DIAMONDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
1. The diamond industry, directly and indirectly, employs 10 million people globally.
2. As one of its major resources, diamonds are helping transform Africa and the lives of its people.
3. Diamonds and diamond revenues are making a difference in Africa by providing jobs, building hospitals and roads, and funding education.
INDUSTRY CONFIDENCE
1. I can assure you that we do not sell conflict diamonds.
2. Our suppliers have assured us that our diamonds are from areas that are conflict free.
3. The diamond industry has established the Kimberley Process to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds. Today, well over 99% of the world's diamond supply is certified to be from sources that are free from conflict.
4. The majority of the diamonds we sell are mined and cut in Canada
As you are aware, organizations in our industry agreed in 2003 on a program of self-regulation to complement the Kimberley Process created by the governments of nations involved in the diamond trade.
We at Joel B. Sherburne Jewelers welcomed the introduction of this global system to combat the illicit traffic in conflict diamonds and our policy has been to support the industry's self-regulation program.
The core of that program is a chain of warranties that follows rough diamonds, polished diamonds and jewelry containing diamonds through the supply chain.
For any diamond product we buy we require you to make the following System of Warranties statement:
The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations resolutions. The seller hereby guarantees that these diamonds are certified to be from sources that are free from conflict, based on personal knowledge, and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds. As a trade member supporting this program, we are continuing to require our suppliers to subscribe to the warranty system and will therefore review any supplier that declines to participate. We request that you respond to this notification as soon as possible informing us if your organization supports this industry initiative.