The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) recently added a new metal – silver – to be included within the scope of its Chain of Custody (CoC) standard, which is currently used to certify gold and platinum group metals.

As a result, the global standard-setting and certification organisation for the entire jewellery supply chain, has released a revised version of its Chain of Custody (CoC) standard that will allow members to become certified for their silver supply chain.

The updated version of the CoC standard has been available to members from January 30, 2020.

“RJC’s voluntary CoC standard was established in 2012, aiming to support claims for responsibly sourced jewellery materials, produced, processed and traded through the supply chain,” the organisation said, providing a background to the CoC. “It was relaunched in 2017 to incorporate changes including the due-diligence requirements that align with Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) five-step framework.”

Now, companies in the jewellery and watch supply chain dealing in silver can join the RJC and get certified against the mandatory Code of Practice standard as well as the voluntary Chain of Custody standard.

“Around 150 certifications have been issued since the first CoC standard was launched,” RJC stated. “It’s available to all members who have been certified against the RJC’s Code of Practices.”

RJC Chairman David Bouffard said: “We are proud to be welcoming silver into our precious metal range. Our standard offers a tool for member companies to provide third-party certified traceability for silver, and reliable evidence of the source of material used. We believe this new addition will open doors for existing and new members to become certified against the Chain of Custody standard – and we look forward to welcoming them as RJC members.”

Executive Director of RJC, Iris Van der Veken, said: “Product integrity is at the heart of consumer confidence. Our standards are designed to support members, each step of the way. We have self-assessment toolkits, supportive documentation including standard guidance, contractor assessments, and a dedicated team to guide our members on their journey towards certification and continuous improvement.”