Corporate Responsibility

IceCarats Jewelry is committed to going beyond the industry standards in our efforts to support human rights, environmental stewardship and ethical business practices. IceCarats Jewelry is not a direct importer of merchandise except for loose diamonds. So, to meaningfully ensure compliance with its high standards of ethics, integrity and compliance, IceCarats takes the following approach:

We abide by the Kimberly Process and refuse to directly import, or buy from any importer or other supplier, any diamond mined after December 31, 2002 that is not accompanied by the World Diamond Council warranty statement. This warranty statement requires every seller in the chain of supply to affirm that the diamond has been purchased through authorized channels not involved in conflict funding.

IceCarats Jewelry is concerned about the environmental and social impacts of irresponsible mining practices. We are determined to source gold and other precious metals produced under the highest social, human rights and environmental standards. We are working to ensure the gold and other precious metals in our products were not produced at the expense of communities, workers or the environment. We require our suppliers adhere to these same principles and to be in compliance with the conflict minerals laws which Congress passed as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in order to target conflict minerals, including gold, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DCR) and surrounding region. We fully condemn the use of any minerals to fund conflict in the DRC, in its adjoining countries or anywhere in the world. As a condition of doing business with IceCarats, suppliers must agree to require all parties involved in the mining, processing and manufacturing of the products IceCarats sells to respect workers’ rights and labor standards, and to not source gold from areas of armed or militarized conflict where there is a high risk for human rights violations. Suppliers must further agree to support the development of an independent, third party verification system that verifies that gold and other precious metals meet these criteria.

Since the Kimberly Process passed in 2003, about 99% of the diamonds are conflict-free. But, IceCarats.com goes above and beyond that:

We only buy from suppliers that guarantee their diamonds and gemstones are conflict-free.

We believe in being 100% conflict-free (blood diamond free).

We take the issue of conflict diamonds very seriously. You, as a customer, can be confident that concrete and comprehensive measures are being taken to ensure the products we sell do not include Conflict Diamonds. IceCarats is making every effort to bar conflict diamonds from its inventory and provide assurances to our customers that the diamonds we sell are from legitimate sources.

Team Members are key to IceCarats' ability to achieve its objectives and mission. Therefore teamwork, integrity, communication, and fair treatment all play an important part in the way the Company operates. Furthermore, IceCarats' ability to operate in accordance with its Principles is dependent on its Team Members’ understanding of them and how they impact on their respective roles and responsibilities.

IceCarats considers its relationship with its Team Members to be excellent, valuing honest, open and constructive two-way communication throughout the organization. This is achieved through store, area and regional management meetings in addition to staff opinion surveys, feedback reports and staff meetings. These procedures facilitate consultation during which the views of Team Members can be expressed and taken into account in decisions likely to affect their interests. Team Members are kept informed of IceCarats' performance and objectives through management contact supplemented by staff publications in both the US and UK. The involvement of Team Members in IceCarats' results is encouraged through participation in performance-related incentive payment schemes and savings-related share option schemes, which include all Team Members, subject to minimum employment requirements. IceCarats does not restrict or discriminate against Team Members who wish to be covered by collective bargaining agreements.

IceCarats' policy is not to tolerate any form of unlawful discrimination on any grounds or at any level. In respect of people with disabilities, full and fair consideration is given to employment, opportunities for training, career development and promotion according to their skills and capacity. The services of any existing Team Members who become disabled are, where possible, retained and appropriate training is arranged for them wherever possible. There are dispute resolution procedures in place in both divisions. Signet assigns responsibility for human resource matters, including health and safety, to divisional executive management committees. Both the US and UK operations have established systems which include the provision of training and development opportunities at all levels of the organization.

Signet supports the Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization and the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and encourages support and respect for the protection of human rights within its sphere of influence. The Supplier Code sets out the IceCarats' expectation that suppliers should respect the Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization and the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Signet is engaged at a senior executive level to address human rights in the jewelry supply chain on an industry-wide basis directly with civil society and government and through the RJC.

IceCarats believes it is best to give support to a small number of specific charities rather than fragment its charitable giving. In the US, IceCarats' support is primarily given to The United Way, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Jewelers for Children, the industry’s charity.