The Coloured Gemstones Working Group is committed to a transparent, responsible and vibrant jewellery industry.
About Us
The Coloured Gemstones Working Group (CGWG) unites leading luxury brands and mining companies with a common interest in catalysing positive change in the coloured gemstones and jewellery industry.
Through collective action and agreement, the CGWG aims to advance transparency, sustainability and responsible business practices in the vibrant coloured gemstones and jewellery industry.
The CGWG was established in 2015 with a common interest in creating positive change through the responsible sourcing of coloured gemstones. Today the members of the CGWG are:
• Chopard (CGWG member since 2019);
• Gemfields;
• Kering;
• LVMH Watches & Jewelry;
• The Muzo Companies (CGWG member since 2017);
• Richemont International SA;
• Tiffany & Co.
Gemstones and precious metals are produced in over 50 countries worldwide - with much of these resources being mined by artisanal and small-scale miners. The cutting and polishing industry employs small and family-run businesses. Our industry plays a vital economic role in many developing countries and supports millions of people worldwide.
To protect the traditions, crafts and livelihoods of these communities, we need to improve industry standards of corporate accountability, labour practices, environmental protection and governance.
It is time for a collective effort from the businesses and communities that rely on and work in this industry to harness business as a force for change - to build a path together to a more just, balanced and sustainable world.
Our Values
Community: We recognise that we are part of a larger community, and we measure our success against how we benefit the industry as a whole.
Diversity: We strive to show deep respect for the many different people, types of organisations and institutions that work within our community, from sole traders to multi-nationals, trade organisations and government agencies.
Inclusivity: We work together to achieve solutions to tough challenges both inside and outside our own organisations and in society at large.
Accessibility: We make the outputs of our collective work freely available to the members of our community and strive to do so in ways that are easy to understand, use and disseminate.
Continuous improvement: We do not expect perfection from day one, but we are committed to improving our performance, and that of our community members and industry, one step at a time.
Transparency: We are open about our plans, successes and setbacks; our organisation and partners; and, the means by which we support our work.
The Founding Members
The Coloured Gemstone Working Group (CGWG), unites luxury brands and mining companies with a common interest in catalysing positive change in the responsible sourcing of coloured gemstones.
In 2015, Tiffany & Co., Swarovski, Richemont, LVMH, Kering and Gemfields formed the CGWG. The Muzo Companies joined in 2017, Chopard in 2019 and Audemars Piguet in 2022.
The CGWG aims to help businesses in the gemstones and jewellery supply chains be more sustainable, and make responsible sourcing part of the way they work.
The Vision of the CGWG
The CGWG’s vision is to “provide businesses in the coloured gemstone industry, regardless of size and at every phase of the supply chain from mining to retail, with the knowledge, guidance, tools, operating standards, and a community of expert practitioners to help them embed sustainable practices in their sector; measure and monitor their performance against widely acceptable responsible business practices; and demonstrate their commitment to a transparent and ethical industry.”
The CGWG vision statement, and its reason for being, is built on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by coloured gemstones supply chain entities of different size, type, and along different stages of the value chain, which too often: (a) do not have access to a harmonised understanding of what it means to be a responsible business or supplier, (b) to not have the resources or tools to integrate and formalise good sustainability practices, and (c) do not know how to demonstrate, or gain recognition for, being a responsible business or supplier, in a way that meets the peculiarities of their business, the expectations of their stakeholders (including clients and end consumers), and facilitates market access and the continuous improvement of the industry. Those issues are relevant not only for the coloured gemstone industry, but also for the entities involved in the jewellery industry more generally.
The Mission of the CGWG
By uniting a broad group of companies active in the coloured gemstones supply chains, the CGWG mission is to advance transparancy, sustainability and responsible business conduct in the coloured gemstones and jewellery value chains.
As a result of collective action, the CGWG members will be able to enhance ESG risk management practices and create more positive impact across the value chain [in particular in source countries], support corporate compliance and reputation, and realize cost efficiencies.
The CGWG is action-oriented and impact-focused. The CGWG will therefore seek to establish partnerships and coordinate with other initiatives that may support its mission of advancing sustainability and responsible business practices in the coloured gemstones and jewellery industry.
Disclaimer: The CGWG members’ activities are undertaken with an understanding of the importance of compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to laws and regulations relating to antitrust and competition. The CGWG members undertake at all times to act in accordance with, and strictly adhere to, the letter and the spirit of all applicable national and international antitrust and competition laws and regulations (Antitrust Laws).
The CGWG Members
At Tiffany & Co., we have long worked to integrate environmental and social considerations into our core business practices, from how we source raw materials to how we craft our jewelry to how we operate our stores. We are committed to reducing environmental impacts, respecting human rights and contributing to the well-being of local communities where we operate and source our raw materials. Our vertical integration model helps us incorporate environmental and social integrity in sourcing, processing and crafting our jewelry. We work closely with our supply chains and leaders from industry, civil society and government to improve and help set rigorous global mining standards and raise awareness about the importance of responsible sourcing. We believe that the colored gemstone sector can help support sustainable livelihoods for the communities that depend on the mining and trading of these stones, and we will continue to work collaboratively toward this vision.
Find out more about Tiffany & Co.
At Tiffany & Co., we have long focused on ensuring that we operate and source in an ethical fashion. We also recognize that collaboration is key to realizing true, systemic change. Participation in the Coloured Gemstones Working Group allows us to partner with other luxury brands to identify opportunities to increase due diligence, widen stakeholder engagement and advance the industry towards a more transparent and responsible coloured gemstone supply chain.
Richemont is one of the world’s leading luxury goods groups. Its interests encompass some of the most prestigious names in the industry, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Piaget. Each of our Maisons represent a proud tradition of style, quality and craftsmanship, which Richemont is committed to preserving.
Richemont has a long-standing commitment to doing business responsibly. For more than a decade, Richemont’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report has demonstrated how we are meeting our commitments and described how we manage our social, ethical and environmental impacts.
Through the Coloured Gemstones Working Group, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels actively contributed to the Responsible Jewellery Council's first coloured gemstones Standard. That Standard, published in April 2019, is aligned with (i) the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and (ii) the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (‘UNGP’).
Find out more about Richemont.
Since 1847, Cartier has followed a tradition of excellence in its creations, savoir-faire and quality of service that naturally extends to a commitment to uphold the highest ethical standards in every aspect of our business. Cartier is a proud founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and the Maison fully embraces the Responsible Jewellery Council’s leading industry standard through regular independent audits of our boutiques and our Cartier jewellery workshops.
Cartier sources its materials with careful, responsible consideration and is committed to continuously improving its ethical, social and environmental performance.
Our dedication to corporate integrity contributes to another facet of the beauty of our precious stone creations.
Founded at Paris' 22 Place Vendôme in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels came into being following Estelle Arpels' marriage to Alfred Van Cleef in 1895. Over the decades, the excellence of the High Jewelry Maison established its reputation across the world. Its emblematic signatures –such as the Alhambra® motif, the Zip necklace or the Mystery Set™ technique – its selection of Pierres de Caractère™, exceptional gems that instill an emotion, and the savoir-faire of its Mains d’Or™, the virtuoso craftsmen of Van Cleef & Arpels' workshops, have given birth to jewelry and watchmaking collections redolent of dreams and enchantment. Today, the Maison remains faithful to this highly distinctive style characterized by poetry, refinement, creativity and artistic sensibility. Whether inspired by nature, couture, dance or the imagination, it offers the world a gateway to a timeless universe of beauty and harmony.
Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels participate in the Coloured Gemstones Working Group (CGWG) and have actively contributed to the first coloured gemstones supply chain due diligence tool set. The tool set complements other initiatives in the sector, such as the Responsible Jewellery Council’s Code of Practices 2019 edition, which includes coloured gemstones within its scope.
Counted among the most dynamic brands on the market, the Houses in the Watches & Jewelry sector of LVMH operate in two segments: high-quality watchmaking on the one hand and jewelry and high jewelry on the other. A quest for excellence, creativity and innovation guide the Houses in this area every day. This constant strive translates equally in our pursuit of responsible sourcing of the precious and finite raw materials that our Houses have the privilege to embellish in their creations. LVMH joined the CGWG from its start in 2015 to foster an encompassing and inclusive initiative intended to support their suppliers in the coloured gemstones sector towards uplifting their value chains in respecting sustainability issues.
ABOUT BVLGARI
Part of the LVMH Group, Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884 as a jewellery shop. Quickly establishing a reputation for Italian excellence, Bulgari enjoys renown for exquisite craftsmanship and magnificent jewellery creations. The Company’s international success has evolved into a global and diversified luxury purveyor of products and services, ranging from fine jewels and watches to accessories and perfumes, and featuring an unrivalled network of boutiques and hotels in the world’s most exclusive shopping areas.
Through the years, Bulgari has forged a path among luxury brands for its ongoing commitment to sustainable, ethical practices. Bulgari is committed to actively driving continuous improvement, in line with the LVMH LIFE Program and with the Sustainable Development Goals. In line with this view, Bulgari achieved the RJC Code of Practices Certification in 2011 and the RJC Chain of Custody Certification, for its gold jewellery products lines, in June 2015.
“For Bulgari, Sustainable Development practices are about balancing social, environmental and economic values into the core strategy and operations of the Company.
Being part of the Coloured Gemstones Working Group, as well as with on-going constructive dialogue with key strategic stakeholders, Bulgari is committed to constantly improving and ensuring that the highest standards are applied throughout its supply chain”.
– Eleonora Rizzuto, CSR Director
ABOUT LOUIS VUITTON
Since 1854 Louis Vuitton has been bringing unique designs to the world, combining innovation with style and always aiming for the finest quality. Though originally focused on the art of travel and leather goods, Louis Vuitton’s open nature led to the brand branching out into areas such as jewellery in 2001, watchmaking in 2002 and High Jewellery since 2009. Reflecting the House’s constant quest for excellence, Louis Vuitton High Jewellery workshops are located at Place Vendôme in Paris, a place where it can fully express its creativity in keeping with the tradition of fine craftsmanship. Louis Vuitton’s signature is also expressed in its choice of stones: rare, unusual gemstones with character. In joining the Coloured Gemstones Working Group, the House is moving towards the creation of a sustainable production process – respectful of human beings and natural resources – for all its creations.
Social and environmental issues are at the heart of Louis Vuitton’s strategy, as demonstrated by the LIFE (LVMH Initiatives For the Environment) programme, an ongoing environment-focused approach that drives the brand’s entire value chain. The House strives to limit its carbon footprint and protect natural resources through eco-design and responsible purchasing policies, which prioritises ecodesign and responsible purchasing policies.
To this end, Louis Vuitton is committed to meticulously controlling its entire supply chain. Every supplier must sign a code of conduct, committing to respect the highest social and environmental standards. Over 200 audits are carried out each year to confirm the level of conformity to these obligations.
Louis Vuitton’s responsible purchasing programme also imposes high standards in terms of certification for optimum traceability, as well as working conditions that are respectful of individuals and the environment. As a result, the Watchmaking and Jewellery department received RJC (Responsible Jewellery Council) certification in 2012 and every diamond is certified as being “zero conflict” according to the Kimberley process.
This responsible supply policy also applies to all resources used to produce jewellery creations, requiring the same standards of diamonds and coloured stones alike. This is why, as a member of the CGWG, Louis Vuitton has established a series of audits of every supplier and plays an active role in the transparency and traceability of the sector. The ethics of its supply chain are in keeping with its ongoing quest for excellence as well as meeting the expectations of its environmentally minded consumers.
Kering’s aim is for 100% of its supply chain to be transparent by 2025. Here the objective is to improve traceability and progressively increase the production of materials coming from responsible and well-managed sources. A further goal is to see that by 2025, 100% of Kering’s suppliers meet the standards set by the Group for traceability, animal welfare, the use of chemical products, and working conditions. In addition to supplier audits, Kering has prepared a Social Handbook, a program of training and sharing of best practices to aid in this effort.
You can find out more about Kering’s sustainability practices here.
Transparency across the supply chain is critical to transform our business models. At Kering, one of our sustainability targets is about ensuring a transparent and responsible supply chain, and to achieve this, we aim to trace our raw materials all the way to their origins. This is exactly what we are doing for coloured gemstones; and we do it in collaboration with all the players on the market because we know that collaboration is key if we want transformational change.
Since launching in 2009, Gemfields has championed responsibility across the coloured gemstone sector. This means we aim to operate in a way that contributes positively to national economies and builds lasting, sustainable livelihoods for the communities around our mines. For example, we engage with the local community before we start operations and invest in projects that are likely to deliver the greatest benefit. We maintain an ongoing conversation with the communities through dedicated employees whose roles are specifically tailored towards community relations at each operation. We are also realistic and open about the impact of a mining operation on the environment and aim to minimise impact on the land in all possible ways. Downstream, we work tirelessly with our partners to improve traceability and throughout the chain of custody. This varies from having pioneered the piloting of audit systems to help improve the transparency, safe working and well-being of workers in cutting and polishing facilities, to co-developing new technology that allows for full individual gemstone traceability back to source.
Find out more about Gemfields.
We are committed to creating a long term positive impact and championing transparency across the industry. For Gemfields this means everything from our African mining operations, to our jewellery brand Fabergé, downstream with our rough gemstone authorised auction partners and crucially in partnering with other brands via the Coloured Gemstones Working Group.
2019 is a milestone year for the Colombian emerald industry and for the colored gemstone industry as a whole. As is the case with coffee, Colombia produces the finest emeralds in the world and they are a proud symbol of this beautiful country. 2019 marks the tenth anniversary of The Muzo Companies, owners and operators of the most famous emerald mine in the world, Puerto Arturo, located in Muzo, Boyacá Department. Originally created as Mineria Texas Colombia (MTC) and Colombia Texas Transformadora (CTT), the world-class cutting laboratory located in Bogota, The Muzo Companies are now EMS-MTC, CSS, Puerto Arturo, The Muzo Foundation, Furatena cacao and Muzo international operations.
From the start of operations on November 17. 2009, The Muzo Companies have remained dedicated to legalization, formalization, social responsibility, modernization, concern for the environment, and technological improvements. Sustainable mining has been the center of the Muzo project. Known throughout the gem world for its mine-to-market plan, The Muzo Companies have been bringing customers across the globe the finest emeralds in the world for a decade.
Esmeraldas de los Andes (EDLA), is the state-of-the-art cutting and polishing laboratory that in ten short years has earned a global reputation for the very best in gemstone transformation. It has made Colombia the center of gravity for high quality emerald cutting.
A vivid, unique green is the mark of a Muzo emerald and the efforts to protect the environment and work with the local community reflect that. The Muzo Companies strive to be a truly “green” neighbor in the areas where they work. The mine itself is located in an environmentally delicate low-land jungle zone and protecting the flora and fauna in the region is a key goal of the mine staff.
Find out more about The Muzo Companies here.
For The Muzo Companies improving sustainability and transparency in the colored gemstone industry is relevant because it introduces a unique approach into the business. For us, that is the way how we are creating value, confidence and positive impact for our community, our clients, our people and the environment with our strategy Mine to Market. For The Muzo Companies, sustainability and transparency is a strong commitment and the way we have transformed the emerald business in Colombia for the world.
Chopard joined the CGWG in 2019. Artisan of Emotions since 1860, Chopard perpetuates the heritage of traditional know-how and ancestral craftsmanship through contemporary and ethical watches and jewellery. The Maison nurtures the ultimate degree of fine craftsmanship through the work of passionate artisans who are experts in their respective fields of competence. According to its fundamental values, in 2013 Chopard launched The Journey to Sustainable Luxury, a multi-year programme deepening its engagement in sustainable luxury, by sourcing from businesses that are demonstrably committed to responsible, ethical, social and environmental practices. Since July 2018, it has also been the first luxury watch and jewellery Maison to start using 100% ethical gold in the production of all its watches and jewellery.
You can find out more about our commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing here.
We started our Journey to Sustainable Luxury in 2013 with the hope of introducing new practices in the procurement of raw materials used in our industry. Thanks to this initiative, Chopard has succeeded in sourcing responsibly mined coloured stones for various creations. However, there is still a long way to go to improve sustainable practices in the field of coloured stones. The work undertaken through the Gemstones and Jewellery Community Platform is making progress in this regard and we are delighted to be involving our Maison in these endeavours.
My family and I place ethics at the very core of every strategic decision that Chopard takes. Thus, we are proud to see the current awareness among stakeholders in our industry regarding the need to create conditions for a form of luxury that is more in harmony with Mankind and Nature. The approach taken by the Gemstones and Jewellery Community Platform to make a significant impact on improving the conditions for the mining of coloured stones is fully in line with our own philosophy.
Powered by TDi Sustainability
The information, tools and resources have been developed by TDi Sustainability on behalf of the CGWG. They are provided free to all businesses, big and small, in the gemstone and jewellery supply chain.
TDi Sustainability is a firm that advises, audits and creates tailored sustainability strategies and solutions for businesses across the length and breadth of the minerals, metals and jewellery supply chains. This expertise, which includes; responsible sourcing, sustainable production, risk management, due diligence and auditing, make TDi the perfect partner to manage the CGWG and develop the learning materials and tools for the Gemstones and Jewellery Community Platform.