The International Gemological Institute (IGI) has hired Tiffany Stevens as chief business officer and head of sustainability for its North American business.
Here are three things to know about IGI's focus and Stevens' experience and expertise.
1. Organizational Background: IGI -- founded in 1975 in Antwerp, Belgium -- is an authority on diamond, gemstone and jewelry grading. The organization expanded into the certification of lab-grown diamonds in 2005. IGI now has 30 laboratories and 19 schools in 10 countries.
Private equity firm Blackstone acquired IGI in May 2023. Financial terms were not disclosed.
IGI's website briefly mentions ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) commitments, but we don't know if the organization has an overall sustainability and net-zero strategy in place.
2. Executive Background: Stevens previously was CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, which acts as a mediator to amicably settle jewelry-related disputes without court intervention. At JVC, Stevens "championed sustainable supply chain practices and transparency in the jewelry sector," IGI noted. "Her leadership will further strengthen IGI's mission of upholding the highest standards of gemological excellence and ethical integrity."
3. Executive Perspectives: In a prepared statement about joining IGI, Stevens said: “I am honored to join IGI. This is a pivotal moment to advance gemology education, promote transparency, and uphold our core values of scientific excellence and ethical accountability.”
Chief Sustainability Officers: Why Technology Partners Should Care
By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.
The bottom line: Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO customer needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.
