HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT JANUARY 2022
GSI’S POLICY
GSI’S Human rights our commitment to a safe and respectful workplace includes respecting the human rights of others and extends to our employees, our suppliers, and so on through the supply chain. For GSI respecting human rights means, among other things maintaining a healthy and safe work environment, observing fair employment practices, and providing competitive employment terms. This is why it is important to read and comply with all health, safety, and employment policies applicable to your job.
In our Business Operations We expect all GSI employees and representatives to act lawfully and respectfully toward other employees, customer, business partners, and those in the local communities in which we operate. These expectations are outlined in our Code as well as various enterprise-wide policies. We ensure the protection of GSI employee rights through policies and procedures established by the Human Resources, Health & Safety, and Legal Department function.
Throughout our Supply Chain We expect our business partners, to share our commitment to respect human rights. All suppliers must comply with our Code, which specifically outlines our expectations related to human rights. Suppliers must also comply with our standard contract provisions, which require strict adherence to all applicable laws, including human right laws. Further, we have established a comprehensive due diligence process designed to assess, among other things, our suppliers’ commitment to human rights issues and require them to certify that there are no adverse human rights impacts directly or indirectly cause by their business activities of which they are aware.
General Rights and Obligations Child Labor GSI support, follow, and comply with child labor laws across all business operations.
Because much of GSI’s work is conducted in a safety-sensitive environment, all full-time employees must be at least 18 years of age or older pursuant to our Employee Hiring Process Policy. GSI ensures compliance with its expectations throughout its supply chain by contractually requiring all suppliers to strictly comply with all applicable child labor laws. Our approach is consistent with the ILO labor standards outlines in ILO Convention Nos. 138 and 182.
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining -GSI recognizes the right to organize and the right of unions to represent and negotiate on behalf of workers. GSI respects the rights of all workers to form and join unions of their own choice and to bargain collectively.
Forced Labor and Human Trafficking GSI does not tolerate modern slavery, forced labor, and bonded labor or human trafficking in any form. We strictly prohibit our employees, suppliers and other business partners from engaging in human trafficking-related activities.
Mark Gershburg Debbie Azar
CEO President
DUE DILIGENCE
GSI is a leading global gemological organization with laboratories in the USA, India, Israel, Hong Kong, Dubai and Belgium. GSI employees over 300 people globally and has business relationships with global retailers, sight holder, manufacturers and other stakeholders throughout the diamond and jewelry supply chain.
GSI is committed to ensuring the highest standards and level of integrity wherever we operate and this includes addressing critical issues such as human rights, child labor, discrimination and health and safety.
As part of our due diligence process globally, GSI adheres to and maintains a strict Code of Conduct policy that guides our employees, clients, business partners to ensure all Human Rights and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are observed. GSI communicates its Human Rights Policy to all its employees, clients and business partners globally. GSI believes implementing proper due diligence on clients and business partners is an adequate way to stem and remediate adverse human rights impacts,
RISK ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION
We conduct an annual impact assessment to assess the impacts we have or can have in every goal, in our own operations or in our sphere of influence. Promoting transparency regarding our own governance structure and practices, and inclusive decision making, promoting equal gender opportunities, at all levels.
Ensuring effective policies and procedures to prevent any human rights violations. We recognize the importance of good governance to prevent business and social risks within our company. To achieve this goal, we have increased management efficiency and transparency by improving our internal control system. Internal committees have been established globally to create a sound balance of reporting and reviewing compliance. These groups evaluate compliance through an internal audit system and work proactively with our people to drive change. We have appointed employees within our organization that are responsible for implementing compliance and tailoring global, all-encompassing directives to local national and cultural needs.
Each year the committee meets to discuss various risk criteria including geographic sensitivities, past audit performances and the nature of facility’s work.
We are strongly recommending that our clients and business partners adhere to a similar code of conduct and to complete a due diligence form as part of our risk assessment. We respect the confidentiality of our clients and business partners and therefore the outcome of portions of this risk assessment is confidential.
How we implemented this-
STEP 1 Structuring our business internally and establishing a strong management system
• We defined and communicated a policy for acknowledgments by our business partners and clients.
• We assigned a responsible person for due diligence who was trained accordingly.
• We collect client details.
• We engage with our clients and business partners
STEP 2 Identifying and assessing risks with companies we work with
• Request companies to provide us with detailed information
• Identify any companies operate in conflict affected and high risk area and what steps they take internally
STEP 3 Design and Implement a strategy to mitigate identified risks (if any)
• Contact our customers and business partners for additional information when needed
• End the business relationship if any human rights violations are found
STEP 4 Report Annually
CONCLUSION
We identified 2 companies that we do business with globally that do not have any standards or guidelines in place to adhere to Human Rights policies. Our management team made recommendations to these companies to create minimum baseline standards to start and contact the RJC for information on becoming a member and guidance on internally assessments and reviews prior to the audit process to ensure compliance.
Human Rights policies, procedures, due diligence and governance was reviewed for all GSI locations and all are compliant according to our code of conduct and standards. We will continue to monitor, improve and report in all locations annually.
