WE ASK

What made you start Fifi Bijoux?

VIVIEN

I was working as Head of Design in commercial jewellery and became aware of how easy it could be to contract factories using child labour or exploiting workers if you weren’t extremely vigilant. I began establishing CSR standards, but the jewellery industry has a history of being secretive. It had a closed ranks structure which can be impenetrable when trying to create a transparent supply chain. Part of my job was to produce trend predictions, 12-24 months in advance; I saw ethical fashion as a major trend but there was nothing in the jewellery industry to meet this. I decided if I was staying in this industry, I was going to do something pro-active. I had a vision of how things could be.

WE ASK

What's your mission?

VIVIEN

I created Fifi Bijoux as a boutique label, establishing best practises for suppliers and using fair trade gold from mines that had eco-sustainabilty practises in place. This means no cyanide, no mercury and bio-diversity management. I am lucky to be involved with several projects which share my vision; from community mining, to fair trade cutting workshops and diamond mines which have actually made a positive impact on the communities they work in.

As a luxury industry, we have an opportunity to make a huge positive impact in areas which are mineral rich but have been pillaged for centuries, leaving them in extreme poverty. It's not enough to simply minimize damage; the communities must be allowed to benefit from their land. Many countries who suffer extreme poverty still give away massive tax profits through ill-considered deals with mining companies, or suffer through corruption and smuggling. The only way to resolve this is to create a transparent supply chain and to ensure ethics remain high on the agenda. Part of the Fifi Bijoux model was to pilot an ethical supply chain meeting the highest bar and to prove that an ethical consumer market existed for luxury goods.

WE ASK

What's the meaning behind the name Fifi Bijoux?

VIVIEN

Fifi is what my family call me, mostly because my sister had no front teeth when I was born and Vivien was pronounced with 'F' s! I'm delighted to say, she now has all her teeth and very nice they are too. Bijoux is french for jewellery or treasure.

WE ASK

What makes Fifi Bijoux a label consumers can be proud of owning?

VIVIEN

Fine jewellery has a sentimental attachment as well as being beautiful. That's why the origin of it has also become so important. Our products are made in London, by first class goldsmiths. Precious materials are a valuable natural resource and it's our belief that by imbuing each product with respect (from mine through to design and on to workshop) our customer takes pride in owning a piece of jewellery

WE ASK

Tell us more about Fifi Bijoux and what drives it

VIVIEN

I trained as a designer and goldsmith at Glasgow School of Art. There, it was a far cry from the popular art school image of mooching around making things out of yogurt pots and calling them art! It was very disciplined and focused on craftmanship and strong design principles. You were working with precious materials and you learned to respect these and the skill involved in creating jewels. We had strict health and safety training and equipment to prevent us from losing an eye or a limb, or breathing toxic fumes while we worked. Meanwhile, a 6 year old child in India works in the same environment, with no one providing so much as a dust mask to prevent silicosis (which destroys lung tissue and leaves you wide open to TB), others will lose their sight by the age of 20…

WE ASK

You've travelled the globe talking to presidents and campaigning for change - we'd love to hear a bit about it...

VIVIEN

You make it sound far more glamorous than it is! I was invited as part of a delegation to meet with the Mongolian government, to discuss the issues they have there of illegal gold miners and unrestricted use of mercury.

The miners (or 'Ninjas' as they are known there because they wear green basins on their backs for collecting gold and from a distance look like giant turtles) were storing explosives under their beds and cooking up mercury to amalgamate the gold in the same cooking pots as they made dinner in. A huge recession had left many men unemployed and they had turned to gold mining as a source of income; there are few options available in the Gobi desert.

The solutions reached were to have the illegal miners form co-operatives and apply for mining licenses; thus making them legal entities who paid taxes. In return, the government committed to offering technical support to provide alternatives to mercury and to education. Some geologists then went out to work with the miners in the field to show them lower impact methods that they could begin immediately.

This year, I went to Brazil where they have problems with 'garimpeios' who illegally mine and with gem mines that regularly collapse. While we were there, a local one collapsed and 30 miners were taken to hospital in a critical condition. A week before, 50 had been trapped with many fatalities.

I work with a project in Bahia who have taken measures such as installing a mechanized pulley system; providing miners with a generator instead of them relying on battery power torches underground. (They actually invest profits into organic farming and seed banks, as the mine will be unproductive in 5-10 years and so are taking measures to ensure sustainable livelihoods for the community- another example of best practice).

Simple measures like an evacuation plan can significantly reduce fatalities. Governments face challenges in artisanal mining and it's important these are properly addressed to prevent conflict situations arising and to protect the mining communities from exploitation.

In 2007 I was invited to present my standards to a 200 strong delegation in Washington which included the biggest names in mining and luxury jewellery.

WE ASK

What advice do you give to people looking to buy jewellery and jewels?

VIVIEN

Unless you buy from a company who has set up an ethical sourcing supply chain- and we are few and far between across the globe! - you actually can't guarantee an ethical supply chain by nature of the way standard bullion is traded. The jewellery industry is aware of it's duty and things are improving. For now though, the best most high street retailers can offer is 'conflict free' diamonds. This is basic; it is illegal to buy from UN designated conflict zones. If consumers support Fifi Bijoux, you are supporting our values and using your spending power to voice your principles to the luxury goods market.

WE ASK

Any projects/plans for the future you can share with us?

VIVIEN

There are many important positive mining projects under way which continue to address social and environmental concerns and support the welfare of marginalized mining communities and I've identified several which may form future collaborations with Fifi Bijoux.

WE ASK

What have been the biggest hurdles you've been faced with?

VIVIEN

Apathy. It's a disease in itself and one which eats away at human spirit.

WE ASK

How do you see the future of the jewellery industry?

VIVIEN

Improving in leaps and bounds. Within 5 -10 years, I hope the UK jewellery industry will lead the world in having transparent, ethically sound supply chains. Until then, we have a lot of work to do and that has to happen internationally and at all levels.

WE ASK

What are your top tips for saving the planet?

VIVIEN

Probably most people reading this are already switched on to ethical living and consider sustainability. So, my top tip is to go and inspire someone else to see the possibilities. Tell the stories and buy them an ethical gift that they might actually like!

WE ASK

Which famous people do you admire?

VIVIEN

Prince Charles, oddly enough. He has every decadence known to man available to him; but he chooses organic gardening! And all too often gets written off as being bonkers when in fact I think he shows that there should be a pride in what we take from this earth. I read something in the US press recently that talked mockingly about people scrabbling about in the dirt to collect gold deposits. There is no shame in that; it is no more shameful than collecting potatoes. The shame is in the person who points a gun to make you do that, robs you of it, or those who tell you its worth 10% of its true value and you must pay them to have men patrol with guns. This is the daliy reality for some miners. There is no shame in poverty; but to keep someone bound in poverty is unforgivable.