The Consumer Confidence Commission (CCC), recently established by CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation, is scheduled to hold its first official meeting on Sept. 10 in London.

“We hope to lay the groundwork for what will become a global strategy for consumer confidence in our business community and the products we sell,” said CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri

The organization’s primary purpose is to formulate and encourage the implementation of standards for corporate and social responsibility in the jewelry and gemstone sectors, Cavalieri said.

Earlier this summer, Cavalieri named the gemstone and jewelry industry officials who would be members of the commission. They are:

* Gaetano Cavalieri, CCC president, CIBJO president.
* Matt Runci, CCC vice president, CIBJO Ethic Commission president, Jewelers of America president and CEO.
* Ernest Blom, president of Sector I of CIBJO, vice president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, chairman of The Jewellery Council of South Africa.
* Tawfique Abdullah, President Sector II of CIBJO, President of the Dubai Metals & Commodities Centre.
* Roland Naftule, president Sector III of CIBJO.
* Motti Besser, general manager, the Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association (IsDMA).
* Peter Meeus, managing director of the HRD (Antwerp Diamond High Council).
* Rory More O’Ferrall, director of corporate affairs, The Diamond Trading Company.
* Terry Janes, Vice-President, Strategic Marketing Diamonds and Industrial Materials, BHP Billiton Diamonds.
* Gordon Gilchrist, managing director, Rio Tinto Diamonds.
* Peter Gross, global head, International Diamond & Jewellery Group, ABN AMRO Bank.

In addition to the CCC members, Cavalieri said other industry representatives will attend the meeting.

“If consumers loose their confidence in jewelry, in particular in gem-set jewelry, the future of our industry is in peril,” Cavalieri said. “Under CIBJO’s unifying banner, we will have the best chance to retain not only the market’s trust but also increase our general market share.”

JCK