Certifications

We believe merely complying with the law and being conflict-free is simply not enough—it’s how every business should operate. This alone does not equate to ethical or supportive supply chain management. It only ensures you are meeting legal requirements. It’s important to carefully consider what different certifications actually represent and to do your research to determine what is fair and genuine. It involves actively assessing, improving, and refining each part of the supply chain to improve the conditions or outcomes for the people and environments involved.

We are committed to supporting small businesses, artisanal miners, and those who are committed to responsible practices and building supportive supply chains. This also means ensuring consumers receive the products they believe they are purchasing.

Our approach to certifications is intentional and each have been developed or selected with deep consideration. While no universally accepted "standard" exists in our industry, we acknowledge that many certifications fall short in terms of accessibility and thoroughness, especially for those genuinely committed to the work. There is still much to be done to make meaningful certifications more available to those who are truly making a difference, and we are committed to playing an active role in supporting these positive changes as the industry moves forward.

Fair Trade Gems® Certified

We established this trademarked certification in 2001 because we were unable to find another certification process that that aligned with the rigorous standards we set.

Being Fair Trade Gems® Certified means that each gemstone brought to market has met our strict criteria for environmental protection, cultural diversity, workers' rights, education, product integrity, and supply chain transparency. Each gem is then assigned a Fair Trade Gems® Level based on the information available.

Green America Gold Certified

Green America’s Standard Certification is awarded to businesses that are:

  • Environmentally responsible in the way they source and manufacture products, and run their operations and facilities;
  • Socially equitable and committed to extraordinary practices that benefit the well-being of workers, customers, suppliers, and the greater community; and
  • Accountable for their work by continually improving and tracking their progress, and operating with radical transparency in every facet of their business.

Gold Certified Green Businesses go above and beyond the Green America standards in every facet of their work. They are leaders in their industries that embed social responsibility into the DNA of their company.

The Gold Certified seal after completing additional work beyond general certification, then being reviewed and approved by the Standards and Certification Committee, appointed by Green America’s Board of Directors.