DeutschWHAT ARE CONFLICT FREE DIAMONDS?
Today, an illegal trade exists within the diamond industry. The profits generated from the mining of diamonds in third-world countries fund violent power struggles and terrorist activities.
The diamonds financing these egregious acts are called ‘conflict diamonds’ or ‘blood diamonds.’ They have been a critical source of income in bankrolling several recent conflicts on the African continent, resulting in the death and displacement of millions of people. An estimated 3.7 million people have died in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, resulting from conflicts fuelled by conflict diamonds.
POLICY OVERVIEW
NOVOCI GmbH participates in a voluntary self-regulation program to complement the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) created by the governments of nations involved in the diamond trade. This program’s purpose is to prevent illicit conflict diamonds from entering the international mainstream diamond trade.
At NOVOCI, we only deal with the most reputable diamond suppliers who provide us with natural, untreated, conflict-free diamonds of the highest quality. These suppliers and diamond producers must legally adhere to the Kimberley Process, which comprises 43 signatories, including the United States and the European Union. Under the Kimberley Process, diamond-producing countries certify that the diamonds they deal in have been mined and sold through legitimate channels.
In conjunction with the jewelry industry's adoption of KPCS in January 2003, NOVOCI revised its Vendor Code to include the Kimberley Process chain of warranties. The revised code explicitly requires all NOVOCI vendors to guarantee that the diamonds they provide to NOVOCI are conflict-free. Since the implementation of the revised code, NOVOCI has consistently received the following warranty from NOVOCI vendors supplying diamonds:
“The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and complying with United Nations Resolutions. The undersigned guarantees that these diamonds are conflict-free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.”
NOVOCI has also amended its systems, procedures, and documentation to take into account the Kimberley Process.
CONFLICT DIAMONDS PRACTICES
NOVOCI supports the Kimberly Process, which was created by countries and leading industry associations with significant involvement in the diamond trade, to combat the sale of conflict diamonds;
All NOVOCI invoices for the sale of diamonds, as well as jewelry containing diamonds, include a written guarantee that the diamonds used are conflict-free. We also keep records of the warranty invoices given and received and have these audited and reconciled every year by our auditors;
All NOVOCI vendors are required to incorporate a warranty in the format recommended by KPCS into each diamond invoice submitted to us. The warranty assures us that the vendor vouches for the merchandise's legitimacy and that the supplier, in turn, has required the same warranty from its merchandise source. We regularly review vendor invoices for compliance with this warranty requirement;
For diamonds mined before January 1, 2003, we require our diamond suppliers to certify in writing that they do not knowingly sell conflict diamonds and that, to the best of their ability, they have undertaken reasonable measures to help prevent the sale of conflict diamonds;
NOVOCI also requires its diamond vendors to provide proof of warranty from their merchandise sources upon request. If a vendor refuses to guarantee that their diamonds are conflict-free, or if we have reason to believe that their merchandise comes from a questionable source, we will refuse to transact business with the vendor in question;
NOVOCI also trains its sales associates about this program so that our customers have confidence that the diamonds and diamond jewelry sold in our online-shop under novoci.com are conflict-free. NOVOCI also trains its buyers concerning the requirements and briefs its sales associates on the procedures of KPCS.