The Global Impact of De Beers Diamond CompanyFrances Cooke, Katie Doran, Ana Geltman, Jack Groper, Camila Hernandez, Ben Lipper, Allie Lushan, Tracey Shi

De Beers Diamond Picture. Digital image. Moissanite or Diamonds. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.moissanitevsdiamondrings.com/are-diamonds-evil/>.

De Beers Family of Companies

● Founded 1888 by Cecil Rhodes● Mining and trading diamonds● Global monopoly on diamond industry● Before the end of the 19th century, South

Africa experienced a heavy diamond rush● Coined the advertising line "a diamond is

forever"

Labor NGO● Starting with the diamond rush in the 19th century, De

Beers success rates shot up● Job opportunities were growing rapidly● De Beers wanted maximum success/wealth● They began employing children for cheap labor● During apartheid, they also employed poor black

workers● Wages were low and there were unsafe conditions● De Beers had major control over all of South Africa, and

they pushed for higher taxes so that people would come into the mines to work them off

Child Miners. Digital image. Sierra Express Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 June 2013. <http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/56268>

Labor NGO: Global Witness/The Kimberley Process● NGO: Global Witness

○ Noticed the conflict diamond trade going on within De Beers

○ Organized a meeting between several diamond companies

● Came up with the Kimberley Process● Soon after, Global Witness left the Kimberley

Process because they refused to address the clear links between violence and diamonds

● Miners often caught in crossfires of the war, and were paid poorly when employed by these warlords or corrupt rulers.

Company Labor: Jobs● Values: Safety, Equality, Human Rights● Employ: disabled, women, men

no child labor & no forced labor● Cut-8: protecting jobs (2,400+) by

expanding lifetime of mines

Mpumi with the Kimberly Mines Women in Mining. Digital image. De Beers. De Beers, n.d. Web. <http://www.d-b.co/en/Careers/Meet-De-Beers-people/index.htm>.

Company Labor: Safety & Risks

● HIV: testing, treatment, awareness : free● Safety: Training/Educate workers

-Goal: zero-harm workplace-Security on site

● Risks: Hearing loss, death, injury, disease ● Past Experiences: "Learning-from-incidents"

-Identify & Prevent

NGO: Culture

● De beers has been accused on many accounts of unfair treatment against their workers

● This corporation changes the family dynamics ● They give children strenuous work hours with little pay,

expose them to various diseases, and put their mental health at risk as well

● The NGO, International Labour Organization have been doing what they can to stop child labour

● The NGO's goal is to ensure peace for workers and maintaining justice for all

● Pop culture world: famous rapper Kanye West wrote a song "Diamonds in Sierra Leone" based off of the abuse that children face in diamond mines

Diamond. Digital image. Diamond Mining in Africa. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://diamondinvestingnews.com/5897-diamond-mining-in-africa.html>.

Social Welfare● De Beers used to be involved in 'blood

diamond' trading before the Kimberley Process was made

● Giving back 2.7% of the money they make back to the communities (US$19.94 million)

● Money given back goes towards educational purposes and families sakes

● De Beers Fund-39% money back to communities affected by company

Give Back Hands. Digital image. At Home Personal Care’s “Give Back Program”. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.athomeprc.com/give-back-program.html>.

Social Welfare of Mining Communities

● Communities adapted to mining culture

● Native Bushmen forcibly resettled

● Human rights violations by RUF

● De Beers relocated main mine to Gaborone, Botswana

● Children maimed and left traumatized

Photograph. Survival International. Web. <http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/bushmen/diamonds>.

Corporation: Culture● Supports women achieving higher management

positions in businesses

● "I enjoy my job driving the loads to and from the

crusher. It is inspiring to other women to see that this

job is not only for men." -Chandapiwa Monamati, haul

truck operator at Orapa Mines ("Fairness, Diversity &

Development")

● Participates in Kimberley Process to keep blood

diamonds (a.k.a. conflict diamonds) off the

Corporation: Cultureinternational market

● Allows people to use diamonds to express love and romance

● Diamonds used in traditions (engagements, marriages)

Fig. 1. Vera Wang Love Engagement Rings For Zales. Digital image. OneWed. OneWed, n.d. Web. 18 June 2013.

Fig. 2. Proposal with diamond ring. Digital image. Behind the Bliss. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 18 June 2013.

NGO: Environment

● De Beers uses strip mining the most often when coal mining

● strip mining/open pit mining is the most harmful to the earth and air around it

● strip mining literally blasts mountains apart in order to reach the thin coal seams within

● Strip mining destroys landscapes, forests, and wildlife habitat at the mine site.

● the water washes the top soil into streams which then goes on to pollute waterways killing fish, plantlife, and causes flooding

NGO: Environment

- Greenpeace, the world's most powerful NGO works hard against coal mining- Greenpeace suggests that if companies won't stop coal mining, they will use the methods that are better for the environment- Most companies including De Beers use open pit mining-the fastest but the worst.- Open pit also requires less man hours and is easier to find coal

NGO: Environment

De beers has been accused on many accounts of unfair treatment to their workersThe NGO, International Labour Organization have been doing what they can to stop

Corporation: Environmental Impact

● Water-stress● Degradation of biodiversity

○ Loss of habitat○ Pollution

● High energy use○ Electricity○ Fuels

Corporation: Environmental Stewardship

● Environmental Policy○ ISO environmental

standards● Avoiding World

Heritage Sites● Partnerships

○ WWF South Africa● UN Water Mandate● Energy Preservation

Limpopo River Basin. Digital image. Railtours. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2013.The Limpopo River Basin

Essential Questions

1. What are the upsides and downsides of globalization?

2. How do you find the right balance as an individual, NGO, corporation?

3. Globalization is here; how do we, as global citizens, deal with it?

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Vera Wang Love Engagement Rings For Zales. Digital

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Proposal with diamond ring. Digital image. Behind the Bliss. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 18 June 2013.

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