Serendipity Diamonds: Supplier Code of Conduct 

Serendipity Diamonds is committed to promoting responsible business practices among its significant business partners, including suppliers. To ensure this, we expect our suppliers to comply with the following policies:

Human Rights and Environmental Standards

To implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, to exercise due diligence over their supply chains, and to supply diamonds compliant with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and World Diamond Council System of Warranties. Suppliers must only supply recycled or Fairtrade gold to avoid unsafe working conditions, uncontrolled mercury use, and significant environmental impacts (including impacts on biodiversity). They should also use their best endeavours to positively influence practices by working to reduce or avoid risks and provide for or cooperate in remedying adverse human rights and environmental impacts. Suppliers should support development opportunities for ASM communities wherever possible.

Fair Business Practices

Suppliers should actively participate in initiatives, including multi-stakeholder ones, that enable the professionalization, formalization, and/or certification of ASM as appropriate to the situation. They should seek to understand fair commercial terms and offer these to all ASM suppliers, do due diligence for responsible sourcing from conflict-affected and high-risk areas and risk of exposure to toxic chemicals and metals and other significant environmental impacts. Additionally, suppliers should avoid bribery in all business practices and transactions carried out by themselves and agents acting on their behalf. They should also protect employees from any penalty or adverse consequences for identifying in good faith concerns related to suspected bribery, refusing to participate in bribery, or refusing to pay a facilitation payment where facilitation payments are prohibited, even if this action may result in the enterprise losing business.

Employment Terms

Ensure that employment terms with regard to wages, working hours, and other employment conditions are communicated to employees in writing before employment starts, in a language that is understood by them. Suppliers should never avoid fulfilling legal labour and social security obligations to employees by using labour-only contracts, false apprenticeship schemes, excessive consecutive short-term employment contracts, and/or subcontracting or homeworking arrangements. Additionally, they should maintain appropriate employee records, including records of piece-rate and wage payments as well as working hours, for all employees, whether on a full-time, part-time, or seasonal basis.

Ensuring a Safe and Respectful Workplace

Suppliers should commit to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for all employees. To ensure this, we have established the following guidelines in accordance with applicable laws and industry standards.

Benefits and Compliance with Applicable Law

Suppliers shall ensure that all benefits are given to employees in accordance with applicable law.

Avoidance of Violence and Harassment

Suppliers will prohibit all forms of violence and harassment in the workplace, including but not limited to corporal punishment, harsh or degrading treatment, sexual or physical harassment, mental, physical, verbal, or sexual abuse, retaliation, coercion, and intimidation.

Child Labour

We do not support or engage in or support child labour as defined in ILO Convention 138 and Recommendation 146.

Freedom of Association

We respect the right of employees to associate freely with workers’ organizations of their choice without interference or negative consequences.

Non-Discrimination

We will not practice or condone any form of discrimination in the workplace in terms of hiring, continued employment, remuneration, overtime, access to training, professional development, promotion, termination or retirement. This includes discrimination based on race, colour, ethnicity, caste, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, union membership, political affiliation, marital status, parental or pregnancy status, physical appearance, HIV status, age or any other personal characteristic unrelated to the inherent requirements of the work.

Safe and Healthy Working Conditions

Our organisation and suppliers will provide safe and healthy working conditions for all employees in accordance with applicable law and other relevant industry standards.

Working Hours

Suppliers should comply with applicable laws on working hours. The normal working week, not including overtime, shall not exceed 48 hours. They should provide all employees with at least one rest day in seven consecutive working days in accordance with International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 14. Work time exceeding this limit is only allowed if: a. A collective bargaining agreement or applicable law allows for work-time averaging, including adequate rest periods, orb. During peak production periods, so long as the long work time is rare, voluntarily performed, and compensated at the appropriate premium level established by law or a collective bargaining agreement, or where unregulated by either, at a premium rate at least equal to the prevailing industry standards. Suppliers should provide employees with all legally mandated public holidays and leave, including maternity and paternity, compassionate, and paid annual leave. Additionally, they should provide all employees with a workday break in accordance with applicable law. If there is no applicable law, members shall provide employees with at least one uninterrupted work break of reasonable duration if they work longer than six hours. 

Wages and Benefits

Suppliers should pay all employees a wage rate for normal hours worked, not including overtime, based on the higher of either the applicable legal minimum wage, plus associated statutory benefits, or the prevailing industry standards. They should reimburse overtime work at a rate at least equal to that required by applicable law or a collective bargaining agreement or, where unregulated by either, at a premium rate at least equal to the prevailing industry standards. 

Environmental Responsibility

Serendipity Diamonds is committed to operating its business in an environmentally responsible manner. We expect our suppliers to share this commitment and strive to minimize the environmental impact of their operations. Our suppliers are expected to comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to hazardous waste disposal, air emissions, water discharges, and chemical storage. We also expect our suppliers to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint, such as reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing waste, and utilizing sustainable packaging materials. Our suppliers are encouraged to implement environmentally friendly practices such as recycling, using renewable energy sources, and reducing the use of single-use plastics.

Reporting and Monitoring

Serendipity Diamonds takes its commitment to responsible business practices seriously and expects the same from its suppliers. We require our suppliers to provide regular reports on their compliance with this Code of Conduct and to cooperate with any monitoring or auditing activities we may undertake. We will monitor and assess supplier compliance with this Code of Conduct and expect our suppliers to take corrective action when non-compliance is identified. Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct may result in the termination of our business relationship with the supplier.