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During Paris Couture Week in July, the Watch & Jewellery Initiative (WJI) 2030 launched its latest report on the trade body’s progress toward creating a more responsible and sustainable industry.
Founded in 2022 by jewelers Kering and Cartier – delegated by luxury conglomerate Richemont – and with Chanel now serving on its executive committee, WJI 2030 serves as a collaborative platform working to take action on three interconnected pillars: climate resilience, preserving resources (nature and water), and fostering inclusiveness.
For executive director and secretary general Iris Van der Veken, the WJI 2030 Progress Report 2025/2026 reflects a turning point. “The conversation is all about business resilience,” she told the launch attendees. As companies face growing regulatory complexity and different pressures, WJI 2030’s role is to provide the practical guidance and tools the industry needs to de-risk, manage compliance, and turn commitments into action.
The report launch took place at jewelry maison Messika, which recently joined WJI 2030. As company founder and artistic director Valérie Messika stated during the presentation: “Alone we go faster, but together we go further.”
Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer at Kering, reiterated at the event that “jewelry is not only about materials; it’s about emotion, craft, and transmission. And that is exactly where sustainability belongs. It’s core to business strategy. There is no jewelry without healthy ecosystems.”
“Luxury today is about culture-shaping,” stated Timothy Iwata, senior director of fine and high jewelry at Prada Group, which also recently joined the initiative. “It requires strong leadership and sustainability as part of the core business strategy.”
Five main themes emerged from the panel discussion.
1. Transparency is the new currency, and the industry needs reliable data
“Today, credibility is built on proof points,” said Van der Veken. “Companies need to understand where their materials come from, how products are made, and their impact on people and the environment. That requires collaboration across the value chain – and it requires data. AI, if used responsibly, can become a great, efficient enabler.”
This vision sits at the heart of the WJI 2030 Impact Action Journey Framework, which launched in Davos in January 2025. Designed to turn complexity into action, the platform supports companies of all sizes, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in measuring, managing and disclosing sustainability performance while aligning with evolving regulations. Recent additions include water and living-wage indicators, a carbon calculator and a voluntary sustainability-reporting standard for SMEs, and AI-assisted reporting functionality.
2. Nature and water are core operational material topics that need the industry’s urgent attention
Van der Veken emphasized the growing connection between nature and business resilience, with 55% of global GDP – equating to about $58 trillion – moderately or highly dependent on nature. She mentioned the recent flooding events in Gujarat, India, home to one of the world’s largest diamond-manufacturing hubs, and in Florence, Italy, highlighting the growing vulnerabilities facing supply chains and production ecosystems.
“Nature, biodiversity and water have rapidly risen on corporate agendas. Yet many companies have not started their journey,” she said. “That’s why we developed a sector-specific Nature Roadmap with practical tools, including a Water Stewardship Guide and assessment tool. All tools came about through multi-stakeholder consultation, including the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).”
3. Education is critical, especially for small and medium businesses
SMEs often juggle multiple compliance requirements, audits, and reporting obligations, with limited resources and capacity. That’s why the WJI 2030 collaboration with the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) and Union Française de la Bijouterie, Joaillerie, Orfèvrerie, des Pierres et des Perles (UFBJOP) has been so instrumental, Van der Veken commented. In the past year, WJI 2030 has published and updated 18 open-source tools covering climate, nature, water stewardship and inclusiveness.
“With humility, this is a process of continuous improvement and updating,” said Van der Veken.
4. The future of business resilience is collaborative
“There is so much good work being done by organizations including RJC, CIBJO, UFBJOP, the World Gold Council (WGC), the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), Gold Principles Group, [and the] Swiss Better Gold Association,” said Van der Veken. “How can we build stronger programs together and protect the industry we are all so deeply passionate about?” The next phase will be about scaling what works through meaningful partnerships, she added.
5. The future of the industry is about prioritizing inclusiveness
“How can we stay relevant as an industry where people of all backgrounds and identities have equal opportunities to shape strategy, craftsmanship and leadership, and where talent can thrive at every level?” Van der Veken asked. WJI 2030 has built practical tools to embed gender into the fabric of organizations.
“The future of our industry will be defined not only by what we create, but by how we create it, honoring craftsmanship, building resilience, meeting evolving consumer expectations, and safeguarding the integrity of our value chains,” she declared. “Only together can we shape resilience that lasts.”
Main image, from left: Timothy Iwata, Chanel’s Marianne Zani, Iris Van der Veken, Marie-Claire Daveu, Valérie Messika, and Raj Mehta of Spectrum B.V. (WJI 2030)
