High Level Segment of the United Nation's Economic and Social Council

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri shared with gathering of world leaders at the High Level Segment of the United Nation's Economic and Social Council in Geneva, that CIBJO is currently preparing a "groundbreaking" Corporate Social Responsibility educational programme for the jewellery sector, to be offered worldwide and to promote the industry's involvement in sustainable development.

The four-day High Level Segment opened ECOSOC's 2013 Substantive Session, which began on July 1 and will close July 26. ECOSOC deals with the world's economic, social and environmental challenges, and has responsibility for some 70 percent of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system. One of its key functions is to promote the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations in 2000.

CIBJO has been the jewellery industry's sole representative in the body since 2006 and was among only 78 non-government organisations to be invited to address the High Level Segment, from the 3,735 NGO's that are recognized by ECOSOC. The meeting was opened by Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General; Vuk Jeremić, President of the UN General Assembly; and Néstor Osorio, President of ECOSOC. In his statement, Dr. Cavalieri said that CIBJO shares a common vision with ECOSOC.

He also elucidated the CSR educational programme, that CIBJO is joining forces with Fiera di Vicenza, a leading trade fair organiser. "Through Fiera di Vicenza's extensive international network, we aim to educate members of the industry about CSR, and specifically the obligations of businesses to promote sustainable development," he stated. Contact has been made with one of Italy's leading business schools concerning the preparation of courses and educational materials, he said. "The proposed CIBJO-Fiera di Vicenza programme will be presented at the UN headquarters in the fall, to be reviewed by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in the hopes of mainstreaming ethical business practices into many cultures.

The High Level Segment focused on science, technology and innovation as agents for economic and social development. Dr. Cavalieri spoke of how technological innovation in the jewellery industry can serve as catalyst to narrow the gaps between emerging centres and established ones. Technology, he said, "enable the people in new centres to get the same value and with the same profitability, and also encourage companies in the developed centres to invest in developing centres"