Gems Fair Trade
What is gemstone fair trade? Most of you will be aware of fair trade policies but you will not be sure about the elements involved in the gemstones fair trade. This article will provide you the elements involved in gemstones trade and the importance of the fair trade in Gemstones business.
The following elements needs to be considered in Gemstones trade:-
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Environmental Protection
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Fair Labour Rules and Rights
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Quality Control Standards
Environmental Protection
It is very rare that the gemstones mining will create risks for the environment. Still standards should be maintained in order to protect the vegetation. Water sheds and streams should not be polluted as it will create danger to the wild life. In many countries these standards are not followed. These are not international standards but a moral duty to protect the environment as well as the wild life.
Fair Labour Rights
Labour rules such as minimum wages, insurance, health and safety is the essence of fair trade. In many countries these rules are not followed which results in injuries. In many occasions the health and safety requirements are not followed which results in the deaths of the mine workers. For example in many mines the workers have died because of the toxic gases inside the mine. Because sometimes they are unaware of the toxic gases and in many occasions the workers don’t have oxygen masks.
Child labour in many countries is still a major problem. Children are forced to work on these mines. There is no proper system of minimum wages.
Quality Control Standards
The quality control standards should be used in order to discourage the practice of mixing the synthetic gemstones with the natural gems. The gem traders after cutting the gemstones mix synthetic stones with the lot to make more profit. The defects in the gemstones are not disclosed in trading deals.
This problem normally arises when the local dealers involved in the gem trade. In extreme circumstance these gemstones are used to finance terrorism and war. This practice can be discouraged if the consumer only buys gemstones from authentic companies who will provide the complete history of the gemstone for example where, when and how this gemstone came into the market.
Why is fair trade important let us take an example of a single gemstone transaction which came to the market by unfair means? Firstly it was extracted from the mines by mine workers who were not given any labour rights secondly this transaction is going to finance a war. Sometimes even the drug money is paid in gemstones because it is easy to carry and easy to convert in money.
The sole purpose of this article is awareness about the fair trade policies. Your single transaction does matter. Always buy gemstones from authentic gemstone company who follows fair trade policies.