Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels and Accreditation Services International Graduate to ISEAL Full Membership, and Responsible Jewellery Council Becomes New Associate Member
On 9 June 2011, a new Associate Member of ISEAL was approved, and two Associate members moved into the Full Membership category. The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) and Accreditation Services International (ASI) have both graduated to Full Membership status, thereby joining the leading group of standards systems that have demonstrated their ability to meet the ISEAL codes and accompanying good practice requirements.
RSB is an international initiative coordinated by the Energy Center at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland that brings together farmers, companies, NGOs, and governments to ensure the sustainability of biofuels production and processing. ASI is an independent accreditation body that manages accreditation for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and since 2006, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Both groups are adhering to the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice, which ensures that they are following a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process to ensure that their standards result in measureable progress towards their sustainability objectives without creating unnecessary barriers to international trade. The process also ensures alignment with core disciplines of international trade law such as openness, due process and transparency.
“I would like to commend RSB and ASI in reaching full membership status,” said Sasha Courville, Executive Director of ISEAL. “What this means in practice is that these organisations meet the highest standards of credibility.”
A New Addition to the ISEAL Community from the Mining and Minerals Sector
After six years of work, and beginning with a group of 14 organisations coming together from the diamond and gold jewellery business (including major companies such as Rio Tinto, Tiffany & Co., and Zale Corporation), the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) reached Associate Member status in ISEAL. Today, RJC is an international not-for-profit organisation bringing together more than 300 member companies across the jewellery supply chain. RJC Members have committed to promote the ethical, social and environmental good practices throughout the industry from mine to retail. The Council has developed a certification system, and all Commercial Members of the RJC are required to be audited by accredited, third party auditors and become certified under the RJC System. Joining ISEAL means that RJC commits to demonstrate full compliance with the ISEAL Codes within one year.
“Membership of ISEAL will help us continue to improve our standards development and implementation, and share experiences and ideas with other sectors,” said Dr Matthew Runci, Chairman, Responsible Jewellery Council. “ISEAL Members are standards organisations that commit to transparency, co-operation and good governance and RJC is delighted to become part of this community.”