What is RJC (Responsible Jewellery Council) Certification?

RJC (Responsible Jewellery Council) certification is highly prestigious implementing international standard among Diamond and Jewellery – Mining, Processing and Support Industries. It is broadly applicable to below sectors:

• Diamond Mining
• Diamond Trading
• Diamond Cutting or Polishing
• Gold Mining
• Gold Processing & Refining
• Gold Hedging or Trading
• Platinum Group Metals Mining
• Platinum Group Metals Processing & Refining
• Platinum Group Metals Hedging or Trading
• Jewellery Manufacturing or Wholesale
• Jewellery Retail
• Service & Support Industries (e.g. laboratories, assayers, secure transport, etc)

RJC CoC (Chain of Custody) Certification Standard mainly comprise of following elements.

• SA8000
• ISO14001
• OHSAS18001
• ISO 9001

Steps in the RJC Certification Process

There are five main steps in the RJC Certification process. More information of Self Assessments and audits can be found in the Assessment Manual.

Step 1 – Self Assessment: Members prepare for the independent Certification Audit by carrying out a Self-Assessment against the Code of Practices or the Chain-of-Custody Standard. This involves allocating some time to review internal systems and bring them into conformance. RJC provides training and support for Members in this process.

Step 2 – Certification Audit: The Member then engages an RJC Accredited Auditor, who conducts an independent Certification Audit. The costs of the Audit will vary according to the size of the business, the types of risks, and the areas where the business operates. Members are encouraged to contact Auditors directly and seek quotes in order to better understand the likely costs. The Audit verifies the Member has systems in place that conform to the requirements defined in the applicable RJC Standard. Non-Conformances will be noted and the Member will be directed to address them through an appropriate Corrective action plan.

Step 3 – Reporting: The Auditor then provides the RJC with an Audit Report that documents the audit findings, details about Corrective actions and a Statement of Conformance. The Member will also receive a version of this report, which may include additional details of specific internal issues related to the findings, along with suggested business improvements where appropriate.

Step 4- Certification Decision: The RJC reviews the Auditor’s Report and the Statement of Conformance for completeness and clarity, following up with the Auditor where required. Where all is in order, the RJC can grant Certification for one or three years, depending on the nature of any Non-Conformances raised during the Audit and the related corrective actions to address the Non-Conformances. Certified Members are allocated a unique RJC Certification number and will be able to promote their certification status. A publicly available list of Certified Members and the details of each certification is maintained on the RJC website.

Step 5 – Periodic Reviews: Periodic reviews will be conducted during the Certification Period, where required, and at the of the Certification Period. During the Certification Period, a Mid-Term Review (Code of Practices) or Surveillance Audit (Chain-of-Custody Standard) may be conducted by the RJC Accredited Auditor to verify that the Certified Member’s system continues to work effectively. At the end of the Certification Period, a Re-Certification Audit is required to renew the Member’s Certification.