There was an audible sigh of relief when we found out that Tiffany & Co. is one of the more ethical jewelry stores out there.

We were glad that we could feel good about recommending the Mom heart locket pendant, $250, for your Mom this Mother’s Day.

To learn more about how Tiffany’s combats conflict diamonds and destructive mining, keep reading.

A February 2007 survey by Amnesty International and Global Witness found that Tiffany and Co. was one of the jewelry companies that had the most comprehensive policies in place (including internal and third-party auditing) to combat conflict diamonds.

The jeweler has also been a vocal opponent of destructive mining, and the company is a member of Jewelers of America, which has taken a hard-line stance against human-rights abuses in Burmese gem mines.

Most recently, in February 2008, Tiffany signed a pledge refusing to buy gold from a controversial gold-and-copper mine under development in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The mine is controversial because if developed, it could prove devastating to some of the world’s most productive salmon fisheries.

[Image: Tiffany & Co.; Source]