Community for Ethical Jewelry names Marianna Smirnova executive director

Community for Ethical Jewelry has put Marianna Smirnova in charge at a moment when buyers are asking harder questions about where gold, silver and gemstones come from. The Cincinnati-based nonprofit said the appointment strengthens its focus on ethical sourcing and responsible business practices as it enters its next chapter.

Smirnova brings more than 18 years of experience in sustainability, responsible sourcing, human rights, due diligence and mineral supply chains. That matters beyond policy circles: when a jeweler says a ring is responsibly made, the credibility of that claim depends on the paper trail behind the metal, the labor standards in the supply chain and the willingness to answer questions at the point of sale. Smirnova spent a decade in senior leadership roles at the Responsible Minerals Initiative, and most recently served as a senior adviser to the Global Battery Alliance and the London Bullion Market Association, a mix of experience that reaches well past jewelry into broader mineral governance.

For Community for Ethical Jewelry, the hire also marks continuity in a group that has been rebuilding its public identity. The organization was founded in 2004 as Ethical Metalsmiths and officially changed its name on January 1, 2025, saying the rebrand reflected a broader mission and a shift from “movement” to “community.” It describes its vision as an industry where “a beautiful product does not bear a human or environmental toll.” That language lands most clearly for everyday buyers when it shows up in specifics: clearer sourcing claims, more transparent materials disclosures and stronger accountability from retailers.

The nonprofit is a 501(c)(3) based in Cincinnati and says it is volunteer-run and membership-based. Before Smirnova, Barbara Wheat held the executive director role and Alix Hart served as interim executive director. The organization’s programs include mentoring, exhibitions, webinars, awards, events and research projects, all aimed at pushing responsibility deeper into the trade rather than leaving it as a slogan on a brand page.

Its membership structure is built to pull more of the industry into that effort. CEJ says memberships are open to jewelry professionals and learners around the world, and one jeweler tier is listed at $300 a year. The group also asks jeweler members to complete a self-assessment as part of the path toward greater transparency, a practical step that could influence how claims are documented and how confidently they are presented to shoppers.

That educational side has been part of the organization’s identity for years. Its So Fresh + So Clean student exhibition reached its 10th year in 2024, underscoring a footprint that extends from emerging designers to established supply-chain advocates. Smirnova now inherits an organization that is trying to make ethics visible in the details buyers can actually check.