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New York, NY—SCS Global Services (SCS), a leader in the field of sustainability standards and third-party certification, has issued its first “Certificate of Accreditation for Gem Identification Verification Provider to GCAL (Gem Certification & Assurance Lab).  This technical accreditation was issued in part based on GCAL being the only gem lab in the world to be ISO 17025 Forensic Accredited, as well as its technical expertise.

This Sustainability Rated Diamonds Standard is the first comprehensive, multi-stakeholder sustainability standard developed for the diamond sector.  It establishes the world’s most stringent benchmark of sustainability accountability, transparency, and provenance assurance for the diamond industry, with comprehensive environmental, social, and governance provisions; along with climate-neutral and other net-zero milestones.  The standard’s Chain of Custody provisions are backed by third-party certification that combines A.I. enhanced laser ablation testing, with gem identification verification, auditing and sampling to achieve 99% accuracy. 

SCS confirmed that “GCAL’s New York City Laboratory meets the accreditation criteria as a Gem Identification Facility required for Origin Traceability Assurance under the SCS-007 Jewelry Sustainability Standard – Sustainability Rated Diamonds for qualifying accredited sources of certified diamonds,” said SCS.  

All SCS-007 certified diamonds graded, scanned (Gemprint®) and laser inscribed by GCAL, which have accompanying information on laser inscription, diamond dimensions, and carat weights, can carry the approved Sustainably Rated claim. The significance reflects consumers’ increasing demand that the diamonds they purchase meet the highest standards of ethical and environmental responsibility.    

Angelo Palmieri, COO of GCAL, was one of the original and leading members of the multi-stakeholder standards development committee, facilitated by SCS Standards, the not-for-profit standards development arm of SCS.  

“SCS, and the committee members, have all been working incredibly hard, under intense pressure on this process for the past 18 months.  I’m proud to be part of this SCS effort, and particularly proud to say that GCAL is the first gem lab in the world to earn the SCS Certificate of Accreditation,” he says. “It’s a win for both retail jewelers and the ultimate consumer,” continued Palmieri.  

For more information about GCAL or its Certificate of Accreditation, please contact Steve Feldman at 212-869-8985, or stevef@gcalusa.com