Responsible Jewellery Council Certification
For Gold, Silver, PGMs, Diamonds, and Gemstone Supply Chains
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Responsible Jewelry Team
What is Responsible Jewellery Council Certification?
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Certification promotes trust in the global fine jewelry industry by assuring companies are adhering to responsible business practices. RJC Certification requires independent third-party auditing by RJC accredited auditors to verify that a Member’s management systems and performance conform to the RJC Code of Practices. The certification is applicable for gold, silver, platinum group metals (PGMs), diamonds, and gemstone supply chains.
RJC Code of Practices (COP): RJC’s mandatory certification for all commercial RJC Members. Members are required to meet the COP within two years of joining RJC. The COP is a multi-attribute standard that evaluates supply chain, business ethics, labor and human rights, health and safety, environmental performance, and management systems.
RJC Chain-of-Custody (CoC): As a Member benefit, RJC’s voluntary Chain-of-Custody certification may be used to support additional responsible sourcing efforts as desired. Meeting the COP standard requirements is a prerequisite for CoC certification.
RJC Lab-Grown Material (LGMS): RJC’s second mandatory certification for all RJC members dealing in lab-grown materials. Will be combine with COP assessments. Promotes responsible business by ensuring legal compliance, ethical supply chains, transparent product information, environmental and human safety, and fair labor practices.
SCS is an approved service provider to conduct RJC Code of Practices and Chain-of-Custody, and Lab-Grown Material verification assessments in numerous countries. To see SCS's complete auditor coverage, click here.
Why Choose SCS?
With globally located auditors to conduct your RJC COP, LGMS or CoC audit smoothly and efficiently, SCS is a leader in responsible jewellry, minerals and precious metals sustainability certifications with more than 25 years of experience providing detailed, accurate and ethical audits. With quick responses and personalized customer service, we keep your projects moving forward and on budget.
In addition to RJC certifications, SCS also provides our own Certified Sustainability Rated Diamonds audits, Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) audits, London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and London Platinum and Palladium Market (LBMA & LPPM) audits, and Signet Responsible Sourcing Protocol (SRSP) audits.
- Benefits
- Process
- Program Details
- FAQs
- Documents
- RJC certification demonstrates to investors, suppliers and customers that you adhere to rigorous standards for social, ethical, and environmental performance
- Protects your reputation by proactively responding to ethical issues
- Strengthens your internal management systems
- Supports responsible business practices in the jewelry supply chain
- RJC COP is recognized by Signet Responsible Sourcing Protocols (SRSP) as a pathway to compliance
- Become a Member of RJC
- Visit RJC’s website to apply.
- Scoping and Project Initiation:
- Client and SCS confirm scope of project.
- Client signs Work Order and returns to SCS to initiate project.
- Data Collection
- SCS provides an overview of project milestones.
- Client prepares for the audit by completing a Self-Assessment against the Code of Practices, Lab-Grown Material or the Chain-of-Custody Standard.
- SCS works with client to clarify Self-Assessment requirements.
- Audit
- SCS requires an on-site audit of a select number of facilities to verify the client has systems in place that conform to the requirements defined in the applicable RJC Standard.
- Cost will vary according to the size of the business, the types of risks, and the areas where the business operates.
- Reporting
- Auditor reviews data and findings from the audit and writes a report for the client’s approval.
- Certification Decision
- Upon successful completion of the RJC assessment, SCS will issue the certification decision and inform the RJC of the members’ status.
- Certified RJC members are issued a unique RJC Certification number which is made publicly available on the RJC website.
- SCS can also provide client marketing support.
- Certification Maintenance
- The certification period is three years.
- A surveillance audit must be conducted between 12-18 months from the certification start date to verify that the certified members’ system continues to work effectively.
- At the end of the certification period, a re-certification audit is required to renew the member’s certification.
Eligibility
All Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Members within the entire supply chain, from mine to retail, are required to meet conformance to the RJC Code of Practices standard (COP) and Lab-Grown Material standard (LGMS) (if applicable). All relevant supply chain participants may also be certified under the RJC Chain of Custody (COC) standard.
Certification Criteria
The RJC Code of Practices includes criteria that address the following issues:
- Responsible Supply Chains
- Business Ethics and Labor Rights
- Due diligence for responsible sourcing from conflict-affected and high-risk areas
- Human Rights and Social Performance
- Health and Safety
- Environmental Performance
- Management Systems
Do we have to be an RJC Member in order to be certified to the RJC standard?
In order to be certified to the RJC standard(s) a company must first apply for membership with the RJC.
How long does the audit take to complete?
Audit length depends on the size and complexity of the Member’s operations. This is defined in the Member’s self-assessment that is requested by SCS during the initial scoping process.
How long does it take to become RJC certified?
This depends on initial audit results; typically the audit, report writing, and report review process takes about 1 month from the opening meeting, before it is delivered to the RJC for final approval.
What happens when your auditors find non-compliance issues during an RJC audit?
Auditors will define a non-conformance as either minor or major, depending on the severity of the non-conformance. If a critical breach is identified, the Member must address the non-conformance within 4 weeks of the audit.
What do I need to complete during the audit scoping phase?
Prior to contacting SCS, it is recommended that members complete the RJC self-assessment workbook. SCS will primarily request a completed scoping tab in order to provide a quote estimate for audit services.
| Document Name | Document |
|---|---|
| Responsible Jewellery Council Code of Practices 2024 | English |
| Responsible Jewellery Council Code of Practices Guidance 2024 | English |
| RJC Chain of Custody 2024 | English |
| RJC Chain of Custody Guidance 2024 | English |
| RJC Lab-Grown Material 2025 | English |
| RJC Lab-Grown Material 2025 Guidance | English |
| RJC Member Handbook | English |
| RJC Toolkits & Templates | Visit Site |
| RJC Website | Visit Site |
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