World Diamond Council (WDC) president Edward Asscher foresees that the diamond industry will soon have two distinct value chains, one encompassing responsibly sourced diamonds and one that does not.

During the closing session of the 2021 Intersessional Meeting of the Kimberley Process (KP), he questioned the readiness of certain KP participants to meet the expectations of today’s jewellery consumers, who are increasingly demanding that diamonds be verifiably shown to have been responsibly sourced, and to have been handled in accordance with human rights, environmental protection and social justice.