De Beers Company is recognized as one of the leading diamond company that specializes in diamond mining, manufacturing, and trading. What is more significant is that the company actively participates in business operations of every industrial category of diamond mining, including underground, open-pit, large-scale alluvial, deep and coastal sea. The mining operations take place in such countries as Canada, South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana (De Beers, 2008).
De Beers Group has received recognition on the part of the International Chamber of Commerce World Business Awards because De Beers HIV/ AIDS program that has been selected as the best one among other 10 business projects (PJM, 2004, n. p.). Having an unrivaled expertise in mining, exploration, and marketing, the company takes great care of the human and ethical principles while implementing specific projects and financial support.
In this respect, our company is experienced enough while dealing with specific aspects and problems of social responsibility and, therefore, it is able to provide viable recommendations to the Local Network on increasing and strengthening the compliance with Global Report Initiative according to PR1: “Life cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products/services are assessed for improvement”; and to PR5: “Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction” (Global Report Initiative, n. d.).
In effectively managing health, safety, and customer privacy issues, the company is engaged in specific activities and projects aimed at advancing technologies and leveling up the quality of services and products. In order to analyze the strategies, it is possible to review the details on the Compliance table presented by De Beers Group (2009).
These include: 1) Increasing company’s sustainability for producing more favorable environment for employees; 2) providing support and assistance to customers while delivering services and products; 3) increasing health and safety standard both within external and internal marketing processes.
Arising from our experience, it has been turned out that the third aspect is the most effective in meeting the needs of the customers and creating a favorable ground for the workings of the organization.
Recommendations
I. Establish a favorable environment for creating an added value for customers in a sustainable and safe manner.
Benefits and implications
- The presented principles provide wider opportunities for De Beers Group to initiate more effective and competitive policies aimed at increasing health and security standards;
- Sustainability and development can also be achieved through the presentation of specific programs and projects, like HIV/AIDS project;
II. To continue sustainable development and improvement through partnership;
Benefits and implications
- The introduction of sustainable development and partnership entails the analysis of existing legal and ethical standards;
- Taking wider responsibilities and liabilities will contribute greatly to the analysis of social, economical and political situation in the country;
- Improving decision making process and stronger cooperation with our partners will ensure that these natural resources will be considered the signs of economic wealth. Our products can also contribute to the quality of life and to the community prestige.
III. Addressing poverty and economic aspects of development
Benefits and implications
- Meeting social and economic needs of the community will contribute to enhancing the quality of education and training.
- The principle will ensure the success of diamond manufacture as well as provide more incentives and opportunities for the community to develop their capabilities and skills;
IV. Providing beneficial conditions for eradication diamond conflicts and presenting healthier environments for business operations and performances
Benefits and implications
- Conflict elimination is another approach for improving the social and economic welfare of the nations.
- The principle will help create more communicational channels and establish fruitful relations with other partners.
These recommendations will greatly contribute to the improvement and strengthening Company’s world infrastructure and cooperation with other partners as well as create more favorable climate for building relations and eliminating conflicts.
Lessons learnt
Enhancing sustainable development and advancing quality standards as proposed by the GRI is the core solution for improving social performance and product quality. While considering diamonds conflict, Levy (2003) states that the introduction of transparency, conflict monitoring, increasing accountability of public services and informing communities about the process of conflict management can meet all the above established goals.
Benefits of PR1 and PR 5 Compliance
It should be stressed that PR1 and PR5 provide much more incentives for meeting health and safety needs of community because these are one of the basic needs of customers. Increasing the quality of products and services, the company will manage to advance the standards of production and organizational culture (Hayes, 2008, p. 58). This principle will allow to construct efficient approaches to coping with all organizational and marketing problems.
Risks
The most challenging issue in meeting the recommendations may be faced while dealing with diamond conflict that sometime may amount to the conflict between nations. Therefore, this part of the above-established goals should be tackled with extreme diligence and accuracy.
Conclusion
De Beers Group acknowledges that PR1 and PR5 compliance is extremely challenging, specifically when it come to conflict resolutions. However, the development of sustainability and information management as well as establishment of socially oriented programs will create a solid foundation for measuring customer’s needs.
References
De Beers (2008). The Families of Companies. Web.
Global Reporting Initiative (n. d.) Social Performance: Product Responsibility. Web.
GRI Compliance Table (2009). De Beers Company. Web.
Hayes, B. E. (2008). Measuring Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. US: ASQ Quality Press.
Levy, A. V. (2003). Diamonds and conflict. Hauppauge, New York.
PJM (2004, May). De Beers Group Wins Awards for HIV/AIDS Projects. Archives, Daily News. Web.