CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, has announced the establishment of an industry-wide working committee, which will be charged with formulating Responsible Sourcing Guidelines specifically for the jewellery, gem and precious metals sectors. The new body was created by a decision of the CIBJO Board of Directors in March 2018, following Board approval of a draft Responsible Sourcing Guidelines document.

CIBJO is paying tribute to the memory of a former president, Friedrich (Fritz) Schwarzer, who died recently in Austria, after decades of public service in the jewellery industry, both in his native country and internationally, and more than 60 years of experience in the trade. He headed the World Jewellery Confederation from 1993 through 1996.

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri has concluded a week-long visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, as the guest of DANAT, the Bahrain Institute for Pearls & Gemstones, during which he met with the leadership of the country’s fast-developing gemstone and jewellery centre, and discussed the possibility of its hosting the CIBJO Congress in 2019.

Speaking at an industry seminar in Hong Kong, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri has urged both government authorities and jewellery and gemstone associations to incorporate the standards and nomenclature contained in the CIBJO Blue Books into their respective national guidelines, as a measure designed to facilitate more transparent and efficient international trade.

Nine of the leading diamond and jewellery industry organisations (AWDC, CIBJO, DPA, GJEPC, IDI, IDMA, USJC, WDC and WFDB) have released a jointly developed Diamond Terminology Guideline to encourage full, fair and effective use of a clear and accessible terminology for diamonds and synthetics diamonds by all sector bodies, organisations, traders and retailers.

The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, and the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), with the goal of harmonizing the official system used in Russia for the classification of polished diamonds with the standards and nomenclature applied internationally.

In a planet threatened by uncontrolled climate change, the jewellery industry could come to be recognized as a beacon of sustainability and positive environmentalism. This was the message emanating from a seminar co-organized by CIBJO and the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), which took place January 22 at the VICENZAORO January show in Vicenza, Italy.

Environmental, as well as social and economic responsibility in the jewellery sector will be the focus of a seminar scheduled for Monday, January 22, 2018, during the VICENZAORO January 2018 jewellery trade show in Vicenza, Italy.

“People: Our Greatest Asset,” an employee recruitment, motivation and retention guide prepared specifically for the jewellery industry is now available for downloading on the CIBJO website. Authored by Jonathan Kendall, President of the CIBJO Marketing & Education Commission, the 60-page book provides a practical approach to the employment and induction of professional staff, reward and recognition systems for motivating and retaining valued employees, and problem solving. It was first introduced at the 2017 CIBJO Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in November.

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri has voiced the World Jewellery Confederation’s support for a De Beers development project that employs blockchain technology, which was announced on December 4 by the group’s CEO, Bruce Cleaver.