The need and the steps required to action gender equality, as articulated in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, will be the subject of a panel discussion organised by the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) and the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 ( WJI 2030) at the VICENZAORO show on Sunday, January 22, 2022.

Women drive 90 percent of demand for jewelry industry products and are they present across the entire value chain, but the roles and opportunities made available to them are still  often conditioned by gender inequalities and discrimination. In certain regions, however, there is now a shift towards broader diversity, but a shared challenge for many companies is where and how to start.

This complex and multi-faceted topic will be focus of the panel discussion, which will take place from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Central European Time in the VIP Lounge at the Vicenza exposition grounds, where the VICENZAORO show is being held.

The discussion will specifically consider gender quality in the jewellery and watch industry from the perspective of the seven Women’s Empowerment Principles, as expressed within the framework of the UN Global Compact. These include establishing high-level corporate leadership for gender equality; treating all women and men fairly at work, respecting and supporting human rights and nondiscrimination; ensuring the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers; promoting education, training and professional development for women; implementing enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women; promoting equality through community initiatives and advocacy; and measuring and publicly reporting on progress to achieve gender equality.

Members of the panel will include Anna Falth, Head of Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) at UN Women; Mihwa Park, WEPs Coordinator, UN Women ; Carlotta Gradin, Vice President of Advocacy, UN Women France; Annie Doresca, Co-Founder and the Board President, Black in Jewelry Coalition, Katrin Wouters, Co-Founder and Creative Director at the Antwerp-headquartered jewellery brand Wouters and Hendrix; and Kathryn McConnell, Director of Brand & Marketing  of Monica Vinader, a British jewellery brand. The discussion will be moderated by Iris Van der Veken, Executive Director and General Secretary of WJI 2030.

“I am delighted to be in Vicenza with CIBJO, BJOP, UN Women and the WEPs team,” said Ms. Van der Veken. “WJI 2030 is starting its first pilot exercise with many members in collaboration with WEPs UN Women team. Gender equality needs to be prioritised as our social fabric in the global jewellery and watch industry. SMEs play a key role in integrating the gender lens in their operations. Looking forward to an insightful discussion with experts and business leaders. The time is now to lead on SDG 5.”

“The World Jewellery Confederation enthusiastically joins in this mission,” said CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri. “To meet our potential as an industry, from a business perspective and certainly as a catalyst for social and economic progress, equality for all is an absolute given. And how can we talk about equality without addressing what clearly has been a case of historic disparity in the opportunities and levels of esteem extended to more than half the population. Women’s empowerment in the jewellery and watch industry must not only be a catchphrase, but a principle of policy and we need to work together to operationalize these principles across the value chain.”