Summary
As a member of ISEAL, the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) is required to conduct periodic in-depth outcome or impact evaluations that assess their programs. To meet this requirement, Social Accountability International (SAI) worked with RJC to conduct an outcome evaluation of their system. The evaluation focused on RJC’s member companies in and around Mumbai and Surat, India (key gems and jewellery hubs) and examined the outcomes of a company’s involvement in the RJC certification on labour rights and working conditions in their business. Through the analysis of cross-section surveys and primary source data collected, SAI found that members reported the largest improvements in identifying and reducing risk, improving worker wellbeing and engagement, as well as in the acquisition of new customers. During onsite data collection, RJC members consistently reported two areas for RJC improvement as reduction of facility audit burden and operating costs.