Pact In The News

Behind the shine: How the jewelry trade relies on minerals tainted with death

December 4, 2020

In this Open Democracy article, Pact's Cristina Villegas comments on how mining, a crucial economic lifeline for millions of people, could be transformed into a fair industry. For jewelry companies, Villegas says there is “literally no excuse not to act on gold right now." She highlights Pact's Moyo Gems effort, which uses blockchain to trace gemstones back to individual female miners in Tanzania and aims to increase profits for miners. “What we need is companies being willing to pay a little bit more to show that they have legal supply chains. It takes money to move from illegality to legality.”