Milan: With eight weeks to go to the opening of the 2016 CIBJO Congress in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 26, 2016, the second of the CIBJO commissions’ Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Ethics Commission, headed by Cecilia Gardner, the report reviews the World Jewellery Confederation’s efforts over the past year to promote Corporate Social Responsibility and economic and environmental sustainability, in countries and regions where the jewellery and gemstone industry is active.

In particular, the report lists CIBJO’s participation in a series of international forums, respectively organized United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the European Union, OECD, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. State Department, the New York Times International and Chopard/EcoAge, the Association Française de Gemmologie and the Responsible Ecosystems Sourcing Platform (RESP); and reports on the launch of an online series of courses on the basic elements of Corporate Social Responsibility for the jewellery industry, in cooperation with Branded Trust of Australia, and the first Responsible Jewellery Industry Summit in New York, which discussed ways of reaching consensus over a broader industry vision for sustainable business and ethical sourcing.

“I am looking forward to our Congress in Yerevan, where we can work together to raise awareness about the importance of taking actions in our industry, to make the supply chain for our products the best it can be,” wrote Ms. Gardner. “Consumers expect these actions and a safe supply chain. Benefiting all players can benefit all, and improve the bottom line.”

The 2016 CIBJO Congress will take place in Yerevan, Armenia, October 26-28, with pre-congress meetings on October 24 and October 25. The congress will be hosted by the Armenian Jewellers Association (AJA).

The official venue for the CIBJO Congress 2016 is the Meridian Expo Centre, which is the largest conference and exhibition facility in Armenia.