The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), a leading global standard-setting body for the jewelry and watch industry, recently announced significant enhancements to its Standards Committee. This strategic move includes the appointment of two distinguished Co-Chairs and the integration of new members from various sectors. These changes are designed to bolster the organization’s commitment to robust, credible, and globally aligned standards for responsible business conduct within the industry.

With an expanding global membership and increasing complexities in regulatory frameworks, the committee's role has become increasingly vital. The appointments of Sara Yood and Eduard Stefanescu as Co-Chairs, alongside a diverse group of new members, reflect RJC's proactive approach to ensuring its Codes of Practice, Chain of Custody, and Laboratory Grown Materials standards remain at the forefront of ethical and sustainable practices. This initiative aims to deepen expertise across legal, technical, and governance aspects, driving continued progress and integrity across the entire jewelry supply chain.

New Leadership at the Helm of RJC Standards Committee

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has appointed Sara Yood, President & CEO of the Jewellers Vigilance Committee (JVC), and Eduard Stefanescu, Sustainability Manager at C.HAFNER GmbH + Co. KG, as the new Co-Chairs of its Standards Committee. This leadership transition brings together a wealth of experience in regulatory compliance, ethical conduct, supply chain integrity, and environmental stewardship, crucial for navigating the evolving landscape of the global jewelry and watch industry. Their combined expertise is expected to significantly contribute to the development and enforcement of standards that address human rights, labor practices, environmental protection, and transparency across the value chain. The committee's work is pivotal in ensuring that RJC’s standards are robust, credible, and aligned with international best practices and growing expectations for responsible business conduct.

Sara Yood, known for her profound understanding of jewelry industry regulations and consumer protection, will leverage her experience from JVC to reinforce RJC’s adherence to legal and ethical frameworks, particularly focusing on due diligence. Eduard Stefanescu, a Geoscientist and an expert in precious metals innovation and circularity from C.HAFNER, will contribute his technical and sustainability insights to advance responsible sourcing and environmental management. Both Co-Chairs expressed enthusiasm for the challenging yet rewarding task of refining and maintaining RJC’s comprehensive standards, acknowledging the importance of their nuanced texts for businesses. Their appointments underscore RJC’s dedication to a transparent and inclusive standard-setting process, designed to foster collaboration and constructive dialogue among diverse stakeholders to embed sustainability and ESG principles throughout the industry.

Strengthening the Standards Committee with Diverse Expertise

In addition to the new Co-Chairs, the RJC has welcomed a diverse group of new members to its Standards Committee, representing a broad spectrum of the jewelry value chain, civil society, and consumer advocacy. This multi-stakeholder approach ensures that the committee benefits from a wide range of perspectives, enhancing its capacity to develop globally credible and inclusive standards. The new members bring specialized knowledge in areas such as responsible sourcing, ESG strategy, human rights due diligence, supply chain transparency, gemological education, and consumer protection. Their collective experience is vital for addressing complex challenges and fostering a more ethical and sustainable future for the jewelry and watch industry. This strategic expansion is a testament to RJC’s commitment to continuous improvement and its proactive stance in adapting to the dynamic global environment.

The newly integrated members include industry representatives like Ben Ronca (Leach Garner) with expertise in financial strategy and conflict minerals compliance; Donald Bray (Fura Gems) focusing on global ESG strategy and social performance; Melanie Mater (De Beers) driving ethical, sustainable, and transparent value chains; Valerie Michel (Rosy Blue) leading ethical sourcing initiatives; Wafa Jaffery (DMCC) overseeing diamond exchange and Kimberley Process compliance; Alethea Inns (GSI) providing gemological education expertise; and Raluca Angel (Natural Diamond Council) specializing in policy and sustainability. Non-industry members, such as Antonino Serra Cambaceres (Consumer Representative) and Chris Vandome (Chatham House), bring consumer protection and governance insights, while Abbi Buxton contributes expertise in human rights and gender inequality in mining. Guest members from Richemont, Heraeus, and Watches of Switzerland also offer valuable perspectives. These appointments, effective January 1, 2026, signify RJC’s strengthened vision for robust, comprehensive, and widely accepted global standards.