The Gemological Institute of America and Jewellers of America have begun working together to better fulfill their individual missions and directly benefit their constituencies.
Under their newly agreement, the non-profit organisations will collaborate in the following areas:
- GIA will give JA members special access to its gemmology, business management, sales professionalism and bench jeweler training courses.
- JA will work with GIA’s Jewellery Arts Program to assist in the promotion and fulfillment elements of the JA Bench Professional Certification program, which will undergo a complete overhaul this year.
- GIA will continue to develop and promote consumer education materials to help support JA members’ professional image, and increase consumers’ understanding of fine jewellery.
- JA will share its expertise in public and national government affairs with GIA in the form of timely communications and background materials when business responsibility issues arise in the jewellery supply chain or the public sector.
GIA president Donna Baker said GIA’s expertise in adult education and in protecting the public trust through its vital research, gemmological grading systems and reports complements JA’s leadership in ethical, social and environmental issues, as well as in the promotion of jewellers’ professionalism.
“We believe that by combining forces in this way, we can deliver a rich array of products and services to jewellery professionals, which will help ensure their success in the 21st century, and directly benefit the jewellery buying public as well,” she said.
Meanwhile JA president and CEO Matthew Runci said he looked forward to a long and productive partnership with the Institute as “it will benefit our 11,000 member stores”.