. [Thought provoking material.]CRED's vision and stance on the ethical treatment of every worker involved in the process of creating jewelry is inspiring and almost entirely anti-capitalistic.
Capitalism demands the cheapest most efficient way of generating a product.
Respecting human dignity and worth creates higher costs and inefficiencies.
But by respecting there is no thought that, "The gold, silver, platinum and diamonds I use to accessorize came at the cost of another persons dignity, worth and blood."
I would, after law school of course, like to use CRED and other fair trade dealers whenever I buy jewelry for my wife and daughter.
There is something important in knowing that what they are wearing was not bought at the cost of someone else's worth.
Below is an excerpt from their website.
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CRED Jewellery is the original Fair Trade jeweller. We do not make
this claim lightly, but as pioneers we have pursued the dream of Fair
Trade jewellery and brought it to reality. We were the first European
retailer to sell independently certified Fair Trade gold, and the first high
street boutique to exclusively sell ethical jewellery. In 2003 we
produced the world's first truly ethical wedding rings: wedding bands
made from gold from a traceable source that was certified as
environmentally and socially responsible. They remain our bestsellers.
At CRED we believe in making beautiful jewellery that has ethical
integrity. We have travelled the world to understand the complexity of
our trade – to discern the full environmental and social costs of mining,
and how these might be mitigated. We have sought out like-minded
campaigners and with them pioneered the independent auditing
arrangements that make Fair Trade stones and metals possible. It is
an ongoing campaign of continual improvement: we will not be satisfied
until 100% Fair Trade jewellery becomes an industry standard.
this claim lightly, but as pioneers we have pursued the dream of Fair
Trade jewellery and brought it to reality. We were the first European
retailer to sell independently certified Fair Trade gold, and the first high
street boutique to exclusively sell ethical jewellery. In 2003 we
produced the world's first truly ethical wedding rings: wedding bands
made from gold from a traceable source that was certified as
environmentally and socially responsible. They remain our bestsellers.
“When I started CRED Jewellery in 1996 my desire was to create a
jewellery company that had the principles of Fair Trade at its very heart,
as well as satisfying my personal desire for beauty and wonder. These
two simple ideas are intrinsically bound together, because beauty at its
most intense is a reflection of the wonder in nature. Jewellery is the
finest symbol of this when it is sourced with social and environmental
integrity, capturing, creating and conveying this genius.
“It has been an amazing journey that has taken me to some of the
remotest regions of our world, met some of the most extraordinary
people and witnessed some of the best and the worst practices in
mining. Human and indigenous rights, environmental justice and
human creativity are at the heart of our Fair Trade company.
Greg Valerio, Founder and Fair Trade Campaigner
integrity. We have travelled the world to understand the complexity of
our trade – to discern the full environmental and social costs of mining,
and how these might be mitigated. We have sought out like-minded
campaigners and with them pioneered the independent auditing
arrangements that make Fair Trade stones and metals possible. It is
an ongoing campaign of continual improvement: we will not be satisfied
until 100% Fair Trade jewellery becomes an industry standard.
Good post. Thanks for making me aware of it. It's good to know there are businesspeople out there who want to change the rules of the game for the better.
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