Nine jewelry associations have banded together to form an organization called the United States Jewelry Council (USJC). According to a press release, the new group’s members “believe U.S. businesses need a united voice on issues as diverse as environmental mining standards, factory working conditions, full and proper disclosure of all relevant information before sale,” among others.

The following associations will be represented:

• American Gem Society (AGS)
• Diamond Council of America (DCA)
• Diamond Bourse of Southeast United States (DBSE)
• Diamond Dealers Club of New York (DDC)
• Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America (DMIA)
• Indian Diamond and Colored Stone Association (IDCA)
• Jewelers of America (JA)
• Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA)
• Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA)

“Jewelers represent the last, critical, link to the final purchasers of jewelry,” USJC Secretary and AGS CEO Ruth Batson said in a statement. “We know jewelers are at the forefront of ensuring that consumers keep their trust in jewelers and jewelry products, ensuring that both the customer and the entire jewelry industry are protected.”

USJC Chair and DMIA President Ronnie VanderLinden believes a lot is on the line. “The success or failure of U.S.-based jewelry businesses — and the entire diamond and jewelry supply chain — is in large part dependent on a healthy representation of U.S. businesses in the national and global arena,” he said in a statement. “These challenges on the national and global scale are more than an individual association can handle alone. The U.S. industry needs a coordinated effort to ensure we can protect consumer confidence in our product and have a say on policies that affect the livelihoods of our members.”

In Good Company

When it comes to advocating for an industry, the more the merrier. The jewelry industry is protecting its members with a tried-and-true method.

Earlier this year, the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) teamed up with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) to “help raise awareness among lawmakers about issues affecting the lodging and restaurant trades.”

In 2013, American Business Media merged with the Software and Information Industry Association to create “the breadth and scale required to powerfully represent, promote, and defend the entire business information and media industry.”

The financial industry helped pave the way for a group like USJC with the formation of the Financial Planning Coalition (FPC). The group is made up of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, the Financial Planning Association, and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors.  FPC advocates for financial advisers in Congress and has been very active in the six years since the coalition formed.

To learn more about the USJC’s leadership and principles, check out jewelrycouncil.org.

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