A powerful letter of resignation

 

by Deborah Miarkowska

March 2010 was a momentus turning point for the ethical jewellery industry with the launch of the Fair Trade and Fairmined Gold mark. Much of this innovation was due to the shere hard work and determination of the Fair trade pioneers Greg Valerio,(Founder of CRED Jewellery), the Association for Responsible Mining (ARM) and the Fairtrade Foundation. Earlier this year following this ratification Greg Valerio resigned from the Board of Directors of ARM.

Greg’s resignation letter is a moving testimony to the dedication and devotion behind the cause for an ethical, transparent and fair jewellery industry that benefits the small scale mining communities around the world and thus worthy of publication.

Greg Valerio to the Board of ARM March 2010.

As many of you will know, I resigned my position as one of the founding Board members of the Alliance for Responsible Mining last March 2010. Due to a number of queries I have received as to why, I am publishing my resignation letter in full, as well as ARM’s press release announcing the new appointment of Toby Pomeroy who is an excellent choice. I continue to believe that ARM plays a very important role in the development and delivery of certified fairtrade and fairmined gold to the international community. Their dedication and devotion to the cause of small-scale miners around the world is exemplary in process and delivery.

Letter of Resignation

To The Board of the Alliance for Responsible Mining. Date 24th March 2010.

From Greg Valerio Vice Chair of The Alliance for Responsible Mining.

Dear Board members of ARM and to the ARM Stakeholder Alliance.

I am writing to announce my formal resignation from the board of ARM as of the Board meeting in March 2010. As many of you will know I have been considering my position in relationship to ARM and my role for some time now and in the light of new developments for me personally and professionally I have decided that now is the best time for me to step into other challenges.

I am very proud to have been a founding board member and to have worked with such a diverse group of people in making, what for me, has been the dream of Fairtrade Gold from the mid 90’s a reality. What we have achieved must not be underestimated and I consider it to be the greatest evolution in the gold story in modern history and I will continue to tell it with great pride.

I have learned alot from working with ARM and hold a very special place in my heart for the small-scale miners whose daily sweat and muscle is the anointing on the justice that we all seek. You will always be a part of my story and for that I am very grateful.

In resigning from ARM I wish to assure you that I will continue to act as a willing advocate for responsible small scale mining, our fairtrade/fairmined process and also for the mission of ARM which I have been privileged to have co-founded and have shaped.

As a fair trade jeweller and activist I will remain active in the ethical fair trade world of jewellery and responsible mining. But my role now must evolve again, as there is still much to be done, pioneered and initiated in order to see the transformation of an entire market sector. In order to achieve this I must retain my freedom, independence and facilitate as required.

In resigning my role as Vice-Chair and member of the board I would like to make one final request that my vacancy be filled by a miner, for whom this very process exists to benefit. A fitting legacy I believe and I hope you agree.

I wish to thank you all for your dedication to this cause and I trust as our paths cross in the future we will be able to toast our collective successes.

May the wind always be at our backs as we keep walking…

Greg Valerio

« back to previous page

Comments are closed.