Gemfair

What is GemFair?

GemFair enables the tracing of artisanally produced diamonds from mine to market through specially tailored technological solutions, with miners also benefiting from the support of our expert local team.

GemFair is an inclusive programme that engages with artisanal miners wherever they may be in their journey, whether that be entry-level through to best-in-class. Our thoughtfully designed programme incentivises miners to meet and exceed legal requirements, while also offering training in a range of areas to support continuous improvement in mining and business standards.

Our Promise

TRACEABILITY

Creating a digital record of the diamonds found at participating artisanal mine sites

EMPOWERMENT

GemFair provides training to miners on safer and more environmentally responsible mining standards. Miners also have access to tutorials prepared by leading diamond experts

FAIR VALUE

Miners receive fair value for their diamonds

INCLUSION

Opening our doors to as many artisanal miners as possible, so they can continue their journey to improve mining standards

Our 4 Pillars

GemFair’s digital solution is a set of hardware and software that helps GemFair maintain traceability of diamonds from the mine site through to export. The toolkit contains a tablet with GemFair app and diamond evaluation equipment such as diamond scales, hand loupe and ruler. Together it allows miners to log stones on the GemFair platform and learn more about how to evaluate the value of their diamonds. This system also supports GemFair staff to onboard new members, ensuring they have met the requirements required to sell to GemFair and track each mine site’s progress in meeting our standards.

We have developed standards based on several best practice standards like the Best Practice Principles, OECD Due Diligence Guidance, CRAFT Code, and other leading standards for sourcing from ASM.

Then we field tested the standards on the ground and incorporated aspects that accommodate our unique business model. We don’t just teach miners our standards and then walk away either: when artisanal miners join our programme, they receive ongoing training, mentoring and bespoke capacity development programmes, over the long-term, supporting their journey of continuous improvement.

De Beers Group set an ambitious sustainability goal to build scalable solutions to support livelihoods of artisanal miners by 2030. GemFair is the vehicle through which we will meet this target. Through our Forward Purchase Agreement and mine site reclamation and farms programmes, we are supporting job creation for artisanal miners and their families.

The Forward Purchase Agreement programme is a project to provide artisanal diamond miners in Kono District with fair access to finance. The project was launched in 2019 and consisted of a mechanism to allow miners participating in the GemFair program to access finance without leading to debt. Under the contract, both the miner and GemFair agree on a workplan and accompanying budget for the season. GemFair in turn provides the capital for that season’s work in exchange for the right to forward purchase the miner’s production from the area funded by the contract.

The goal of the project is to create a win-win solution between the miner and GemFair where the miner receives financing and GemFair can positively influence the improvement of working and business practices of participating miners.

Many in this sector are not realising the full value of their labour. Although the task is challenging, GemFair believes the artisanal mining sector should be recognised and included in international trade in order to foster its development and support the raising of standards. The aim of GemFair is to support the sector’s drive for formalisation and contribute to its development. GemFair forms an important part of De Beers Group’s sustainability commitment to create scalable solutions to raise livelihoods of artisanal miners by 2030. See our Building Forever 2030 Goals for more information.

Yes. GemFair was established by De Beers Group to support the formalisation of the ASM sector by building an inclusive programme to raise standards, capture fair value and trace artisanally mined diamonds from the mine onward. GemFair uses digital technology to trace ASM diamonds from the time they are discovered at the mine site and requires all participating sites to meet minimum operating and ethical standards aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals.

GemFair is focusing exclusively on diamonds for the time being. However, with minor tweaks to the software, the solution could potentially be used for other minerals in the future.

GemFair has developed a Responsible ASM Assurance Programme that sets out ethical working standards for miners selling into the programme - as well as details of how we support the attainment of these requirements. The Programme is aligned with with the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains and incorporates progressive improvement best practice approaches on fair labour practices, health and safety and environmental impact management. More information can be found here.

GemFair delivers provenance and transparency for ethically mined artisanal diamonds.

We do this through our bespoke digital solution.

Our solution is comprised of: A bespoke diamond logging App; a dedicated tablet supported by a diamond valuation toolkit; tamper proof QR coded bags; and diamond surface scanning technology at the buying office that creates a digital fingerprint of the diamonds we purchase; recording GemFair diamonds on De Beers Group’s Tracr blockchain platform.

Using a combination of these technologies GemFair provides a verifiable story to our customers that links the diamonds they buy to the positive impact generated through the GemFair programme.

GemFair was established in 2018 and has since focussed on piloting an approach to source ethical artisanal diamonds at scale from the country. We are now expanding this model to new regions in Sierra Leone and beyond.

The majority of ASM sites in Kono are abandoned at the completion of mining activity without any backfilling. This practice means deep pits are left in the ground which poses a safety risk, serves as a breeding ground for water-borne diseases and represents a waste of productive land. That’s why, since 2020, we have been working with communities to reclaim former mine sites and convert them into farmland, providing jobs and crucial food for families in Kono.

GemFair provides selected members access to finance through our Forward Purchase Agreement (FPA) programme. In consultation with miners we identified that there was a lack of fair, formal and transparent financing options available – the initiative was established in response to this. In short, FPA beneficiaries receive funding to cover all of their financing needs for a defined work cycle: capital inputs, labour and consumables. When miners find diamonds that must sell them to GemFair. At the point of sale a proportion of the value of the diamond is retained by GemFair to cover the forwarded monies. If, at the end of the work cycle, the forward sum is not paid in full through the discovery of diamonds the balance is zeroed, thereby taking the risk out of mining for our beneficiaries.

We are a programme that aims to connect artisanal and small-scale miners to the global market

We are a programme that aims to connect artisanal and small-scale miners to the global market

We are a programme that aims to connect artisanal and small-scale miners to the global market

We are a programme that aims to connect artisanal and small-scale miners to the global market

We are a programme that aims to connect artisanal and small-scale miners to the global market

What is GemFair?

Our Promise

Our 4 Pillars

Why is GemFair engaging with artisanal diamond mining?

Is GemFair a De Beers Group Initiative?

Does GemFair also trace other minerals, such as gemstones and gold?

What kinds of standards do you require your diamond suppliers to meet?

Tell me about your digital solution.

Where does GemFair operate?

How does GemFair support responsible environmental practices?

Tell me about your access to finance programme?