Canadian Diamonds: Fair-Trade diamonds or Conflict-Free diamonds?

Canadian Diamonds: Fair-Trade diamonds or Conflict-Free diamonds?

Can we consider Fair-Trade products as fair? Or Conflict-Free diamonds as undoubtedly conflict free? There are several certifying bodies that establish their own standards for qualification as a Fair-Trade product each stipulating their own conditions. Supreme amongst them are fair working environment and benefits to the local community, where the product is harvested are considered as the main necessities. Igloo diamonds seem to be the world's first pro-actively ethical diamonds. Igloo Diamonds are considered as the best diamonds that gives a closer spirit of the fair-trade movement in the diamond world.

Can we consider Fair-Trade products fair? Or Conflict-Free diamonds are actually conflict free?

As it stands, various companies are in competition to become a certifying body with their standards. To qualify as a Fair-Trade product, the item in question must comply with several conditions. Supreme requirements to qualify as Fair-Trade product are:

1. The labor should not be harmed in any conditions whether it is in terms of payment of working condition so that the product yielded, formed, and/or processed efficiently, and,

2. The achievement of the product benefits the community occupied in those stages of the production and through a premium on its retail, pay for the improvement of the community's welfare.

All Canadian diamonds would have qualified for certification due to the labor conditions of Canada that are progressive and apply to all workers regardless of community affiliation, geographical location or otherwise, if only the first conditioned is concerned.

The main hold is the second one. There is no premium directed by retailers towards benefiting those implicated in the mining and processing of diamonds in Canada.

Are any of them close in spirit to the Fair-Trade certification concept?

Igloo Diamonds is the only one company that stands out as the closest. Each and every diamond’s contribution is so heavy to produce the hefty profit to the clearing of a plot within a minefield in Mozambique in Africa. "5% of the profit" might be allocated by other companies to a charitable cause that, however, might be tantamount to nothing through creative accounting. With Igloo you have an actual contribution per sale. Igloo Diamonds do it through the UN affiliate of "Adopt-a-Minefield" and the diamond and its buyer are granted also a certificate and a map, indicating the plot's size and location. All the diamonds are Canadian diamonds and carry the Igloo Diamonds’ Certificate of Canadian Origin.

While the official Fair-Trade certification program requires that the community at the source of the product benefits from a premium allocated from its final sale, Igloo Diamonds® benefits the world’s most abusive diamond sourcing community, namely, Africa, through its non-conflict Canadian diamonds. Thus, two communities are positively affected by Igloo Diamonds activity: the mining and extracting community employed in the mining and processing operations in Canada, as well as a remote Mozambican’s community, where a landmine is being cleared, a land is being rehabilitated, made useful, workable, accessible and passable again. Igloo self-defines itself as a new "not for profit only" brand.

Of all the diamond retailers, Igloo Diamonds appears to be the world's first pro-actively ethical diamonds retailer that gives the clear picture of the spirit of the Fair-Trade movement in the diamond world.

It is also clear from the above said fact that Fair-Trade might not prove to be that fair to a trader. Although embodying the spirit of the Fair-Trade movement, programs like Igloo, still does not qualify to be certified as such.

As for "Conflict-Free Diamonds”, this label does not coincide in its denotation with "Fair Trade Diamonds”. All that is required of a Conflict-Free Diamond is to originate, in a traceable manner, in a part of the world where it sponsors no military brutality, etc.

Igloo’s Canadian diamonds are purchased only from suppliers who are subscribers to the Canadian diamonds Code of Ethics. Igloo Diamonds purchases it from the source that guarantees the ethics and traceability of the diamonds. Canadian diamonds (the likes of those used by Igloo Diamonds) are clearly Conflict-Free Diamonds.

One thing cannot be denied: the example of Igloo Diamonds embodies the closest one gets to a bona-fide Fair-Trade product in today’s world of diamonds. Igloo Diamonds does good in Africa through a reputable, UN affiliated international organization, and this is undeniable.

By: Maria da Costa666 Maria da Costa666

Article Source: http://www.directorys.uniquearticles.info

Maria da Costa, is an innovative diamond jewelry designer and dealer since 1998. She is a trained, certified and experienced interior designer and a graduate of Belgium`s famed HRD diamond grading training. With an active involvement in the local art scene and as an accomplished creator in several fields of the visual arts, Maria proceeded to create some of the most daring and stunning tension ring designs in the newly adopted media; such as Titanium and Zirconium. Maria is presently the House Guest Designer at Absolute Titanium Design and design Consultant at Igloo Diamonds

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