Business and Human Rights


Action Update - Survey Results

Results and Highlights from the National Day of Action on Conflict Diamonds September 18, 2004

Thanks to the many activists who joined forces on September 18 to find out what diamond retailers are doing (or not doing) to combat the trade in conflict diamonds. The day was a huge success - in 50 cities across 18 states, AI activists visited 246 stores to conduct the survey and raised awareness among consumers by tabling and leafleting in their communities.
Quick Stats
  • Only 27% of shops were able assure us that they had a policy on conflict diamonds.
  • 30% of the shops that said they had a policy were unable to produce a hard copy of or explain it.
  • Only 13% of shops provided warranties to their customers as a standard practice.
  • 37% of the shops we visited claimed to be aware of the conflict diamonds issue. But 54% of them reported an inaccurate definition of the crisis.
  • Only 28% of the shops were aware of the Kimberley Process.
  • 29% of those who were aware of the Kimberley Process had only a minimal or limited understanding of it.
  • When asked whether consumers inquired about conflict diamonds, 83% of respondents answered rarely or never.
  • 110 shops refused outright to take the survey.

The survey results indicate that jewelers are still keeping consumers in the dark when it comes to their policies to keep conflict diamonds out of stores.