RJC Certification: What Jewellery and Gemstone Exporters Should Prepare Before They Start
RJC certification requires preparation across policies, documentation, supply chain controls, and internal systems. Most delays and audit issues come from gaps in these areas rather than from a lack of understanding of the standard itself. Preparing these elements before starting the process makes certification significantly smoother.
Why preparation matters before starting RJC certification
Many jewellery and gemstone exporters only begin thinking about the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certification when it becomes a requirement from a buyer or part of a commercial discussion.
At that stage, timelines are usually tight. The assumption is often that certification is mainly about understanding the standard and preparing for an audit.
In practice, the process is closer to a full review of how the business operates and how consistently this can be demonstrated. Companies that start without preparing tend to spend more time reorganising information, revisiting processes, and responding to audit findings.
Taking time to prepare upfront usually reduces:
audit delays
repeated document requests
corrective actions after the audit
→ See: RJC Audit: What Jewellery and Gemstone Exporters Often Overlook
What you actually need to have in place before you start
Across different companies, preparation tends to fall into five core areas.
1. Clear policies aligned with how you operate
RJC expects documented policies across key topics such as:
business ethics and anti-corruption
human rights and labour practices
environmental management
These policies need to reflect what is actually happening in the business.
A common issue is having generic templates that are not applied in practice or not known by staff. Auditors will usually check both the document and how it is used.
2. Supplier due diligence and traceability
This is one of the first areas reviewed during certification.
Before starting, you should be able to:
identify your suppliers
describe how they are selected and monitored
maintain basic traceability of materials through your operations
The RJC framework aligns with OECD due diligence expectations for responsible sourcing, which increasingly shapes buyer requirements as well.
For many firms, this is where preparation takes the most time.
3. Product integrity and disclosure controls
You need to be able to demonstrate that:
product information is accurate
materials are correctly described
natural, treated, and synthetic products are clearly distinguished
This is particularly important in trading and manufacturing activities where product claims are part of the commercial offer.
4. HR, working conditions, and internal practices
RJC audits go beyond documentation and look at how employees are treated in practice.
Before starting, companies should have:
formal employment terms
clarity on working hours and wages
a way for employees to raise concerns
These elements are often partially in place but not formalised or documented.
5. A basic management system
This is what connects everything together.
You need:
clear internal responsibilities
a way to monitor compliance
periodic review of your systems
Without this structure, it becomes difficult to show consistency during an audit, even if individual practices are acceptable.
What auditors will expect to see
RJC certification is assessed at company level and audits are based on documentation, staff interviews, and observation of operations.
This means preparation goes beyond having documents ready. It also involves making sure:
staff understand what is in place
processes are followed consistently
records exist to support what is described
A quick way to assess your readiness
A structured self-assessment helps clarify where effort is required before entering the certification process.
The checklist below was designed to reflect how audits are actually conducted and where companies typically face issues.
It focuses on areas such as:
business ethics
product integrity
supply chain and traceability
labour practices
environmental management
governance systems
Most companies fall into one of three categories:
early stage, with limited formal systems
partial readiness, where systems exist but are inconsistent
near readiness, with only specific gaps remaining
The majority sit in the second category and need structured preparation before entering the audit process
What tends to slow companies down
Preparation issues usually come from a few recurring points:
documentation is incomplete or inconsistent
responsibilities are not clearly assigned
information is spread across different teams
systems rely on individuals rather than processes
These do not always appear as major issues internally, but they become visible during certification.
In short
RJC certification is manageable when preparation is done in advance.
For most firms, it is usually not expected to start everything from scratch. The work will rather be focused on structuring what already exists so it can be clearly presented and verified.
Companies that approach certification this way tend to move through the process more efficiently and avoid unnecessary delays.