room Session's aim was to help jewelers understand their role in broader development strategies, how these approaches have changed over time, and what can be done to not repeat the past. Go to the Takeaways.

Supplier Conversations in Practice

with jewelers Ashley Thorne, Jalnar Dhanani-Wade, Zulaikha Aziz, and Will Nevins-Alderfer; and suppliers Monica Stephenson and Stuart Pool. (02.18.2022)

Following our January Living Room session, Conversations Worth Having with Cheri Torres, we wanted to see how the techniques and tips we learned to improve our conversations with jewelry suppliers translated in the real world. We spoke with our panel about their experience at the Tucson gem shows - what went well, what continues to feel challenging, and what situations may call for group accountability. Go to the Takeaways.

Conversations Worth Having

Cheri Torres, PhD. (01.21.2022)

During this workshop style Living Room, we explored a challenge we all share, the often difficult and sometimes tense conversations we have with suppliers of gold, gemstones, and diamonds.
Most suppliers being asked don't even have the answers for a variety of reasons, and so the dialogue is often uncomfortable, evasive, and confusing and is cited by jewelers as a common obstacle. Go to the Takeaways.
 

Before you watch.  Halfway through the discussion, the conversation shifts in a way that may be triggering for some viewers or listeners because it addresses racism in the jewelry industry and reveals how individuals, in their privilege, perpetuate it. The CMC team is including this part of the video because it demonstrates the need for collective accountability alongside appreciative inquiry. We heard this call and we are taking action, for our internal work, building tools for our audience, and actions that can be carried out into the jewelry industry. We hope you'll watch and share your feedback with us. Thank you.

Current ASGM Initiatives, pt. 2 

Solidaridad in Ghana & Andrea Jose Castro (11.19.2021)

A part two to our October Living Room session, the November session was a further look at two initiatives in the sector of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Featuring Carla Neefs, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Solidaridad Europe and Yaw Britwum Opoku, the Program Manager for Gold at Solidaridad West Africa & Andrea Jose Castro, Founder and Creative Director of Casa Collab jewelry studio. Go to the Takeaways.

Current ASGM Initiatives, pt. 1 

USAID Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project & Ethical Metalsmiths Action Coalition (10.15.2021)

This Living Room includes a review of basic facts about ASGM, an overview of the USAID Zahabu Safi (Clean Gold) Project, an introduction to an ASGM consumer awareness campaign from members of the Ethical Metalsmiths Action Coalition, and a Q&A session. Go to the Takeaways.

Zulaikha Aziz 

A timely conversation about Afghanistan with human rights attorney and founder of jewelry brand Mazahri, Zulaikha Aziz (09.17.2021)

From her perspective as a jewelry designer as well as a refugee from Afghanistan with enduring deep ties to the country, Zulaikha shared with us an overview of the current political situation in Afghanistan. She also discussed with us how everyday people and artisanal gemstone miners are being impacted. Go to the Takeaways.

Hugh Brown Garimpeiros Project

GARIMPEIROS: The Prospector’s Quest for a Better Life (08.20.2021)

Photographer Hugh Brown has been committed to documenting artisanal miners and their work in many remote and harsh locations around the world for over a decade now. Go to the Takeaways.

Radical Jewelry Makeover

Could our jewelry “collections” be the source material for recycled metals and gemstones that meet your expectations for “responsible” recycled content? (05.21.2021)

The Radical Jewelry Makeover (RJM), launched in 2007 by Susie Ganch and Christina T. Miller, continues to serve as a gateway to creating collective exploration of the potential to create jewelry sustainably. Go to the Takeaways here.

Diamonds

What can and can’t we claim when selling diamonds? (04.23.2021)

April’s Living Room session posed questions such as, “Should we abandon conflict-free claims?”, “What can and can’t we claim when selling diamonds?”, and “Where do the diamond and jewelry industries have the greatest leverage to affect change in the diamond trade?” Go to the Takeaways here.

Artisanal and Small Scale (ASM) Gold

What does the Fairmined premium do? (03.19.2021)

Following last month’s session on recycled gold, this Living Room continued the conversation on Artisanal and Small Scale (ASM) gold. This session highlighted the work of the Alliance for Responsible Mining and the impacts of the Fairmined gold premium. Go to the Takeaways here.

Recycled Gold

What do you really want to accomplish? (02.19.2021)

This Living Room session sought to identify what we know and don’t know about recycled gold, the true impacts of the material, how it fits into a responsible sourcing practice.

This session was done in partnership with Initiatives in Art and Culture. Go to the Takeaways here.

Ethics and Responsibility in Jewelry II

Navigating Real Decision-Making (01.22.2021)

This session takes an ever-deepening look into what an ethical jewelry practice looks like generally and specifically.

The second session in our Ethics series with Ethical Metalsmiths. Guided by Professor Mark Wheeler, Director of the SDSU Institute for Ethics and Public Affairs. Go to the Takeaways here.

Sustainable Jewelry Consultancy

The core approach for jewelers (12.4.2020)

Christina T. Miller Consulting, presents core methods used to help jewelry brands and retailers to improve responsible sourcing practices.

We are inviting beginners and veterans to learn about our approach and offer questions and insights. Go to the Takeaways here.

Ethics and Responsibility in Jewelry I

What is Ethical Jewelry? (09.25.2020)

Understanding how to create trust among ourselves and our communities is a fundamental, legendary ethical question.

In collaboration with Mark Wheeler, Director of the SDSU Institute for Ethics and Public Affairs and Ethical Metalsmiths. Go to the Takeaways here.

Artisanal Small-Scale Mining

Gold and sustainable livelihoods in Choco, Colombia (07.24.2020)

Explore the history of Chocó, Colombia’s second largest gold producing region situated along the country’s Pacific Coast.

Each guest is an activist working from their particular area of expertise to improve lives. Go to the Takeaways here.

Artisanal Gemstone Mining in Zambia 

Colored gemstones and the challenge of artisanal mining (06.26.2020)

Learn about artisanal gemstone mining in Zambia from one of the country’s most impressive advocates for artisanal miners.

Community Check-In

A gathering to see how everyone is doing and talk about the topics on your mind (5.29.2020)

We discussed different models of responsible gold flows, and our plans to change the hearts and minds of consumers.

Intentionally supporting artisanal and small-scale miners is essential work in striving to be a responsible industry.

The Perspective of ASM Gold Miners

Pioneer projects for more just and conscious mining practices (05.15.2020)

A lively discussion with real miners in the field pursuing responsible and sustainable practices and supporting small-scale miners.

Each guest from South America shares their vision, challenges, dreams and hopes for artisanal gold mining.

African Gems in Service and Brazil...an update

Engaging the families and communities in small-scale mining (05.01.2020)

Experts will share their experience with the colored gemstone trade in Africa and how they are leveraging the industry to support those in need.

Also learn about indigenous rights related to mining in Brazil.