Diamond Ethics

What are conflict diamonds?

Conflict diamonds are diamonds sourced from areas of civil unrest or violent conflict where the mining and sale of diamonds finance the ongoing conflict. They are associated with human rights abuses and environmental destruction, and were historically prevalent in African regions undergoing civil unrest.

What is the Kimberley Process?

The USA is a part of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), which is an international initiative aimed at preventing the trade of conflict diamonds. The US government has been a strong supporter of the Kimberley Process and is an active participant in the initiative, working to ensure that rough diamonds imported into the country are conflict-free. The US also has its own national legislation, the Clean Diamond Trade Act, which supports the Kimberley Process and requires US diamond importers to comply with its standards.