Integrity is fundamental to the work we do. This Code sets out the values and standards that every member of JTR is required to understand and commit to.
All board members, management and staff of JTR are required to review, fully understand and commit to this Code of Conduct. Integrity is fundamental to the work that we do, and the JTR Code of Conduct sets out our values and standards. The Code applies equally to all JTR staff and management, regardless of position or seniority, and it will be implemented and enforced fairly and consistently.
JTR’s mission is to provide ethically sourced, transparent, reliable, consistent and accurate analysis and data, so that participants in the diamond and jewellery markets can make buy and sell decisions safely and based on the best available information. In support of this objective, JTR provides education to managers, retail staff and consumers to promote the efficient operation of diamond and jewellery markets. Underlying all that JTR does is a strong commitment to technical innovation in equipment, processes and products that support transparent, cost-effective and environmentally enhanced operations.
Our chief task is to produce identification and grading reports that attest to the technical parameters of diamonds and jewellery. We only issue reports that are fully compliant with international standards and processes. Our reporting and grading are ethical, transparent and accurate.
JTR’s educational programmes aim to enhance traders’ and retailers’ expertise and market knowledge for high-value transactions. We teach sellers and buyers about diamonds’ characteristics and offer gemmological instruction and jewellery product-knowledge training. Assisted by our proprietary technologies, JTR’s grading processes are cost- and energy-efficient and contribute to full transparency within our and our clients’ retail operations.
JTR seeks to uphold respect and to further the inclusion of its staff members in all aspects of our work. We are committed to maintaining a workplace free of harassment or discrimination and to guaranteeing the safety and well-being of everyone working or present in the company’s offices. For that purpose, JTR has adopted a full range of health and safety procedures in all its facilities.
JTR pledges to keep all information about its staff confidential and recognizes that all colleagues should be treated respectfully. Any internal information about JTR — such as business plans, strategies, arbitrations, policy violations, internal or external reviews, investigations and audits — may only be shared externally when there is a valid business reason to do so, or when such disclosure is required by law.
As to JTR’s relationship with its client base and the public, we offer quality products and unbiased, transparent analysis undertaken strictly per the IDC/CIBJO rule books. JTR is subject to auditing and review processes as required by ISO standards. We let our integrity and reputation, earned through hard work and strict compliance, speak for themselves — we do not engage in marketplace gossip or derogatory messaging regarding the practices of competitors. The quality and integrity of our work determine our reputation in the international marketplace.
The diamond, gem and jewellery industry is subject to various national and international legal structures, yet it has been chiefly self-regulating regarding identification and grading standards. Because of the high value of these products, the regulation of identification, grading and reporting practices receives substantial attention.
The International Diamond Council (IDC), the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), and the International Standards Organisation (ISO) collaborated to codify and standardise diamond nomenclature and grading processes. JTR fully acknowledges the importance of the work of these institutions and has resolved to ensure that its grading and work practices fully reflect these international standards.
JTR recognises the importance of complying with all international legal and regulatory requirements in every jurisdiction where its reports and educational services are available. International anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering laws must be taken into account, and guidance should always be sought from the JTR Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) when issues arise. The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Code of Practices (2020) and the CIBJO Guidelines for Gemmological Laboratories (2016) provide practical guidance across a range of management practices, and JTR has defined and adopted its operational policy framework and management structures accordingly.
Laboratories undertaking grading for JTR reports, JTR’s grading procedures, how client communications are managed and recorded, and JTR’s quality-assurance activities are subject to regular audits by independent bodies to ensure full compliance with the grading rules and standards of the institutions JTR is accredited by or has declared to follow. The detailed grading rules defined in ISO 24016 and the IDC/CIBJO Rule Books define JTR’s grading standards. JTR staff and management receive regular training to ensure their understanding of the related requirements.
JTR welcomes all aspects of the guidance provided under the RJC (COP 15 to 22), covering labour rights and working conditions. JTR works hard to ensure that it offers equal and fair opportunities, leaves no room for any form of harassment, and that communication channels are always open to receive suggestions and hear concerns.
JTR has adopted RJC (COP 23) as its benchmark to ensure that JTR’s employees and associates are adequately protected against health and environmental risks. JTR encourages its employees and associates to offer suggestions on enhancing their and their colleagues’ health and safety.
ISO 17025 (Section 4.2) provides a comprehensive definition of how client confidentiality is to be protected. JTR does everything it can to uphold client confidentiality and keep client data safe and secure.
To protect its staff, operations and reputation, JTR has adopted and implemented solid policies and procedures to ensure early and proper assessment of counter-party risk. RJC (COP 5, 11, 12 & 13) provides detailed guidance for identifying and assessing counter-party risks. Applying sound KYC procedures with careful oversight by managers and the CCO is fundamental. Early recognition and avoidance of fraud, and protection of the personal security of all vulnerable staff and management, require careful attention, and JTR’s management recognises the importance of open, responsive communication lines through complaints portals in all cases.
Companies involved in international transactions must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a broad range of trade laws. JTR carefully incorporates relevant trade laws in every country it operates in. How sanctions are employed against nations, regimes, individuals and organisations is an area of particular risk that requires careful management, and JTR relies closely on the guidance provided by RJC (COP 1) in ensuring legal compliance.
In the international diamond and jewellery trade, diamonds are often shipped across borders, travelling considerable distances to reach the desired grading laboratory. JTR’s researchers and scientists have developed advanced distance-grading techniques that allow data collection at the source and remote grading. These technologies eliminate the need for both clients and JTR to ship goods — one example of how JTR addresses environmental issues through its technology.
By embracing the concept of social and community responsibility, JTR makes a clear statement that we are obligated to act for society’s benefit. Ethical grading practices are just one element of this; sustaining an appropriate balance between JTR and the environment is another. These responsibilities can be passive, by avoiding harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals. JTR has made social and community responsibility an integral part of its business model.
JTR staff and management are required to report any meaningful violation of this Code of Conduct. Members of JTR’s marketplace and the public are also encouraged to report any incidents or actions construed as violating this Code.
For such reporting, an Ethics Hotline (Complaints Portal) has been established, which provides direct access to the CCO. The CCO is independent of JTR’s line management and reports to an ethics and audit sub-committee of JTR’s Supervisory Board. All information submitted will be treated with strict confidence and will receive responses within 24 hours; investigation and resolution may take longer, but we undertake to report on actions taken at the earliest opportunity. Not all issues need to go directly to the CCO — many may be resolved through discussion and clarification with line management. We guarantee that any reports of actual or potential breaches will be handled transparently, that confidentiality (if requested) will be respected, and that those reporting will not suffer any negative consequences.
Ethics Hotline · Complaints Portal
Email: complaint@jtr.org
Phone: +90 530 392 51 30 (Chief Compliance Officer)
All members of JTR’s staff, management and governing bodies are required to review, receive training on, and abide by this Code of Conduct. A written acknowledgement that the Code of Conduct has been understood and committed to is a condition of ongoing employment at JTR. In making that acknowledgement, all signatories accept that meaningful breaches of the Code could result in penalties, including — if found necessary — termination of employment. More importantly, signatories thereby acknowledge and fully commit to the positive intentions of this Code of Conduct.