Arts Group Rewards Ethical Jewelry Practices

RAPAPORT... Initiatives in Art and Culture (IAC) will present itsfirst Responsible Practice in Jewelry Leadership Award to Toby Pomeroy. The award recognizes a member of the jewelry industry who has made a significant contribution to ethical sourcing and responsiblepractices in the trade.  Pomeroy (pictured) is a designer and goldsmith, as well as the founderof an Oregon-based sustainable-jewelry brand that bears his name. He is also anactivist for social and environmental responsibility in the jewelry industry. Heis on the board of the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) - which createdthe Fairmined Gold Standard - and founded the Mercury Free Mining Challenge, aglobal call to engineers, scientists and academics to discover a safe,effective alternative to mercury. "Toby epitomizes the kind of person for whom we created theaward, and we are honored and delighted to be conferring it on him at the event,"said selection committee co-chairs Lisa Koenigsberg, president of the IAC, andChristina Miller, cofounder and former director of Ethical Metalsmiths. Pomeroy will receive the award at IAC's EighthAnnual International Gold Conference, which will take place April 12 to 13 atthe Bohemian National Hall in New York.