Baume & Mercier’s corporate responsibility policy, adopted for the benefit of our clients, our employees, our shareholders and society as a whole, applies to all staff and entities regardless of size, activity or location.

The Policy applies equally to Baume & Mercier’s supply chain – particularly to materials used in our creations, packaging and visual merchandising – and to all suppliers who contribute to their manufacturing.

Baume & Mercier is committed to continuously improve its ethical, social and environmental performance, with the aim to achieve full conformance with the terms of this Policy.

The principles that we endorse

The Responsible Jewellery Council
In line with our commitments, Baume & Mercier is a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council.

Its Members are committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the gold and diamond industry from mine to retail.

This commitment aims to reinforce consumer and stakeholder confidence in jewellery products.

The Council has developed the RJC System, a certification system – which applies to all Members’ businesses that contribute to the diamond and gold jewellery supply chain.
Under the RJC system, all Commercial Members of the RJC are required to be audited by accredited, third party auditors to verify that they conform with the RJC’s Code of Practices and to become certified under the RJC System, by the end of 2011.

www.responsiblejewellery.com

Kimberly Process/World Diamond Council System of Warranties
The Kimberley process is an international certification scheme for rough diamonds uniting governments and companies involved in the industry and aimed at avoiding the use of “conflict/blood diamonds” by rebel groups to finance their military activities.
 

Baume & Mercier uniquely purchased diamonds which originate from a country who applies the Kimberley Process.

Baume & Mercier respects the associated World Diamond Council System of Warranties, which applies to rough and polished diamonds, and all our invoices carry the obligatory warranty statement.
 
We purchase uniquely from diamond suppliers who also respect the system, in order to ensure that all our diamonds are from a legitimate source.

www.kimberleyprocess.com
http://diamondfacts.org

Diamonds from Marange, Zimbabwe
Recently, human right violations in the diamond fields of Marange, Zimbabwe led to reinforced controls by the Kimberley Process concerning diamonds originating from this area.

As Baume & Mercier respects the World Council Diamonds System of Warranties, we only purchase diamonds which are certified to be from a legitimate source and procured by diamond suppliers in respect of the Kimberley Process Certification System.

Hence, we are reassured that no diamonds originating from Marange have been purchased by us.

C.I.T.E.S.
Baume & Mercier respects the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
 
CITES is an international agreement between governments which aims to ensure that international trade in selected species of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. For Baume & Mercier this principally concerns the commercialisation of watches equipped with alligator straps.

www.cites.org

Code of Conducts
Baume & Mercier has implemented a Code of Business Conduct with its Employees and principal industrial and trade marketing suppliers.

These codes set out the standards of business ethical behaviour that are to be respected and which should be the basis of our business decisions.
The code describes our commitments towards different key business integrity issues such as equal employment opportunity, health and safety standards, ethical business practices, the integrity of working relations and the respect of the environment.

As part of the implementation of this Code, our suppliers have confirmed to us that no area of divergence between their operations and the requirements of the Code has been identified and that they have shared these expectations with their own employees.