Sourcing Gold Responsibly

By Peggy Jo Donahue The Key Issues | Actions to Take When Sourcing Gold | Additional Resources Up until a decade ago, most jewelers and consumers knew little about where the gold used in jewelry were sourced. But since then, a new generation of consumers and activists with raised consciousness has delved deeply into a variety of issues. Gaining a deeper understanding of those issues will help you to decide how you want to source these materials  in the future, or how to contribute to efforts to improve conditions in the countries where they’re mined.

The Key Issues

• "No Dirty Gold." This consumer campaign, initiated by the environmental group Earthworks, highlights irresponsible practices in the mining of gold. It’s important to note that responsibly operated gold mines follow a strict set of rules regarding their treatment of the environment and the communities that surround their operations (and a number of auditing programs keep them on their toes)...