Laboratory Grown Material Standard (LGMs)
The LGMS provides a standard for ethical, social, human rights and environmental practices for companies handling laboratory grown materials
goals
The LGMS defines the requirements for establishing responsible business practices throughout the jewellery and watch supply chain, for companies handling laboratory grown materials
The LGMS is comprised of 28 provisions specifically designed to help companies achieve five broad objectives:
- To improve legal and regulatory compliance, strengthen public reporting and secure a commitment to responsible business practices.
- To increase the use of due diligence in supply chains to uphold human rights, support community development, promote anti-corruption efforts and manage sourcing risks.
- To better comply with international labour conventions and ensure responsible working conditions.
- To protect the health and safety of both people and environments, and to use natural resources efficiently.
- To adequately control, and disclose information about, products and so avoid misleading or deceptive marketing practices.
how it works
The LGMS can be applied to any size of business, and its scope includes all sectors of the laboratory grown material jewellery and watch supply chain
Achieving RJC Certified Member status is a major milestone in your sustainability journey. It demonstrates your commitment to responsible business practices and promotes trust in the watch and jewellery supply chain. RJC Commercial Members who achieve LGMS certification are permitted to display the official RJC Certified Member logo. New members have two years to achieve certified status and we’re here to support you every step of the way. For existing members dealing in laboratory grown materials, if not already certified to the 2024 COP, they will need to book a combined audit for the LGMS and 2024 COP, 12 months from the effective date of the LGMS, which is March 31, 2025. For more information, please see the FAQ page.
See the Member Certification Handbook and for the full auditor requirements the RJC Certification Process Requirements for Certification Bodies and Auditors, both available here.
Use the RJC Self-Assessment to monitor your progress towards compliance and get ready for your audit.
The Self-Assessment will be released soon.
When you are ready, schedule your audit with an RJC approved audit firm and auditor and share your self-assessment with them at least 1 month before the audit.
The RJC approved audit firms will soon start adding the LGMS to their scope.
Your auditor will share their findings with you. Any nonconformities (NC) will be discussed and you will be required to develop a Corrective Action Plan (CAP), make immediate corrections for all NCs and implement corrective actions, (for critical breaches and major NCs), before the certificate can be issued.
Once the audit firm has undertaken a technical review of the audit report, they will make a certification decision and notify you and the RJC of this. The audit firm will then issue your certificate.
Congratulations!
You are an RJC Certified Commercial Member. You can now use the official RJC Certified logo on all your communications.
A surveillance visit will be required 12-18 months after the certification start date. Your auditor will agree a provisional date for this with you during the closing meeting of your audit and provide more information about the scope of this audit and whether it can be conducted remotely or on-site.
Provisionally schedule your re-certification audit with an RJC approved audit firm and auditor at the closing meeting of your surveillance audit. Your current audit firm shall contact you in good time to confirm the date and make arrangements, but you may also choose to move to a different audit firm.
Re-certification is required prior to the expiry of your current certification but no more than six months in advance. To qualify for continuous certification with no gaps between certifications, you must ensure that your re-certification audit is completed prior to the expiry of your current certification and any nonconformities are actioned within the appropriate timeframes.
If you complete your re-certification audit early, (more than six months before the expiry of your current certification), your new certification will start on the day the certification decision is made by the audit firm. This may result in early termination of your current certification.
If you complete your re-certification late ( after the expiry of your current certification), your new certification will start on the day the certification decision is made by the audit firm, resulting in a gap between certifications cycles. If the recertification audit is not conducted within six months of the expiry of your current certification, this may result in your temporary suspension as an RJC member.
Member certification validity dates are published on our website. Search the RJC member register.
download centre
Dive deeper into the LGMS standard
Library of standards, guidance, toolkits and handbooks to help you achieve your RJC certification.
Standard - Laboratory Grown Material 2025
For information regarding LGMS certification for members already COP certified, for the key differences between the LGMS and the COP standard, and other general questions, please visit our frequently asked questions (FAQ page). The LGMS Guidance is coming soon!
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