RESPONSIBLE SOURCING

Bulgari believes that the continuously advancing in its ethical, social and environmental performance is a fundamental component of the excellence of the products delivered to clients. Bulgari is certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council. This certification intends to provide clients with the trust that our value chain, from mining to retail, is managed responsibly.
In order to foster its commitment, Bulgari goes beyond the Responsible Jewellery Council requirements, assuring the responsible sourcing of all its Business Units, for all the materials used in its products with specific focus on Gold, Diamonds and Colored Gemstones.
In the conduct of its activities, Bulgari is committed to complying with all applicable laws, regulations and national and international conventions, as well as with best practices, in particular with regards to ethics, human rights, social responsibility and protection of the environment.

BULGARI RESPONSIBLE SOURCING POLICY FOR MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS

The Responsible Sourcing Policy For Mineral Supply Chains, signed by the CEO, is intended to affirm Bulgari’s commitment to respecting human rights, avoiding contributing to financing conflicts and complying with all applicable laws, regulations and national and international conventions, relevant UN sanctions and resolutions.
Through this policy, Bulgari commits to implementing the five-step framework of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, including the provisions of the Supplement on Gold.
Bulgari Due Diligence Annual Report.

Gold

CHAIN OF CUSTODY CERTIFICATION

On June 10th, 2015 Bulgari achieved the Chain Of Custody Certification (CoC) for its gold jewelry products lines. The CoC Certification has been renewed in April 2018 and in June 2021. The Chain Of Custody Standard, settled from the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) in accordance with the OECD Guidelines, promotes the usage of precious metals sourced in a responsible way among the whole supply chain. More details on the RJC Chain Of Custody Standard are available at the following link.

What does responsibly sourced mean?

RJC defines responsibly sourced metals as conflict-free as a minimum, and responsibly produced at each step of the supply chain. This means that appropriate standards apply for human rights, labour standards, environmental impact, and business ethics as articulated in the RJC Code of Practices Standard. Aiming to ensure the long term compliance with RJC CoC Standard provisions, Bulgari has implemented an appropriate internal and external management system which ensures the segregation of CoC certified material in each step of the manufacturing process from metal procurement to finished product delivery. The certification ensures the implementation of responsible manufacturing and sourcing processes among the whole supply chain and it confirms Bulgari's commitment to ensure gold traceability not only through its manufacturing processes but also involving its suppliers with a continuous improvement perspective and taking care of the sustainable development of the local content in which Bulgari operates.
Please find here the RJC Chain of Custody Certification.

Diamonds

CONFLICT DIAMONDS AND THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS

Conflict diamonds (or "blood diamonds") are rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments. Bulgari takes this issue very seriously and prevents these diamonds from becoming part of its inventory by only buying polished diamonds from trusted suppliers based in countries adhering to the Kimberley Process, a joint government, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds through an international certification scheme. Moreover, all Bulgari suppliers are members of trade associations, such as the World Diamond Council, which aim to implement the Kimberley Process through a self-regulation system. Bulgari has therefore notified its suppliers that all diamonds polished after January 1, 2003 must be accompanied by a warranty stating that they do not sell conflict diamonds. These warranties are retained by the company for a five-year term. As a further action, on August 4, 2006 Bulgari became a member of the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices, a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 whose mission is to promote responsible practices related to business ethics and social, human rights and environmental performance throughout the diamond and gold jewelry supply chain, from mining to retail. Since July 2004, the current standard training package for all employees has included a session dedicated to the issue of conflict diamonds and the Kimberley Process.
In 1998, two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Global Witness (UK) and Partnership Africa (Canada), informed the diamond industry and the world media that rebel groups in Angola and Sierra Leone were illegally trading diamonds in order to fund their activities. In May 2000, the South African Government organized a meeting in Kimberley for all interested parties to meet and discuss a solution to this problem. The meetings therefore became known as the Kimberley Process, and over a period of two years, an international agreement was reached – known as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme – which outlined the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. This scheme requires that each shipment of rough diamonds exported through an international border must be transported in a tamper-resistant container and accompanied by a government-validated certificate, named the "Kimberley Process Certificate," declaring that the stones are not conflict diamonds.
The diamond industry reacted immediately and began cooperating with the United Nations and leading NGOs to find ways to halt trade in conflict diamonds. As a result, in July 2000, the World Diamond Council was created by the Federation of Diamond Bourses and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association – two entities representing the most important manufacturing and trading centers in the world. This organization brings together manufacturers, traders, governments and relevant international organizations and aims to ensure that restrictions for trade in conflict diamonds are applied. In February 2003, the World Diamond Council published an "Essential Guide to Implementing the Kimberley Process" in order to promote a self-regulation system for the entire diamond industry, with the aim of restricting the trade in conflict diamonds. According to this guide, all jewelry retailers should:

• Require that all of their suppliers provide warranties for all polished diamonds
• Inform suppliers in writing that they will require a warranty
• Retain these warranties for at least five years.

COLORED GEMSTONES

Bulgari is committed to monitoring constantly the social and environmental impacts of its supply chain, also in relation to the sourcing of Colored Gemstones. Material and product traceability represent a key focus area for Bulgari in this space. The Group is working with international partners in order to enhance standards and methodologies to continue deepening the commitment to responsible sourcing of Colored Gemstones. For this reason Bulgari, as part of LVMH, joined the Colored Gemstones Working Group (CGWG).
This workgroup, facilitated by The Dragonfly Initiative, brings together major brands in the jewelry industry with the common goal to develop tools and methods to enable a transparent and responsible supply chain for colored gemstones. Bulgari will keep working to encourage the adoption of responsible sourcing practices and leveraging on the untapped potential of new technologies.

FRAGRANCES

From ingredient sourcing that make up a fragrance to the material sourcing used for the packaging of our products, responsible sourcing covers a wide range of activities. In line with Bulgari’s devotion to sourcing the finest ingredients, the Maison invested in the “Flower Gems of India” initiative, a collaboration with perfume designer Firmenich and its local partner Jasmine Concrete. The project aims to create a new jasmine farming model for family-owned farms in Tamil Nadu, India. Since 2019, the farms have been remodeled and traceable sourcing was reinforced among more than 110 farmers. Besides sourcing natural ingredients, for many years Bulgari has been committed to the responsible sourcing of palm oil derivatives used in fragrances and soaps.

ACCESSORIES

For our accessories, raw material suppliers are asked to follow the highest animal welfare standards. As of 2021, 99% of our bovine and ovine leather comes from Leather Working Group certified tanneries. This means that their production methods are centered on factors related to environmental performance, such as reducing energy and water usage, overseeing waste disposal and managing restricted substances. Bulgari promotes animal welfare while also raising awareness on the best sourcing practices. Aligned with LVMH guidelines on the sourcing of exotic leathers, Bulgari also actively collaborates with biologists, experts and international working groups to develop new standards and protocols for animal husbandry and species conservation.