The Antwerp offices of the International Gemological Institute (IGI), the world’s largest independent gemological laboratory, have been declared carbon neutral according to PAS 2060 standards by SCS Global Services (SCS), a world leader in third-party sustainability certification.

Published by the British Standards Institution, the PAS 2060 designation requires a voluntary and ambitious commitment to positive climate action. Earning this designation implies the organization’s carbon neutrality claims are credible and have been verified, to the benefit of both the environment and consumer confidence. A formal declaration of IGI Antwerp’s carbon neutrality achievement has been issued by SCS.

“IGI is fully committed to making positive changes which strengthen the environment and our industry,” stated IGI Chief Operating Officer Deborah Pienica. “This goal was first achieved by our New York City offices, now Antwerp, and we will continue to expand our efforts worldwide.”

As part of achieving the PAS 2060 designation, IGI installed smart thermostats and LED lighting equipped with auto-off settings and committed to using only environmentally safe cleaning products from sustainable companies. IGI Antwerp employees reduced their print frequency, eliminated single use plastics, diminished the amount of trash generated per-person, followed an unplug policy and sorted trash into categories, among other improvements. The institute plans to continue proactive environmental stewardship, with a goal of 30% reduction by 2025.

In 2021 IGI became the first gemological institute to commit to carbon neutrality, joining the Responsible Jewelry Council, International Precious Metals Institute, and Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance in an association with SCS Global Services. Since 1984 SCS has been advancing sustainable development goals across multiple sectors through auditing, testing, certification and developing leadership standards to create a framework for continuous improvement.