Title: Blood diamonds: an analysis of the state of affairs and the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process

Authors: Meike Schulte; Cody Morris Paris

Addresses: Middlesex University Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ' Middlesex University Dubai Dubai, United Arab Emirates; University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract: In an era when corporate responsibility and sustainability are gaining momentum, and growing access to information and communication has empowered consumers to make more socially responsible purchasing decisions, the diamond industry remains opaque. The Kimberley Process was established to monitor the rough diamond trade with the objective of stemming the flow of conflict diamonds. The definition of conflict diamonds, however, often excludes human rights abuses, which has led to mounting criticism. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence, magnitude, and scope of ethical issues affecting sourcing conditions in the diamond industry. The research found that ethical issues were reported in the diamond industries of several African nations, with Angola topping the list. Child labour and slavery are the most prevalent human rights abuses. In 2017, one in five diamonds in terms of volume and one in ten diamonds in terms of value may have been produced under conditions that cannot be regarded as sustainable or ethical.

Keywords: diamond industry; conflict diamonds; blood diamonds; human rights; Kimberley Process; ethical sourcing; sourcing conditions; civil war; resource curse; sustainability; transparency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2020.105017

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2020 Vol.12 No.1, pp.51 - 75

Received: 27 Nov 2018
Accepted: 09 Aug 2019
Published online: 10 Feb 2020 *

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