The exploitation of natural resources, the mining communities, and the eco-systems are issues which are being tackled within the jewellery industry, by consumer demand. People are aware of the human rights en environmental issues involved at the source of this industry. 

Increasingly, consumers are asking where their gold comes from and what impact its extraction has on people and the environment.

When I use the term “ethical gold”, I am describing the qualities I consciously look for when choosing the gold I work with: responsible artisanal mining, fair and safe working conditions, gender equality, support for mining communities and responsible environmental practices.

This is why I choose Fairmined gold.

My commitment to Fairmined is not based solely on reading a standard or looking at a certification mark. I have travelled to Fairmined-certified mining communities in Peru and Colombia and seen these practices first-hand.

At Oro Puno in Peru, I saw how water used in the mining process is cleaned and reused, and how areas affected by mining are restored by replacing the earth and replanting the land, creating green areas where mining has taken place. I also met miners and saw the pride they take in improving their working environment and caring for the land around them.

These experiences have given a very personal meaning to what I call ethical gold. The Fairmined Standard provides the independently verified framework behind my choice, with requirements covering responsible mining, environmental protection, labour conditions, traceability and social and economic development. Fairmined also has specific requirements for its Ecological Gold relating to the rehabilitation of native ecosystems and minimising ecological disturbance.

For me, choosing Fairmined gold is therefore both a certified sourcing decision and a personal ethical choice: I know where my gold comes from, I have met some of the people who mine it, and I have seen some of the practices behind the certification with my own eyes.

A new generation of socially conscious jewellery consumers are demanding a more ethical alternative. Responsibly mined precious metals and gemstones is a response to these demands and that is why Fairmined silver and gold is more expensive.

Projects like Moyo Gemstones and Diamonds for Peace, or non profit organisations like Fairmined are growing with the growing consumer demand for fair trade.