Cavalieri speaks of sustainability in the cultured pearl sector

At the Sustainable Pearls Forum held in Hong Kong, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri presented an outline for sustainability involving a comprehensive approach towards economic, environmental and social responsibility in the cultured pearl sector. The event took place on June 21.

Cavalieri noted that unlike other jewellery sectors of the industry, the cultured pearl sector, provides an opportunity to introduce concepts, and that pearls are sustainable as “we possess the means and knowledge to initiate the natural growth of new products within an economically viable period of time." He further added that while this provides a potentially big business opportunity, “along with that comes responsibility."

He identified the three basic elements of economic, environmental and social sustainability, as "stakeholder or community sustainability" - are not mutually exclusive, and that “inability to address any one of those elements will make it difficult, if not impossible to address the other two, certainly over the long term," he added.

According to him, economic sustainability requiring efficient and responsible use of resources should be practiced by businesses and supported by government regulators. Environmental sustainability is a key word of the cultured pearl industry, Dr. Cavalieri stressed. On stakeholder, community or social sustainability, Dr. Cavalieri noted that because cultured pearls represent a sustainable or renewable activity, those at the grass-roots communities of the industry can expect to remain actively involved for generations to come.

In his speech, Dr. Cavalieri also addressed the possibility of a Universal Pearl Grading System, which currently is being considered by the CIBJO Pearl Commission. "We realize that it is not an easy task, and that a variety of opinion exists. It will take time. But we are patient, and believe that such system will enhance transparency, and, as a consequence, consumer confidence. And let me remind you, to operate a sustainable industry, or any business enterprise, consumer confidence is an absolute prerequisite," he said.