De Beers Group has published its 2024 sustainability report, highlighting advancements across its four priority areas: climate, livelihoods, nature and provenance.
The update also includes details on new consumer propositions that use blockchain technology to support transparency across the diamond supply chain.
Climate Goals and Energy Initiatives
De Beers has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 7% compared to its 2021 baseline. The group is working toward near-term targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which include reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030.
To support these targets, the group has completed financing for wind and solar energy projects in South Africa in partnership with Envusa Energy. These projects are expected to meet all of the mine’s electricity needs by 2026. Additional renewable energy projects are underway, including the Mmadinare solar PV project in Botswana.
De Beers has also conducted an Electrification and Alternative Fuels study at its Venetia mine and launched additional studies at operations in Debswana, Namdeb and Debmarine Namibia. Roadmaps to reduce Scope 3 emissions are being developed with the group’s top 100 strategic suppliers.
Economic and Social Impact
In 2024, De Beers contributed $2.9 billion in tax and socio-economic value to host countries. The group reported its best-ever safety performance, with a total recordable injury frequency rate of 1.2.
Social programmes supported by De Beers continued to expand. The EntreprenHER initiative, run in partnership with UN Women, has now supported over 3,100 women. The GirlEng STEM education programme, delivered with WomEng, has reached more than 6,500 girls since its inception in 2019.
The group also continued its collaboration with the Stanford Graduate School of Business on the Stanford SEED programme, which has helped create 3,400 jobs in southern Africa since 2018. In Botswana, a new 10-year Diamonds for Development Fund has been established as part of ongoing agreements between De Beers and the government.
Biodiversity and Conservation
De Beers managed over 375,000 acres of land for conservation in 2024. Key activities included the relocation of 10 white rhinos from Botswana to South Africa and the design of a seabird rescue facility in Lüderitz, Namibia, which supports regional efforts to conserve the African Penguin population.
The group also continued its Okavango Eternal partnership with National Geographic to protect the headwaters of the Okavango Delta, a key ecological region in Botswana.
Provenance and Traceability
A major area of focus in the report is De Beers’ work on diamond provenance. The Tracr blockchain platform has now registered nearly three million diamonds since its launch in 2022. The platform provides country-of-origin data for all De Beers-sourced rough diamonds over one carat and enables verification from rough to polished.
New participants in the platform include producers ODC and Mountain Province, broadening its application across the industry. Tracr now facilitates both rough-to-rough and rough-to-polished verification, allowing users to follow the diamond through multiple stages of the supply chain.
Launch of ORIGIN Diamond Programme
De Beers has introduced a polished diamond programme, ORIGIN, which enables participating retailers to access stones that are mined by De Beers, registered on the Tracr blockchain platform, and supplied with data detailing each diamond’s source and associated socio-environmental initiatives.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of Brands & Diamond Desirability at De Beers Group, said: “Thanks to our provenance platforms like Tracr and the consumer-facing experiences we’re building, we can share these stories with confidence. When someone chooses a De Beers natural diamond, they’re not only celebrating a personal milestone – they are helping shape a brighter future for the people and places behind it.”
Implications for the Jewellery Sector
The expansion of blockchain-based provenance tools aligns with ongoing efforts to improve transparency in the diamond supply chain. Programmes such as Tracr and ORIGIN offer retailers mechanisms for providing sourcing information. The report also outlines De Beers’ wider sustainability targets and community programmes, which are increasingly considered as part of ESG-related supply chain assessments.
