With nine weeks to go to the opening of the 2026 CIBJO Congress in Vicenza, Italy, on September 4, 2026, the first of the pre-congress Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Sustainable Development Commission, headed by John Mulligan, the report considers both the challenges and opportunities presented to the jewellery industry as government regulations concerning social and environmental risks and impacts move from principles-based frameworks to evidence-based claims, traceable supply chains, and more structured climate and environmental impact reporting.

While regulatory complexity, cost pressures and shifting consumer dynamics can make sustainability appear burdensome, writes Mr. Mulligan, sustainability should instead be seen as underpinning the resilience of the jewellery industry, helping ensure its continued relevance in a changing world.

“Emerging evidence suggests that, when approached strategically, sustainability can act not only as a response to risk, but as a driver of value, innovation and long-term growth,” he notes.

The special report covers the considerable amount of work that has been undertaken within CIBJO to support jewellery companies in meeting both consumer and government expectation in areas of sustainability and responsible sourcing. All materials are being made available at no cost via the World Jewellery Confederation’s website.

“Through its Sustainable Development Commission, and its substantial range of reference and implementation tools – its Responsible Sourcing Blue Book and Toolkit, its ESG & Sustainability Reference Guide, and the ESG Wheel, its Measurement Guidance and soon-to-be published Double Materiality Assessment Guide, CIBJO is working to create a framework that is both comprehensive and practical,” Mr. Mulligan writes. “These resources are intended to support companies in understanding their responsibilities, identifying their priorities, and taking proportionate action – irrespective of size or position within the supply chain.”

“In a world that may remain turbulent and, yes, fragmented, there is an opportunity for the jewellery industry to respond with clarity and coherence. By focusing on consistency in how sustainability is defined and communicated, by embedding stability in how it is implemented over time, and by supporting alignment across different actors and initiatives, the industry can strengthen its foundations,” Mr. Mulligan states.

“In doing so, sustainability becomes more than a response to external pressures or scattered aspirations,” he continues. “It becomes a means of reinforcing the industry’s resilience, of building trusted and adaptive value chains, and of ensuring the jewellery industry’s relevance in the years ahead.”