Johnson Matthey NY Responsible Supplier Policy
With so much discussion about use of recycled metals for jewelry manufacture, we are taking the opportunity to explain our policies on sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Our policy is not just about calling our product “green”, but it is about where we source metal and how we are being responsible towards the environment and the communities in which we operate.
Our policy statement can be downloaded from the list at the bottom of this page. This lays out the standards that our parent company, Johnson Matthey plc, demands of all of its businesses worldwide and the steps those businesses take to ensure that their suppliers share the same values. Also coming soon in the downloads list is an article titled “Doing the Right Thing” which appeared in the September 2009 issue of MJSA Journal. This features Johnson Matthey and explains our Group vision for Sustainability 2017 (click here for the latest report on this vision) and the work that Johnson Matthey NY is doing towards achieving it.
In terms of metals supply, we acquire our platinum group metals (pgm) from both freshly mined and recycled sources. As a company we go to great lengths to encourage and ensure all our suppliers match our own high standards. A recent example of this in action is our recent CSR audit of Anglo Platinum, our primary supplier of mined platinum. We were very pleased to observe that they match best practice and share our commitment to continuous performance improvement in the areas of CSR. Anglo Platinum has been at the forefront of CSR policy development and reporting and you can view the challenges they face, and their progress, on their website.
Each year, approximately half of the platinum used globally by users of the metal comes from sources of recycled platinum, underlining the sustainable nature of pgm and all the industries which use them, including jewelry. Johnson Matthey is the world’s largest secondary refiner of platinum, and the majority of recycled platinum that we use for jewelry alloys comes from our own refinery, right here in the USA. The refinery processes many different materials, everything from autocatalyst scrap to jewelry scrap, and is strictly and constantly monitored to ensure that its processes and emissions meet exacting environmental standards.
So, while we’re not making any claims about our products being from 100% recycled metal (although they quite often are), we ensure that the products we provide have had as little impact on the environment as possible. As a company we are working towards achieving our sustainability goals and I would encourage you to adopt our values of responsibility - something that can really be passed through the supply chain from mine to market. This will improve the reputation of the industry with the consumer, and help sustain jewelry manufacturing in the USA long into the future.
We are just starting to communicate our vision, and the actions we are taking to achieve it, to the industry and this will certainly not be the beginning and end of our messages to you. We value the opinions of our customers so would really like to hear your thoughts and get your feedback on this matter. We would also very much like you to be involved in how we take this policy forward and communicate it more widely.
Contact us on Tel: (212) 245 6790, Fax: (212) 541 5633, Email: ptorders@jmusa.com with your thoughts and comments.
You may also be interested in:
Johnson Matthey NY's Guide to being a Responsible Supplier
Platinum and Palladium Times special sustainability edition - Feb 2010
"Doing the right thing" - article in MJSA Magazine - Sept 2009 |
