Company expands existing sourcing protocols to diamonds, platinum &
silver
HAMILTON, Bermuda–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Signet Jewelers Limited (“Signet”) (NYSE:SIG), the world’s largest
retailer of diamond jewelry, today filed its sixth consecutive Form SD
and Conflict Minerals Report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) in accordance with Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act
of 2010. As has been the case for each of the past six years, Signet’s
Conflict Minerals Report has been accompanied by an independent
private-sector audit report that supports Signet’s disclosure that it
has obtained its supply of the minerals covered by Section 1502 – gold,
tin, tantalum and tungsten (“3TG”) – from “Democratic Republic of The
Congo (DRC) conflict free” sources.
For the 2018 calendar year reporting period covered by the latest Form
SD/Conflict Minerals Report, Signet extended its 3TG diligence and
reporting under Section 1502 beyond the required 3TG to voluntarily note
the extensive efforts around diamonds, platinum and silver.
“Our customers care about the integrity of our jewelry sourcing,” said
Signet Chief Executive Officer Virginia C. Drosos. “They choose to
purchase from us because they appreciate our decades-long global
leadership in responsibly sourcing the metals and gems used to create
our jewelry. We are continuing to earn their trust by expanding the
materials we track and leading important industry organizations
dedicated to this mission.”
Signet’s Conflict Minerals Report reflects the complexity and breadth of
the jewelry supply chain, and demonstrates the company’s commitment to
continuous improvement in the integrity of the global jewelry supply
chain.
Among Signet’s responsible sourcing accomplishments are:
-
In April 2019, Signet published the Signet Responsible Sourcing
Protocol (SRSP) for Colored Gemstones, providing assurance that Signet
fine jewelry containing rubies, sapphires and emeralds will be
verified as responsibly sourced. This adds to the SRSP previously in
place for Gold, 3Ts, Diamonds, Silver and Platinum Group Metals. -
In 2018, as part of the Responsible Artisanal Gold Solutions Forum
(RAGSF), Signet received jewelry, including gold from the first supply
chain designed to source conflict-free artisanal gold from the DRC for
use in products sold to consumers in the United States. Signet is a
founding member of the RAGSF, a multi-stakeholder coalition which
seeks to learn about and address critical barriers to the production
and trade of artisanal gold from the Great Lakes Region of Central
Africa. -
In 2018, Signet’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs, David Bouffard,
was elected chair of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), the
global standards-setting and certification organization for the
jewelry industry, with more than 1,100 members supporting human
rights, business ethics, and social and environmental performance
throughout the industry. -
The total number of Signet suppliers who are RJC members has nearly
quintupled since 2014, representing over 94% of all Signet jewelry
purchases by value. -
In 2018, SIGWATCH, an unaffiliated NGO tracking company based in the
United Kingdom, ranked Signet as one of the top five most praised
companies in the world – the only jewelry company on the list – for
the company’s responsible sourcing efforts. -
Signet has increased the emphasis on harmonization of Signet’s SRSP
with the RJC’s certification audits and provenance claims, which is
now Signet’s primary third party verification and assurance mechanism.
For additional information on Signet Jewelers’ responsible sourcing
efforts and its commitment to responsibility in other areas, including
People, Environmental Stewardship and Charitable Giving, please see the
company’s 2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Report: http://www.corporatereport.com/signet/2018/csr
About Signet Jewelers:
Signet Jewelers Limited is the world’s largest retailer of diamond
jewelry. Signet operates approximately 3,300 stores primarily under the
name brands of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry,
H.Samuel, Ernest Jones, Peoples, Piercing Pagoda, and JamesAllen.com.
Further information on Signet is available at www.signetjewelers.com.
See also www.kay.com, www.zales.com, www.jared.com, www.hsamuel.co.uk,www.ernestjones.co.uk, www.peoplesjewellers.com, www.pagoda.com,
and www.jamesallen.com.
Contacts
Jason Lindesmith
Manager, Corporate and Sustainability
Communications
+1 330 201-4306
jason.lindesmith@signetjewelers.com