Responsible Jewelry Council Interviews: Stories of Impact–
Roger Forman, The Plumb Club
Roger Forman is the President of Marathon Company. He has worked in the jewelry industry for over 35 years in all aspects of the business. He is currently a Director at Sturdy Memorial Hospital, and the current Plumb Club President. He is married with four children and is a graduate of Brown University and the Harvard Business School.
RJC: The Plumb Club is the first and only RJC member organization to mandate that all its members be certified against the RJC Code of Practices. What led to this pioneering decision, and how has it influenced your commitment to responsible business across the membership?
RF: I recall the discussions at board level when this initiative was first introduced. At the time, there were growing concerns about diamond integrity, particularly as negative media coverage surrounding unethical mining practices, although often the result of a few bad actors, cast a shadow over the entire industry.
We recognized then that the issue extended beyond public perception. Embracing responsible sourcing was not only the ethical thing to do but also a strategic move to distinguish ourselves from other suppliers in the marketplace. Many of our members were already working with Signet, which had made RJC certification a requirement. Additionally, several other major national and regional retailers had either implemented or were in the process of developing their own responsible sourcing protocols……
