Action Update

Results and Highlights from the National Day of Action on Conflict Diamonds

Press Coverage for the Conflict Diamonds Survey

WFDB successfully concludes meeting at World Diamond Congress, reaffirms commitment to consumers' confidence in diamonds
WFDB, Diamonds.net, 10/20/04

Day One of WDC - Elections, Music and Synthetic Diamonds
Joyce Fischler, International Diamond Exchange Online, 10/20/04

AFRICA: Jewellers criticised over conflict diamond trade
IRIN News Network, 10/20/04

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONDUCTS SURVEY OF DIAMOND RETAILERS
Tacy Ltd., 10/19/04

NGOs say the diamond industry's self-regulation system is failing
JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone -- 10/19/2004

NGOs Heat Up Congress Sessions
Sheryl Katz, Diamonds.net, 10/19/04

Excerpt from Article

(Rapaport… October 19, 2004) World Federation of Diamond Bourse (WFDB) and International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) held a joint-meeting on synthetics and treated diamonds during the second day of the World Diamond Congress.

HRD and GIA gave presentations about synthetic and treated diamonds. The topic of nomenclature was hotly debated. Certain bourse members said the industry should not issue certificates on synthetics at all, while others said doing so would force synthetic producers underground. It was largely agreed that if a stone was a synthetic or treated the fact should be displayed more prominently on grading certificates. Remarks were made that countries where English is not a first language do not understand nomenclature such as treated or HPHT and the like.

During the WFDB meeting, the largest action during the day occurred when Corinna Gilfillin from Global Witness took the stand to present the Non-governmental organization’s recent retail industry evaluation of awareness of the conflict diamond issue and to check on their industry self-regulation. Tension mounted as Global Witness and Amnesty International accused the industry of not doing enough in. Industry heads were adamant that they had done as much as they could – and more than other industries had - and were still doing more. Most emphasized that since all polished diamonds originate from rough, which are almost all conflict free, there is no reason to pin-point retailers.

Other discussions included a registered, WFDB Trademark, which will be available to all boarse members to use to add value to their diamonds. This quality mark will represent be a code of conduct and ethics.

Also on the agenda was whether to amend WFDB by-laws to include “corporate membership” as requested by the Russian and Indian Diamond Exchanges.

During its sessions, IDMA elected its four new vice-presidents: Vasant Mehta; Eduard Denckens, Moti Ganz and Chirakitti Tang. Among the subjects discussed were synthetic and how labs grade them, closely mirroring the joint sessions. Also, Matt Runci, CEO of the Jewelers of America, addressed the group, discussing JA’s recent decision to focus its efforts internally to assure that its members can respond effectively when questioned about conflict diamonds by advocacy groups. Steps to be implemented in January 2005, include: The development of a questionnaire, a self-assessment tool; the creation of educational programs; the creation of mystery shopping services; and discussions with store management regarding review of policy and procedure.


US, UK Retailers Vague on 'Conflict Diamonds'
Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service News Agency, 10/18/04

Diamonds whose price is measured in blood
Jewellers ignore code of conduct on gems from conflict zones
Lee Glendinning, Guardian UK, 10/18/04

Diamond conflict
High street jewellers are failing to offer guarantees to customers that they are not selling "conflict diamonds" from war zones, according to an Amnesty International report. A survey of 333 stores across Britain found that 7 per cent of shops were able to certify the origin of their diamond jewellery.
Times of London: News in Brief, 10/18/04

Survey: Retailers Not Conflict Diamonds Savvy
Edan Gohlan, International Diamond Exchange Online, 10/18/04

Survey: Many salespeople still foggy on Kimberley Process
National-Jeweler.com, 10/18/04

Diamond sellers 'slow to clean up their industry'
By Nicol Degli Innocenti, Financial Times, 10/18/04

Excerpt from the Financial Times Article
Diamond retailers in the UK and the US are failing to take seriously the issue of conflict diamonds and risk undermining United Nations-backed efforts to clean up the industry, according to a report released on Monday.

The report, Déjá vu, is the product of a survey by Amnesty International and Global Witness, a campaigning group, into the implementation by diamond jewellery retailers of the Kimberley process, the UN-sponsored initiative to prevent illicit diamond trading from fuelling wars in Africa or being a conduit for terrorist finance.

In spite of a voluntary pledge to provide guarantees on the origin of all diamonds traded or sold, the "retail sector is largely unable to provide consumers with meaningful assurances that diamonds are conflict free", the report says.

It adds that the World Diamond Council, the industry body set up to tackle the issue, is "falling far short on adequately monitoring self- regulation".

The survey, which will be presented today at the World Diamond Congress in New York, follows Global Witness's Broken Vows report, released last March, which criticised the industry's efforts as little more than a public relations manoeuvre.

For this second, more detailed survey of the industry, non-governmental organisations sent letters to 85 companies asking for information about policies on conflict diamonds.

Forty-eight companies, including Asprey, Boodle & Dunthorne, Debenhams and Theo Fennell in the UK, and Kmart, TJ Maxx and Friedman's in the US, failed to respond. The vast majority of companies that did respond failed to provide details of how the policy works in practice.

In addition, random visits to 579 stores in the US and UK revealed that fewer than half have a policy on conflict diamonds and a tiny minority provide a warranty certificate for customers confirming the diamonds sold come from legitimate sources.

The WDC could not be reached for comment.