RJC Certification: Frequently Asked Questions

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) is the leading sustainability standard-setting organisation for the jewellery and watch industry. All commercial members must be independently audited and certified against its Code of Practices (COP), which covers responsible business practices including human rights, labour, environment and supply chain due diligence. New members must achieve certification within two years of joining.

The Code of Practices (COP) is mandatory for all commercial members and covers gold, silver, platinum group metals, diamonds and coloured gemstones. The Chain of Custody (COC) standard is voluntary. It supports traceability and responsible sourcing claims for precious metals, including recycled material, and requires COP certification. The Laboratory-Grown Materials Standard (LGMS) applies to members handling lab-grown diamonds and coloured gemstones.

The revised COP and COC took effect on 1 January 2025, and since 1 January 2026 all certification audits must be conducted against them. Key changes include stronger human rights due diligence aligned with the UN Guiding Principles, new climate requirements such as annual measurement of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and expanded due diligence for artisanal mining and recycled materials. Certification is now based on a three-year cycle with one surveillance audit.

If you trade lab-grown diamonds, rubies, sapphires or emeralds, you must implement the LGMS alongside the COP. The RJC has set transition deadlines for existing members, the latest being 31 December 2026 for members last certified to COP 2019 after 1 January 2024. If this applies to you, now is the time to prepare.

Start by confirming which standards and materials are in scope. Then complete the RJC self-assessment workbook, which must be submitted to your auditor one month before the audit. Close any gaps by putting the required policies, procedures, risk assessments and grievance mechanisms in place, and make sure you can show records to support them. Finally, appoint an RJC-approved audit firm.

RJC auditors work for independent, RJC-approved audit firms. They assess your compliance and issue your certificate, but to stay independent they cannot advise you on how to meet the standard. A consultant, like me, works on your side before the audit: assessing gaps, preparing documents and coaching your team, so you go into the audit with confidence.

Having previously co-led the development of RJC standards, I provide end-to-end support throughout your certification journey, from initial gap assessment through to audit, taking on the bulk of the preparation so your team can stay focused on running the business. I have developed a comprehensive toolkit of policy, procedure and risk assessment templates, which I tailor to your specific scope, operations and circumstances. As your RJC consultant, I will also help you to implement the correct management systems into your day-to-day business operations. Get in touch to discuss where you are in your certification journey.