Maren Jewelery receives the RJC certificate

We have reason to rejoice, because we and our sustainable jewelry are now RJC certified. This proves once again: Our sustainability efforts pay off, are seen and also confirmed by an independent authority after a thorough examination.

But from the front. In this journal we would like to explain to you what the RJC certificate is all about, what requirements we had to meet to receive the certificate and why we are pursuing some other approaches that go beyond the requirements of the RJC.

The RJC certificate is the certification of the non-profit standardization and certification organization called the Responsible Jewelery Council. The organization was founded in 2005 by well-known founding members such as Tiffany & Co. and Cartier with the aim of promoting ethically, socially and environmentally responsible requirements for the entire supply chain in the jewelry industry.

From precious metal mining to retail, this is designed to respect and care for the interests of workers, communities, business partners and the environment. In addition, trust in the global jewelry industry should grow with each additional RJC member and the role model function for other companies should be strengthened.

Every member, including Maren Jewelery, is committed to the Code of Conduct of the RJC. The requirements contained therein are understood as the minimum of what companies must meet in order to contribute to social, humane, ethical and environmentally friendly conditions along the supply chains in the jewelry industry. Before each certification, compliance with these standards is checked carefully and independently, which takes some time. For example, our certification process took a year. In addition, the RJC provides various guidelines and encourages you to constantly seek and implement additional ways to improve your sustainability efforts with the help of your customers.zen.

That's already quite a lot. You can find a detailed, data-based listing of the individual points in oursustainability report or more information in this journal on the subject“Sustainable jewelry design”.

The requirements for obtaining the RJC certificate, which are checked in the form of independent audits, primarily include the following aspects of our business activities: business ethics, human rights and social compatibility, ecological compatibility and our form of corporate governance. In the following we would like to explain the most important measures that have contributed significantly to the RJC certification:n:

In addition to the transparency of the supply chain required in the RJC Code of Conduct, we only purchaserecycled gold and silver. In this way, neither our environment nor the people involved in the supply chain are harmed in any way. In addition, valuable resources are saved and thecircular economy promoted. Win win!

But even that is not enough for us. In addition, we made a conscious decision to obtain our materials exclusively from partners who are also RJC-certified. This is the only way we can be sure that the ethical, social and ecological standards that are of the greatest relevance to us are also met at partner level.

To throw a few numbers into the room: The production of a piece of jewelry causes an average of 29.27 kg of CO2. With the choice of CO2-neutral gold and climate-neutral, synthetic diamonds, our average is only 0.4 kg CO2 per piece of jewellery. So around 73 times less than with conventional pieces of jewellery.

But we also wanted to keep turning this screw towards more sustainability. That's why we've been collaborating for some time Choose together. This is an initiative that uses a wide variety of projects to offset the CO2 consumption of donating companies. We offset 100 kilograms of CO2 for each piece of jewelery produced, which is a lot more than we produce. The result of this calculation is therefore a positive CO2 balance and thus climate positivity.

We made a conscious decision from the outset to only use recycled precious metals, but as long-standing industry experts we know very well about the fatal conditions along the supply chain of the raw material gold. It is heartfelt for us, with our donation of 3% of our annual profit to the goal ofEarthbeat Foundation to contribute: A legal, safe and sustainable use of gold and the end of new mining.

We care not only about human rights, but also about animal rights. In no area of ​​our production are materials or auxiliary materials of animal origin used. Not so naturally with the packaging for our jewellery. You have the choice: a packaging made of beautiful natural linen or a cardboard packaging with a minimalist design. The linen and cardboard, as well as our paper inserts, filling material, shipping labels and our printing ink come from sustainable partners who act just as responsibly as we do. Here you can find more information and a list of all our partners in the fieldPackaging.

With the increasing focus on sustainability in connection with entrepreneurial activity, the pressure on companies is also growing. Unfortunately, this does not only lead to more responsible behavior. Green washing and the feigning of false efforts is the order of the day and it is becoming almost impossible for end consumers to keep track of the jungle of sustainability buzzwords and make their purchasing decisions. Independent and internationally valid certificates, such as that of the RJC, ensure more transparency and clarity in the industry and allow more conscious consumption.

Whilst we are quite proud of our RJC certification and all that we have already achieved on this exciting journey towards a more sustainable future, we are far from finished. Neither we nor our partners are perfect, which is why we are always open to your ideas, questions, suggestions, criticism and dialogue with you.