De Beers CEO to be guest speaker, at WDC’s 2014 Annual Meeting in Antwerp

OCTOBER 27, 2014 – Members of the World Diamond Council will assemble in Antwerp, October 28 to October 30, for the organization’s  2014 Annual General Meeting. Among the guests will be Philippe Mellier, De Beers CEO, who will address a special all-day session on October 29, which will focus on issues associated with the Kimberley Process, 14 years after its establishment, and the associated role of the WDC in relation to the risks facing the KP. The most significant innovation at this year’s WDC Annual Meeting is the special brainstorming session on October 29, where the members will take a broad view of the various ethical, legal and financial challenges facing the KP, including the risks related to rough diamond trading mentioned in a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) report earlier this year. In this respect, the participants in the meeting  will discuss what strategies may be employed by WDC specifically, and the industry in general. Prior to the meeting WDC members have been polled to gauge their opinions, and the results of the survey will be analyzed and discussed. The Annual General Meeting is being hosted by the Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC). For more details about the 2014 Annual General Meeting, please visit the World Diamond Council website at www.worlddiamondcouncil.org About the World Diamond Council The primary objective of the WDC is to represent the diamond industry in the development and implementation of the regulatory and voluntary systems to control the trade in diamonds embargoed by the United Nations or covered by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.  Visit www.worlddiamondcouncil.org to learn more.

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LONDON – The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) announced today that De Beers Group of Companies, the leading diamond company and a Founder Member of the Council, has achieved certification by meeting the highest ethical, social and environmental standards established by the RJC’s Member Certification system.

“The De Beers Group of Companies is the largest diamond mining group to achieve RJC Certification and we warmly congratulate De Beers on its certification. The successful verification assessment was conducted by Firouzeh Siavoshi from SGS, one of the independent third-party auditing firms accredited to the RJC’s Member Certification system,” says Michael Rae, RJC’s Chief Executive Officer.

“De Beers’ commitment to meeting the highest standards is embedded in our commitment to ‘live up to diamonds’, and guides us in the delivery of our commercial goals. It is particularly pleasing to receive confirmation that we measure up to the exacting requirements of credible and external standards like the RJC’s. De Beers remains committed to supporting industry-wide initiatives like the RJC Certification System that reinforce stakeholder and consumer confidence in the diamond industry,” says Dr. James Suzman, De Beers’ Director of Public Affairs.

About RJC

The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international not-for-profit organisation bringing together more than 400 member companies. RJC and its Members are committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the jewellery industry from mine to retail. This commitment aims to reinforce consumer and stakeholder confidence in diamond, gold and platinum metals jewellery products. The RJC has developed the RJC Member Certification system which applies to all Members’ businesses that contribute to the diamond, gold and platinum metals jewellery supply chain. All Certified Members of the RJC are audited by accredited, third party auditors to verify their conformance with the RJC’s Code of Practices. A voluntary Chain-of-Custody Standard has also been developed for gold and platinum group metals. The RJC is a Full Member of the ISEAL Alliance – the global association for sustainability standards. For more information on RJC Members, Certification, and Standards please visit www.responsiblejewellery.com

About De Beers Group of Companies

De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. Established in 1888, De Beers is the world’s leading diamond company with unrivalled expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs approximately 16,000 people across the diamond pipeline, and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company’s operating philosophy, the people of De Beers are committed to Living up to Diamonds by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about De Beers visit www.debeersgroup.com

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