The World Diamond Council (WDC), an industry group focused on preventing conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate global supply chain and protecting the value of natural diamonds, reaffirmed its commitment at the 2018 KP Intersessional meeting being held in Antwerp from June 18-22 to driving ongoing positive change through reform.
The Intersessional is an annual forum where members gather to discuss the technical aspects of the various working groups that comprise the Kimberley Process. Individual members of the WDC currently serve on a range of KP working groups that include Monitoring, CAR Monitoring Team, Statistics, Rules and Procedures, Participation and Chairmanship, Alluvial and Artisanal Production and Diamond Experts.
Stephane Fischler, Acting President of the WDC, is expected to reiterate the need for KP review and reform in the areas of scope of conflict diamonds, KPCS minimum standards, and long term implementation of KPCS directives via a Permanent Secretariat. He is also expected to appeal to alluvial diamond producing countries in particular to embrace the opportunities for progress and improving lives in their own communities made possible with the KP.
In addition to encouraging KP reform, the WDC continues to advocate for positive change from within. This month, the WDC System of Warranties (SoW) entered a public review period following the completion of an industry review. The WDC SoW extends the assurances provided by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) by requiring all diamond suppliers and diamond jewelry manufacturers to pass on a conflict free warranty statement each time diamond goods (rough or polished) change hands. It also asks SoW statement users to ensure that trading activities maintain strict adherence of universally accepted principles on human and labor rights, anticorruption and anti-money laundering in support of the obligatory implementation.
