Cutting to the heart of ‘ethical’ diamonds

Hello everyone,

Hope you’ve all had a good week! I’ve been slowly coming down from the Silenced Stories whirlwind. (If you’re new to The Spark, last week’s special edition covers everything you need to know!) It was a huge push to get it over the line, and while it was a big success, I’ve been reflecting on the stories we couldn’t include.

Some contributors wanted to take part but ultimately decided it was too dangerous. One publication pulled a story on international corruption allegations, citing high legal risks and the financial toll of recent court cases. Another source, who had spent a year investigating sanctions evasion and had uncovered what they called “a smoking gun,” withdrew their case after facing serious personal consequences. They told me: “It’s happening in London, it’s undermining sanctions, and morally, I think there’s a story.” It’s baffling – and frustrating – how hard it is to publish information that is both true and in the public interest. It’s clear there’s still so much work to do.

But that makes it all the more important to celebrate when great stories do make it to publication and have a chance to change the world. 

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking to Louise Donovan from The Fuller Project about her important investigation into Botswana’s diamond industry.

Botswana gets about 80-90% of its export revenues from diamonds. The money from the industry has funded incredible development: free healthcare, education and infrastructure. But as Louise uncovered, this success story has a darker side – particularly for women who work polishing diamonds to a perfect shine.

Initially, Louise had set out to report on a different angle, but during her research she uncovered alarming alleged labour abuses. Women shared harrowing accounts of rat-infested workplaces, repeated sexual assault and harassment, and unsafe working conditions. They were breathing in fine particles that made them sick, handling corrosive chemicals without any protective gear, and ending shifts with their faces coated in black dust. 

Some women had worked in the industry for over a decade but were still barely scraping by. They were polishing diamonds worth thousands – even tens of thousands – of pounds, but had little to show for their labour.

What made this especially shocking was Botswana’s reputation as the model of ethical diamond production. If you want an “ethical” diamond, you go to Botswana. Yet many women suffered silently, fearing the risks of speaking out. 

All the women Louise interviewed remain anonymous due to security concerns. Criticising the industry – or the government it is closely tied to – can be dangerous.

As Louise explained: “Diamonds completely transformed the country. People now have roads, free healthcare, free education – and that’s because of diamonds. So, when you criticise the industry, you’re also criticising their success story.”

This story made me think about one of my favourite new pieces of legislation (yes, I’m geek!): the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. It puts the legal onus on companies to ensure their supply chains are free from human rights abuses.

I asked Louise whether this law could impact the diamond industry. She believes the legislation is promising, but said NGOs would need to step up and bring cases.

~ I want to write about and discuss this legislation in more detail, and also look into other countries that may adopt similar laws. I’d love to hear from you, Spark readers! Do you know of any court cases being brought under this legislation, or have any opinions about how this legislation could make a difference? ~

But back to Botswana. Here’s something incredible: Louise’s reporting sparked change before her story even went live. When she sent right of reply requests (a journalistic process ensuring fairness and accuracy) to De Beers, the diamond giant responded immediately.

One company hand-selected by De Beers halted boiling – a process that exposed workers to harmful chemicals – and promised to provide proper protective gear to their employees. A De Beers Group spokesperson, in emailed comments, said the company took the allegations relating to sightholder businesses in Botswana “extremely seriously” and was carrying out “active measures” to review them.

It’s a powerful reminder of the real-world impact journalism can have, even before publication. 

“I worked as a diamond polisher in Botswana for over 10 years. Now, I sell homemade street food.

It was fun to work with Louise for this investigation. She was so patient. I’ve learned that opening up is key to everything. It relieves you from always stressing. Working with Louise gave me a bit more control over everything happening at work and confidence in myself.

I feel telling a journalist what was happening was the only way to alert relevant stakeholders beyond the management of our companies about violations in the industry. To reach powerful people in Botswana. I know one of the government ministers here read the story. Even De Beers’ bosses have read the story. 

Before, people knew about the issues. They just didn’t care. They didn’t care about the polishing industry. It’s rare for us as employees to win cases against the companies that we work for in our labour courts. But now people are aware of what is happening in these cutting and polishing companies. I feel the story was important because it opened everybody’s eyes.

The story opened my eyes. Louise spoke to women from different polishing companies. It changed my mind about ever going back to the polishing industry because it showed every company has skeletons. 

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Maybe I will be forced to go back to the industry, but it’s my prayer every day that I will succeed.”

It turns out under the glitz, there’s a lot of grime – but Louise’s investigation actually does sparkle. She shone light into the dark underbelly of a shady industry and has improved the life for women diamond polishers. 

She also told me she will continue reporting on this to make sure standards are met and the promises of giving women protective gear are upheld.  

Have a good week folks. And do message me if you come across any cool impact from journalism. 

See you soon,

Lucy