SourcingNov 26, 2024
De Beers Stays With ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ for 2024 Holiday Campaign“Forever Present” highlights gifting opportunities for natural diamonds, celebrating familial, friendship, and romantic relationships.
SurveysMay 03, 2019
Survey Shines a Light on Gender Issues in Jewelry Industry
It shows there is a gap between what goes on at companies and what gets reported to higher-ups, with employees often reticent to relay incidences of harassment, discrimination and inequality.
New York—The Women’s Jewelry Association just released the results of its first Gender Equality Survey, a survey it fielded last fall to gauge the prevalence of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and pay disparity in the jewelry industry.
Nearly 600 people, a mix of employees and owners, took the survey, which was conducted anonymously. Women comprised the majority of respondents, 91 percent of employees and 66 percent of owners.
Overall, the survey shows there is a gap between what goes on at companies and what gets reported to higher-ups. In many cases, employees are reticent to report incidences because they fear retaliation or have a negative impact on their standing in the company.
A total of 16 percent of employees who took the survey report they have been the target of unwanted sexual advances, but only 3 percent of owners said they’ve received complaints about such advances at their companies.
Twenty-three percent of employees have experienced sexual harassment, but only 5 percent of owners reported receiving harassment complaints.
Thirty percent said they’ve been denied equal opportunity for advancement, but, again, only 2 percent of owners said they’ve heard about it.
Thirty-eight percent of respondents—all female—said they have been affected by pay disparity but only 2 percent of owners said they’ve received complaints about unequal pay.
And half of all survey-takers reported having experienced a hostile work environment, defined in the survey as “conditions created by the gendered conduct of a boss, co-workers or others that unreasonably interfere with work performance or are intimidating or offensive.”
Thirty-nine percent said the hostile environment “affected [them] deeply,” but only 9 percent of owners said they’ve received complaints along those lines.
The survey also showed that in smaller companies (15 fewer employees or fewer), a significant percentage of employees and owners either don’t know what the company’s written policies are pertaining to discrimination, sexual harassment and gender equality, or, they reported, the company doesn’t have any.
A total of 52 percent of survey-takers who work for or own a company that has between one and five employees say they don’t know what the company’s gender-related policies are. And 44 percent of owners and 35 percent of employees in this group said their company doesn’t have a written policy.
Survey-takers who work for larger companies seem to have a better grasp on written policies involving harassment and discrimination, the survey shows.
Eighty-four
percent of respondents at companies with 301 to 1,000 employees and 92 percent at companies with 1,000-plus employees said they know what their companies’ policies are.
WJA deployed it first Gender Equality Survey worldwide and 586 people—240 employees and 346 owners/executives/board members/major shareholders—responded, 98 percent of whom were in the United States.
Here are some more facts about the survey-takers:
— More owners than employees responded, 59 percent versus 41 percent;
— A total of 70 percent of owners and 62 percent of employees have been in the industry for more than 10 years;
— Many are age 50 or older, including 69 percent of owners and 42 percent of employees;
— Seventy percent own small companies (15 or fewer workers); and
— Most worked it the retail end of the business.
WJA conducted the survey as a way to help the organization understand the most pressing gender-related issues in the jewelry industry and create programming around them.
Looking at the results of its first gender survey, WJA said it would provide training on negotiation and self-advocacy skills for employees who say they have been affected by pay disparity and/or denied equal opportunity for advancement, and offer bystander training, which involves teaching witnesses how to recognize, intervene and help victims of discrimination and harassment to report and seek support.
The organization also said it will be increasing the amount of training and materials it provides on gender-related workplace policies, particularly to the owners and employees of small businesses.
The training and materials will come in addition to the seminars WJA already has done at trade events and the online webinar on gender discrimination laws and regulations done in partnership with the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.
The full PDF of the WJA’s Gender Equality Survey can be seen here.
WJA deployed it first Gender Equality Survey worldwide and 586 people—240 employees and 346 owners/executives/board members/major shareholders—responded, 98 percent of whom were in the United States.
Here are some more facts about the survey-takers:
— More owners than employees responded, 59 percent versus 41 percent;
— A total of 70 percent of owners and 62 percent of employees have been in the industry for more than 10 years;
— Many are age 50 or older, including 69 percent of owners and 42 percent of employees;
— Seventy percent own small companies (15 or fewer workers); and
— Most worked it the retail end of the business.
WJA conducted the survey as a way to help the organization understand the most pressing gender-related issues in the jewelry industry and create programming around them.
Looking at the results of its first gender survey, WJA said it would provide training on negotiation and self-advocacy skills for employees who say they have been affected by pay disparity and/or denied equal opportunity for advancement, and offer bystander training, which involves teaching witnesses how to recognize, intervene and help victims of discrimination and harassment to report and seek support.
The organization also said it will be increasing the amount of training and materials it provides on gender-related workplace policies, particularly to the owners and employees of small businesses.
The training and materials will come in addition to the seminars WJA already has done at trade events and the online webinar on gender discrimination laws and regulations done in partnership with the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.
The full PDF of the WJA’s Gender Equality Survey can be seen here.
More on Surveys
The Latest
AuctionsNov 26, 2024
Christie’s To Auction Collection of Suzanne Belperron JewelsIt’s one of the most impressive assemblages of the French designer’s pieces ever to come to auction, Christie’s said.
ColumnistsNov 26, 2024
The Smart Lab: 7 Strategies for Refining Your Holiday Email Marketing CampaignsSuccessful email marketing campaigns are all about timing, personalization, and compelling CTAs, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
MajorsNov 26, 2024
GIA’s Board of Governors Adds 2 New MembersRetail leader Lisa Bridge and geology professor Dr. Wendy Bohrson joined the organization’s board.
Weekly QuizNov 26, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsNov 26, 2024
Ben Bridge Jeweler Unveils This Year’s ‘Benny Bear’ Look out for a black bear wearing a purple Santa hat and its zippered tummy pouch made for holding a holiday gift from Ben Bridge Jeweler.
SourcingNov 25, 2024
William Goldberg Celebrates 2 Major Milestones With New Book“The William Goldberg Way” was released in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary and 25 years of its proprietary Ashoka diamond.
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYCThis fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
Lab-GrownNov 25, 2024
Lab-Grown Co. Lusix Sold to 2 Companies for $4M Fenix and Dholakia Lab-Grown Diamonds have jointly acquired the Israel-based company, which grows diamonds using solar power.
IndependentsNov 25, 2024
Sophie Bille Brahe Opens First US StoreThe Danish brand has opened an appointment-only location on Madison Avenue in New York City.
Events & AwardsNov 25, 2024
The Original Miami Beach Antique Show Panel to Feature Fred SavageThe actor and watch enthusiast will be part of the show’s education lineup.
EditorsNov 22, 2024
Out & About: Inside the CD Peacock MansionStep inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
CollectionsNov 22, 2024
Piece of the Week: Xander Jane’s ‘Spiked’ Pearl StudsThese punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.
SourcingNov 22, 2024
Facets of Fire Expands to Include Pear, Marquise DiamondsThe company brings its nanotechnology to two new fancy cuts for diamonds that feature its signature color and brilliance.
Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry CatalogSponsored by Tasha R
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2MThree Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund RequestsA federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ CollectionCynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San FranciscoThe new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
IndependentsNov 21, 2024
Mary Moses Kinney Is Now Part of The Edge’s Team Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax FraudThe auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability FocusThe four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New CollectionThe “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation EffortsThe money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship ApplicationsThe event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry StoreLocal reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry SaleA collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
