Vicenzaoro September 2021: It’s Time for Ethical Gold
Appointment today at 3 pm in Hall 7 for the Fairtrade talk on the theme of sustainability applied to the world of precious materials
Appointment today at 3 pm in Hall 7 for the Fairtrade talk on the theme of sustainability applied to the world of precious materials
The talk entitled “Fairtrade ethical gold to reach the heart of consumers” will deal with social sustainability, ethical values, respect for the workforce and raw material traceability, an Industry Event scheduled to take place today from 3 to 4 pm on the Main Stage in Hall 7 at Vicenzaoro. A highly topical theme discussed from a particular angle thanks to collaboration with Fairtrade, a name associated with the agro-food industry that, ten years ago, also introduced certification for gold: in a world where those who buy jewelry are increasingly more informed and careful about the origin of raw materials and where, for big brands and workshops, choosing to entrust in a certified ethical supply chain is no longer merely moral but also an obligation. In the gold industry, about 90% of people work in small artisan mines featuring poor technology and using a large labor force. Life is not easy for these miners: they often live in substandard accommodation, with no access to education and health assistance, in communities without sanitation service and clean drinking water. Fairtrade demands that the price paid is equal to at least 95% of the stock market price; it makes protective equipment obligatory and imposes safe practices to protect against toxic chemical substances; it prohibits child labor and strengthens artisan miners’ positions by grouping them into cooperatives so that they have greater contractual bargaining power. The purchase and use of Fairtrade certified gold therefore allows companies to measure and communicate the effective impact of their ethical commitment. Heidi Saida Corilloclla Elescano, Field Officer since 2017 at CLAC, (Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers), Fairtrade’s partner, has been invited to provide an in-depth view regarding artisan mines in Peru. After working for twenty years in the mining sector, she is currently helping to get Fairtrade miners out of the “grey” economy, supporting them in applying for responsible mining and making them aware of their own rights as workers. Also speaking will be Mara Bragaglia, founder of Maraismara, a brand that makes jewelry with responsible precious materials in its own independent workshop in Torrice and which introduced Fairtrade gold into Italy in 2016. Moderating the debate will be Tessa Gelisio, author, TV presenter, writer, blogger and president of the environmental association forPlanet Onlus, as well as ecology and environmental communication expert.
The talk entitled “Fairtrade ethical gold to reach the heart of consumers” will deal with social sustainability, ethical values, respect for the workforce and raw material traceability, an Industry Event scheduled to take place today from 3 to 4 pm on the Main Stage in Hall 7 at Vicenzaoro. A highly topical theme discussed from a particular angle thanks to collaboration with Fairtrade, a name associated with the agro-food industry that, ten years ago, also introduced certification for gold: in a world where those who buy jewelry are increasingly more informed and careful about the origin of raw materials and where, for big brands and workshops, choosing to entrust in a certified ethical supply chain is no longer merely moral but also an obligation. In the gold industry, about 90% of people work in small artisan mines featuring poor technology and using a large labor force. Life is not easy for these miners: they often live in substandard accommodation, with no access to education and health assistance, in communities without sanitation service and clean drinking water. Fairtrade demands that the price paid is equal to at least 95% of the stock market price; it makes protective equipment obligatory and imposes safe practices to protect against toxic chemical substances; it prohibits child labor and strengthens artisan miners’ positions by grouping them into cooperatives so that they have greater contractual bargaining power. The purchase and use of Fairtrade certified gold therefore allows companies to measure and communicate the effective impact of their ethical commitment. Heidi Saida Corilloclla Elescano, Field Officer since 2017 at CLAC, (Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers), Fairtrade’s partner, has been invited to provide an in-depth view regarding artisan mines in Peru. After working for twenty years in the mining sector, she is currently helping to get Fairtrade miners out of the “grey” economy, supporting them in applying for responsible mining and making them aware of their own rights as workers. Also speaking will be Mara Bragaglia, founder of Maraismara, a brand that makes jewelry with responsible precious materials in its own independent workshop in Torrice and which introduced Fairtrade gold into Italy in 2016. Moderating the debate will be Tessa Gelisio, author, TV presenter, writer, blogger and president of the environmental association forPlanet Onlus, as well as ecology and environmental communication expert.
