WDC FAQs

The WDC is the diamond and jewelry industry’s official representative in the tripartite international forum of the Kimberley Process (KP). In this respect, WDC’s primary objective is to represent the industry in the development and implementation of regulatory and voluntary systems to control the trade in diamonds embargoed by the United Nations or covered by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).

Additionally, using the resources of the diamond industry, WDC supports the Kimberley Process though technical, financial and other means, including the Administrative Support Mechanism (AMS), which provides ongoing logistic and managerial assistance to the KP Chair and officers.

Furthermore, to help ensure that the polished diamonds being sold originate from rough diamonds that were responsibly sourced, the WDC created the System of Warranties (SoW) to complement the KPCS. In essence, the SoW requires buyers and sellers of rough diamonds, polished diamonds and jewelry set with diamonds to include a warranty statement on B2B invoices and memos each time a diamond change hands, assuring the next buyer that it originated from sources in compliance with the KPCS and essential responsible business practices, as listed in the the SoW Guidelines. These include principles relating to human and labor rights, anti-money laundering and anti-corruption.

The WDC is the diamond and jewelry industry’s official representative in the tripartite international forum of the Kimberley Process (KP), together with Government participants and civil society.

Like the KP Civil Society Coalition, the WDC has Observer status. It does not have voting rights, which is a privilege extended only to Government Participants. Nonetheless, the WDC participates in all KP’s working groups and committees, and it participates in review visits to KP-member countries.

The WDC chairs the KP’s Working Group of Diamond Experts (WGDE), which is charged with providing solutions to technical challenges and problems in the implementation of the KPCS.

Additionally, using the resources of the diamond industry, WDC supports the Kimberley Process though technical, financial and other means. This includes the Administrative Support Mechanism (AMS that since 2013 has provided ongoing logistic and managerial assistance to the KP Chair, working groups and committees, which is operated and financed by the WDC.

The KP is currently planning to replace the AMS with a Permanent Secretariat. A WDC official currently chairs the KP sub-committee overseeing the establishment of the Permanent Secretariat, and it also has pledged funding to support its activities once it has been created.

The WDC was among the primary architects of the KPCS, which was developed from a working paper prepared by WDC group of experts in 2000.

All companies and organizations that are active in the diamond supply chain are eligible for WDC membership, on condition that they fulfill the following requirements:

1. Commitment to responsible sourcing, Kimberley Process compliance and the SoW Guidelines, version 2021.
2. Can demonstrate that they have been established as a “going concern” for at least two years preceding their application for WDC membership.
3. Obtain a referral from an industry member or companies supplying goods and/or services to the jewelry industry
4. Are willing to sign and commit to the WDC Membership Core Values Pledge
5. Are willing to assign at least one person from their company or organization as a Kimberley Process liaison.

Not a requirement, but most definitely a preference is that the applicant hold membership with at least one other recognized industry trade organization.

Visit the WDC website at worlddiamondcouncil.org or the WDC LinkedIn page at linkedin.com/company/51627725.  Additionally, you can sign up for the WDC newsletter on the WDC website’s homepage.

Visit the WDC Members page on the WDC website at worlddiamondcouncil.org/members.

Email the WDC Executive Director at ed@worlddiamondcouncil.org.