What the Kimberley Process Certifies
Established in 2003 following international pressure over “blood diamonds” — rough diamonds used to finance rebel movements against legitimate governments in Angola, Sierra Leone, and the DRC — the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme requires member states to certify that all rough diamond exports are sourced from conflict-free zones.
Today, 85 participating countries representing approximately 99.8% of global rough diamond production are KP members. Each rough diamond shipment crossing an international border must be accompanied by a KP Certificate issued by the exporting government’s authority. Shipments without KP documentation are illegal in all member states.
The Limitations Buyers Must Understand
The Kimberley Process has faced sustained criticism from human rights organisations for the narrowness of its conflict diamond definition. KP only prohibits rough diamonds funding rebel movements against governments — it does not cover diamonds mined under forced labour, state-sanctioned violence, environmental destruction, or systematic human rights abuses that do not take the specific form of rebel financing.
This means a KP certificate is a necessary but not sufficient condition for responsible sourcing. Sophisticated buyers — particularly those supplying European retailers with ESG disclosure requirements — should layer additional due diligence on top of KP, including SA8000 labour audits, environmental impact assessments, and chain-of-custody documentation from mine to polished stone.
How Rachna Export Documents Compliance
Every natural diamond Rachna Export handles enters our system with full KP documentation and country of origin recorded. We source rough exclusively from DTC (De Beers Trading Company) and ALROSA-distributed channels through Antwerp and Mumbai, and from verified Indian domestic rough production — all KP-certified origins.
Our workshop holds SA8000 certification for labour practices — fair wages, regulated working hours, zero child labour — verified by annual third-party audit. For clients requiring full supply chain disclosure, we provide documentation packages including KP certificates, origin declarations, SA8000 audit reports, and IGI/GIA reports in a single deal file.