by Julius Zheng
Founded in 2000, the World Diamond Council’s mission was to serve as the diamond and jewellery industry’s official representative within the Kimberley Process (KP). The KP is a permanent international forum, mandated by the United Nations, where governments, the Civil Society and the WDC work hand in hand to eradicate conflict diamonds.
In 2002, the WDC launched its System of Warranties (SoW) to complement the KP Certification Scheme (KPCS). It extended the assurance of conflict-free origin from rough diamonds to polished diamonds and diamond jewelry.
In 2021, the WDC expanded the scope of the SoW by integrating universally accepted principles of human rights, labor rights, anti-corruption, and anti-money laundering, all recorded in the SoW Guidelines. This strengthened its status as a valuable framework for industry self-regulation.
Today, with 82 members, representing all sectors of the value chain, the WDC takes the lead as the unified voice and first line of defense of the diamond industry.
In this exclusive interview, Feriel Zerouki, President of World Diamond Council elaborated on the progress with WDC, the future of diamond business, and her personal insight as a female leader.
1. Commitment to Reform and Progress
You emphasized the need for reform within the Kimberley Process. What specific areas do you see as the most urgent for reform? While expanding the definition of conflict diamonds has been a focus, what progress has been made in this regard, and how do you plan to address existing challenges? How do you align the goals of KP reform with the interests of diverse stakeholders across the diamond supply chain?
Reform within the Kimberley Process is not an abstract. It is a necessity driven by credibility, relevance, and responsibility.
The most urgent area for reform is the definition of conflict diamonds. The existing definition was shaped by the realities of the early 2000s. It does not adequately reflect the violence of today, particularly violence linked to non-state armed groups or serious human rights abuses occurring outside traditional civil war frameworks. Expanding this definition has therefore been a central focus of recent reform efforts.
We worked tirelessly with civil society and member nations until the clock ran out at the Kimberley Process plenary meeting in Dubai at the end of last year. I am so proud of the passion, the dedication and the sheer hard work and determination of our entire team and our KP partners. Sadly we did not make it over the finish line before the reform window closed this time, but we made significant and important progress.
There is now broad recognition among participants that the definition must evolve. That in itself represents movement in the right direction. Consensus-based decision-making presents many challenges. Different national political considerations and the participation of many stakeholder groups mean progress is incremental rather than immediate. The task ahead is to convert agreement in principle into operational change.
This type of diplomacy is tough because it requires meaningful agreement among large numbers of participants, each of whom have specific interests and stakeholders to satisfy. This is also a great strength of the Kimberley Process, however, and is one of the main reasons it is such as a success. For the KP change takes time, but when it happens it matters.
The role of the World Diamond Council is to ensure that reform strengthens the system for everyone. A credible Kimberley Process protects producing communities, supports legitimate trade, and safeguards consumer confidence. Reform framed as collective protection, rather than constraint, is how alignment is achieved.
2. Sustainability and Equitable Trade
How does the WDC define an equitable and sustainable diamond industry, and what steps is it taking to achieve this vision? What role does the Kimberley Process play in supporting the responsible sourcing of natural diamonds? How is the WDC ensuring that even the smallest stakeholders in the diamond supply chain benefit from these reforms?
An equitable and sustainable diamond industry is one where responsibility and opportunity move together.
For the WDC, sustainability is not limited to environmental considerations. It encompasses economic inclusion, human rights, and long-term viability for producing communities. Diamonds support millions of livelihoods worldwide, many in developing economies. Any sustainable model must recognise and protect that reality.
The Kimberley Process plays a foundational role in responsible sourcing of natural diamonds. While it is not the sole mechanism governing sustainability, it provides the global baseline. Strengthening its standards, compliance mechanisms, and transparency directly reinforces responsible trade across borders.
Equitable trade also means ensuring that reform does not disproportionately burden smaller stakeholders. Artisanal and small-scale miners, local traders, and emerging market participants must be supported, not excluded. The WDC advocates for capacity-building initiatives, clearer guidance, and practical compliance tools that can be implemented across varying levels of infrastructure. Sustainability that benefits only the largest players is not sustainable at all.
3. Transparency and Accountability
Increased transparency was one of the highlights of your address. What measures have been implemented to enhance transparency within certification processes? How will digitizing KP certificates improve accountability and regulatory effectiveness within the diamond trade? How do you see these transparency efforts rebuilding consumer confidence in natural diamonds?
Transparency is essential to the credibility of any certification system.
Within the Kimberley Process, steps have already been taken to improve transparency through enhanced peer review processes, clearer reporting expectations, and stronger oversight of internal controls. These measures reinforce accountability among participants and reduce opportunities for misuse or misrepresentation.
Digitization of KP certificates represents the most significant next step. Digital certificates will improve traceability, reduce fraud, and allow for more effective monitoring by regulatory authorities. They also enhance efficiency, lowering administrative barriers while increasing oversight.
From a regulatory perspective, digitization enables better data collection and analysis. From a market perspective, it provides verifiable assurance. For consumers, transparency is increasingly decisive. Confidence in natural diamonds depends on credible, demonstrable integrity. Strengthened certification processes are therefore not only regulatory tools. They are trust-building mechanisms.
4. Industry Challenges and External Pressures
You mentioned external pressures facing the diamond industry. Could you elaborate on what these pressures are and how the WDC plans to address them? What challenges do you foresee in implementing the reforms and innovations discussed at this year’s plenary? How is the WDC preparing the industry to adapt to changing global expectations concerning sustainability and ethical practices?
The diamond industry operates in an environment of significant external pressure. Geopolitical instability, heightened scrutiny of supply chains, evolving human rights expectations, and growing environmental concerns continue to shape the context in which we work. At the same time, the sector faces competition from alternative products and changing consumer values, particularly among younger generations.
Yet it is important to recognise that the diamond industry is already one of the most highly regulated sectors in the world. Throughout my career, I have witnessed first-hand some of the most inspiring social and environmental initiatives, efforts that support communities, protect ecosystems, and contribute meaningfully to national development. The challenge is not the absence of progress, but the absence of awareness. Much of the good this industry delivers remains largely invisible to consumers.
The role of the World Diamond Council is therefore twofold. We must continue to advocate for reform that is substantive and credible, engaging openly with governments, regulators, and civil society, while also ensuring that the positive impact of the sector is better understood. Transparency builds trust, and silence or defensiveness only undermines it.
Implementing reform is not without difficulty. Differences in national priorities, varying regulatory capacity, and the complexity of global supply chains present real challenges. Innovation, including digitisation, requires investment and adaptation. However, adaptation is not optional. It is the cost of continued relevance.
Raising the profile of the industry’s achievements must go hand in hand with continuous improvement. By communicating more effectively and acting with integrity, we can ensure that stakeholders understand not only the requirements of reform, but also the genuine contribution that natural diamonds make to people and planet.
5. Advancing Global Collaboration
The KP emphasizes inclusivity and collaboration. How is the WDC fostering active engagement among KP participants? How significant is global unity in advancing the WDC’s objectives, and what steps are being taken to enhance collaboration among stakeholders? What role does the co-chairmanship model play in promoting inclusivity within the Kimberley Process?
Global collaboration is the cornerstone of the Kimberley Process.
Inclusivity must be active, not symbolic. The WDC fosters engagement by maintaining continuous dialogue with KP participants across regions and sectors. Industry voices must contribute constructively, informed by both commercial realities and ethical responsibilities.
Global unity is critical. Fragmentation weakens standards and undermines confidence. When participants act collectively, reforms carry greater legitimacy and durability.
The co-chairmanship model within the Kimberley Process is particularly important. It promotes shared leadership, balances perspectives, and reinforces inclusivity. When effectively implemented, it strengthens trust and ensures continuity across reform cycles. Collaboration may be complex, but it remains the only credible path forward.
6. Future of the Diamond Industry
How does the WDC balance the growing influence of technology, like blockchain, with traditional industry practices? What steps are being taken to position the Kimberley Process as a leader in integrity and sustainability for future generations? What message do you have for stakeholders regarding their role in creating a sustainable and equitable diamond trade?
The future of the diamond industry will be shaped by its ability to integrate innovation without losing its foundations.
Technologies such as blockchain and digital traceability systems offer powerful tools for transparency and accountability. However, they must complement, not replace, existing practices and relationships that underpin the trade. Technology should serve the industry’s values, not dictate them.
Positioning the Kimberley Process as a leader in integrity requires sustained reform, continuous improvement, and vigilance. Leadership in sustainability is not claimed, it is demonstrated through consistent action.
To stakeholders across the supply chain, the message is clear. Integrity is a shared responsibility. Every participant has a role in safeguarding the credibility and future of natural diamonds.
7. Personal Insights
What motivates you personally to drive such impactful changes within the WDC and the Kimberley Process? As a female leader, what has been the most rewarding part of advocating for these reforms and progress within the diamond industry? How do you see your role and the WDC’s role in inspiring trust and integrity across the diamond sector?
What motivates me personally to drive impactful change within the World Diamond Council and the Kimberley Process is responsibility. Responsibility to the men and women whose livelihoods depend on the natural diamond trade, responsibility to the integrity of the product itself, and responsibility to future generations who should inherit a stronger system.
On stepping into the presidency in 2023, I said that I wanted the WDC to act not only with honesty and decency but, critically, to uphold standards without leaving anyone behind. That principle has guided us throughout my tenure.
Over these past years we have seen measurable movement. We have brought industry voices together around a modernised reform agenda for the Kimberley Process, for three years we have worked with government and civil society partners to draft a refreshed definition of “conflict diamonds” grounded in the realities of violence and human rights abuses facing mining communities today, not just the conflicts of 25 years ago.
The most telling achievement is not a single policy triumph it is a seismic shift in mindset. Participants who once regarded the Kimberley Process as frozen in its original mandate now overwhelmingly recognise that the world has changed, that miners’ safety, community wellbeing and contemporary forms of exploitation deserve formal protection under the KP’s certification scheme. The direction of travel has been set and is irreversible, even if consensus on implementation remains incomplete.
I am proud that the WDC has kept industry engagement high throughout this period, even as reform talks encountered setbacks. We have ensured that ethical standards, sustainability principles, traceability initiatives and practical compliance tools remain central to industry practice not sidelined while we debate abstract concepts. This integration of values with business has been one of our clearest successes.
As a female leader in this field, the most rewarding part of this journey has been seeing diverse voices finding a seat at the table and finding common purpose. Leadership in this industry is not about prominence; it is about stewardship. It is about building a legacy that reinforces trust and accountability across every link in the diamond value chain.
What matters now is not my tenure, but whether the industry acts on what it has already accepted as true.
This exclusive interview by Julius Zheng has been commissioned by China Diamond Yearbook (2025). Special thanks to Shanghai Diamond Exchange, the publisher of China Diamond Year Book, for the approval of publishing this interview on Gem Spectrum.
This exclusive interview was published on Gem Spectrum print magazine issue #7 (Spring 2026), Page 4-9. Browse the Flipbook here. Full-screen viewing and download are possible.
