Press Release: CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, and the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) signed a memorandum of understanding at the International Jewellery London Show (IJL). The agreement will work to further advance responsible business practices among all sectors of the jewelry supply chain and will include the use of corporate social responsibility education programs developed by CIBJO, in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) and a chain of custody certification program developed by RJC.
The agreement reflects the willingness of both organizations to collaborate on efforts to entrench a solid understanding and commitment from the jewelry industry to improve its performance in the crucial areas of human rights, social and environmental performance and ethical business practices.
Among the key components is the establishment of a working group to oversee the execution of the agreement. The group will be headed by Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO’s president, and James Courage, RJC’s chairman. They will appoint two industry representatives from their respective organizations to address the synergies inherent in the cooperation between these two global groups.
“Our goal is to address proper business practice in the very broadest sense, and together CIBJO and RJC are able to provide comprehensive solutions,” said Cavalieri. “The prime beneficiaries of this agreement need to be the greater jewelry industry, jewelry consumers and all of our stakeholders to the very grass-roots level.”
Courage added, “I am personally very pleased to be working with CIBJO and its president Gaetano Cavalieri and to be part of the working group. I am sure there will be positive outcomes from this collaboration for the jewelry industry,” said Courage.
About CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation
CIBJO is an international confederation of national jewelry trade organizations with the purpose to encourage harmonization, promote international cooperation in the jewelry industry, and to consider issues which concern the trade worldwide. Foremost among these is to protect consumer confidence in the industry.
CIBJO relies upon the initiative of its member national organizations to support and implement its decisions and to protect the public’s trust in the jewelry industry.
CIBJO’s affiliated foundation (World Jewellery Confederation Educational Foundation) has as its mission is to “conceptualize, develop and finance training manuals, courses, studies and working papers, educational and didactic tools, and other educational means to promote, increase and improve knowledge of social and economic corporate responsibility in the international jewelry industry and trade, within the scope of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.”
CIBJO is the first and only organization in the diamond, gemstone and jewelry sectors ever to receive official consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, and in this capacity committed its membership to promoting the fulfillment of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. CIBJO is also a member of the UN Global Compact, and is committed to promoting its better business principles.
About RJC
The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international not-for-profit organization bringing together more than 440 member companies. RJC and its Members are committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the jewelery industry from mine to retail. This commitment aims to reinforce consumer and stakeholder confidence in diamond, gold and platinum metals jewelry products. The RJC has developed the RJC Member Certification system which applies to all Members’ businesses that contribute to the diamond, gold and platinum metals jewelry supply chain.All Certified Members of the RJC are audited by accredited, third party auditors to verify their conformance with the RJC’s Code of Practices. A voluntary Chain-of-Custody Standard has also been developed for gold and platinum group metals. The RJC is a Full Member of the ISEAL Alliance – the global association for sustainability standards.
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