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Industry News: JFC’s 2019 Honorees, GIA Scholarship Deadline Nears, Plumb Club With RJC, More February 12, 2020 (0 comments)

Jewelers for Children Announces 2020 Facets of Hope Honorees

New York, NY—Gina Drosos, CEO of Signet Jewelers Ltd., and Mercedes Abramo (left), president and CEO of Cartier North America, will be honored at the 22nd annual Jewelers for Children Facets of Hope dinner on Thursday, June 4, at the Venetian Las Vegas Resort Casino. The event, normally held on the Sunday evening during the Las Vegas jewelry market week, is being held on a Thursday evening in connection with the change of date pattern for the 2020 events.    

“We are so fortunate to have Gina and Mercedes serving as honorees for the 2020 edition of our Facets of Hope event.  said Debra Puzio, JFC board chair. “Along with them and hearing from some of the young heroes the industry has helped, the evening will be a ‘not-to-miss’ event.”

As is its tradition, JFC also will use the event to reveal the total amount of monies raised during the year. At the 2019 event, more than 1,200 industry leaders and friends attended, and JFC announced it would donate $1.3 million to its charity partners, bringing the cumulative total since 1999 to nearly $57 million.

Gina Drosos

Cocktails will begin at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth level of the Venetian facility, followed bydinner and the program beginning at 7:30 p.m. For information about attending or sponsoring the event, contact JFC at (212) 687-2949 or info@jewelersforchildren.org. 

 

Plumb Club, Responsible Jewellery Council Deepen Relationship

New York, NY—The Plumb Club and the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) are working together to enhance sustainability in the industry. RJC, an international not-for-profit standards and certification organization with more than 1,200 member companies in jewelry supply chain from mine to retail, will be unveiling its latest retailer initiatives and resources at its booth in The Plumb Club pavilion during the 2020 JCK show in Las Vegas.

The Plumb Club overwhelmingly voted to require all new and existing members to become certified members of the RJC. This is an important milestone and reflects The Plumb Club’s vision of pioneering industry leadership to promote responsible practices. 

RJC leaders will be available at the show to engage with companies about RJC certification, integrating sustainability into their operations, and building trust and confidence with consumers. Information on best practices will be shared, and retailers and manufacturers will learn how the implementation of the RJC standards supports the global agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“We are excited to have the Responsible Jewelry Council exhibit with us,” said Victor Weinman, chair of The Plumb Club Pavilion. “Their presence in the pavilion enhances our commitment to the retailer for responsible sourcing and further underscores our vision to help shape the future of the jewelry industry. By having the RJC in our Pavilion we will provide the retailer the opportunity to better understand the future of RJC in the American jewelry marketplace.”

RJC executive director Iris Van der Veken recently spoke to Plumb Club members. “We would like to thank The Plumb Club for this inspiring partnership. A shift in mindset is required and the younger generation is leading the way. This is the era of action, accountability, trust, and transparency. Our collective response is critical for future generations. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with The Plumb Club to promote responsible business practices through the jewelry supply chain, from mine to retail.”

The Responsible Jewelry Council is an international not-for-profit standards and certification organization. It has more than 1,200 member companies that span the jewelry supply chain from mine to retail. RJC Members commit to and are independently audited against the RJC Code of Practices (COP) – an international standard of responsible business practices for diamonds, gold, platinum group metals, silver and colored gemstones. The Code of Practices addresses human rights, labor rights, environmental impact, mining practices, product disclosure and man more important topics in the jewelry supply chain. RJC also works with multi-stakeholder initiatives on responsible sourcing and supply chain due diligence. The RJC’s Chain-of-Custody (CoC) Certification for precious metals supports these initiatives and can be used as a tool to deliver broader Member and stakeholder benefit. Through the implementation of the COP and CoC members contribute towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 agenda.

For more information, visit www.responsiblejewellery.com or www.plumbclub.com. 

Plumb Club president Michael Lerche with RJC executive director Iris Van der Veken.

 

GIA Offers $2 Million In Scholarships for 2020

Carlsbad, CA—GIA (Gemological Institute of America applications for its 2020 scholarships are due by March 31. Applications are available for scholarships for professionals and students interested in gemology and jewelry manufacturing arts programs, distance education courses and lab classes related to gems and jewelry. 

A scholarship from GIA can help with the cost of the Institute’s industry-leading and globally-recognized diploma and certificate programs. Says Anna Doll, GIA Graduate Gemologist, Applied Jewelry Professional and scholarship recipient, “The GIA scholarship made a huge impact in my life. I would not have been able to be here without it.”

Applications for 2020 scholarships are available at GIA.edu/scholarships and are due by March 31, 2020. GIA will accept applications for 2021 scholarships beginning in August 2020. 

Scholarships funded by the GIA Endowment Fund and private donors are available for distance education eLearning courses and lab classes, and for GIA’s Gemology and Jewelry Manufacturing Arts programs and classes at the Institute’s campuses in Bangkok, Carlsbad, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Taiwan.

In 2019, GIA awarded 458 scholarships that ranged from $600 to $23,000 to pursue eLearning courses, lab classes and on-campus programs. GIA has awarded nearly $10 million in scholarships since 2015, helping more than 2,000 students study at GIA globally.