CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, and Intertek Italia SpA will officially launch the first-ever training and certification programme for sustainability officers working in the jewellery industry, during the VICENZAORO show on Saturday, September 10, 2022.

The online programme will operate under the auspices of the International Council for Sustainable Business, which was established by CIBJO’s educational arm, the World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF).

The announcement about the start of of the programme will take place on the Main Stage in Hall 7 of the Vicenza Exposition Centre at 10:30 AM, and the proceedings will be streamed live internationally via the VICENZAORO website.

Intertek Italia SpA is the Italian subsidiary of the Intertek Group, a multinational assurance, inspection, product-testing and certification organisation that assists companies ensure that their operating procedures and products meet quality, health, environmental, safety, and social accountability standards. It has been for working two years together with CIBJO’s Sustainable Development Commission (formerly the Responsible Sourcing Commission) in the development of the training curriculum and course materials for the new programme.

The training programme will offered in a series of modules on a dedicated e-training platform, developed by Intertek. Presented by sustainability experts with special expertise in the gem and jewellery industries, they will contribute to a student’s successfully obtaining the number of training hours that are mandatory for certified CSR/Sustainability/ESG officers.

The educational programme will provide professionals from the gem and jewellery industry the knowledge, insight and practical tools necessary for applying practices related to Sustainability and CSR in their own businesses. These include strategies for implementing the company’s individual goals, tools for communicating sustainability initiatives worldwide, auditing techniques and more, as as well as information about laws and regulations specific to the industry, including the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, U.S. and European conflict mineral legislation, OECD due diligence guidelines, the WDC System of Warranties, Responsible Jewellery Council’s Code of Practice, CIBJO’s Blue Book on Responsible Sourcing, and others.

The certification will be issued by Intertek, which is accredited by Accredia, the sole national accreditation body appointed by the Italian government in compliance with the application of the European Regulation 765/2008, which attests to the competence, independence and impartiality of certification, inspection and verification bodies. Accredia is a member of EA (European cooperation for Accreditation) and IAF (International Accreditation Forum). This means that the certification will be recognised worldwide.

Potential candidates for the courses and certification would be entrepreneurs, employees of companies operating in the jewellery and gemstone industries, and individuals seeking employment as compliance officers in the sector.

To view the launch online, viewers will be able to link directly to the live feed on September 10, 2022, via the VICENZAORO website at: https://www.vicenzaoro.com/en/.