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| Commitment to the Kimberley
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For over 100
years, Birks and Mayors have lived by a set of principles
that have become the values and the ethics of Birks&Mayors
Inc. Paramount among our principles is to fully meet the
responsibilities of corporate citizenship by contributing
to the well-being of society, and the environment in which
it functions.
Operating a successful business in more than 66 stores
in North America requires more than providing quality
products and services. In order to retain consumer confidence
and trust, Birks & Mayors have a responsibility to
ensure that our business practices are environmentally
sound and that our products are safe and conflict-free.
Since 1879, Birks has set the standard across Canada for
quality diamonds providing meticulous grading and was
also among the first to support and work with the Kimberley
process insuring the integrity of the diamond supply chain.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is an agreement
to eliminate the trade of conflict diamonds. Conflict
diamonds (also called blood diamonds) are those mined
in a war zone and sold, usually clandestinely, to finance
armed conflict and civil wars. Currently, 69 countries
participate in an international certification process
that accompanies shipments of rough diamonds between parties
and would guarantee the diamonds are conflict free.
In May, 1999, Birks initiated a program that would provide
complete tracking of Canadian diamonds and became one
of the first jewelers to acquire and sell diamonds mined
in Canada. Birks is also a signatory of the Voluntary
Canadian Code of Conduct for Authenticating Canadian Diamond
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