AuctionsJun 04, 2026
Treasures from Maurice Tempelsman’s ‘Marvelous’ Life Head to AuctionUp for auction at Sotheby’s, the collection of Tempelsman’s personal effects includes a Cartier Tank watch Jackie O. gifted him.
SourcingMar 09, 2021
De Beers Group on How It Will Achieve Gender Parity by 2030
The diamond miner and marketer has extended its partnership with UN Women for an additional five years.
Kemmonye Bakupi, a senior diamond sorter, is seen here analyzing rough diamonds with a loupe in Botswana. De Beers Group is outlining its plan to increase female representation in its workforce by 2030.
London—De Beers Group has extended its partnership with UN Women for five more years as it works to achieve gender parity across its workforce by 2030.
The company first partnered with UN Women in 2017, with the goal of increasing female representation in its workforce. Its first milestone was to increase the number of women in senior leadership positions.
By 2020, the female appointment rate increased from 22 percent to 40 percent, with the number of women in senior leadership positions overall rising from 17 percent to 30 percent.
Now, De Beers said it is focusing on achieving gender parity across its entire workforce. (The company uses the International Women’s Forum definition of gender parity, which is anywhere from 40 to 60 percent.)
It’s a member of the newly formed HeForShe Alliance, which brings together global leaders from government, corporations and civil society to develop and share solutions to gender equality’s biggest challenges.
Within the alliance, De Beers is focused specifically on addressing barriers to entry in the workforce for women, and creating a more diverse STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) talent pool, where women have been underrepresented historically.
The company first partnered with UN Women in 2017, with the goal of increasing female representation in its workforce. Its first milestone was to increase the number of women in senior leadership positions.
By 2020, the female appointment rate increased from 22 percent to 40 percent, with the number of women in senior leadership positions overall rising from 17 percent to 30 percent.
Now, De Beers said it is focusing on achieving gender parity across its entire workforce. (The company uses the International Women’s Forum definition of gender parity, which is anywhere from 40 to 60 percent.)
It’s a member of the newly formed HeForShe Alliance, which brings together global leaders from government, corporations and civil society to develop and share solutions to gender equality’s biggest challenges.
Within the alliance, De Beers is focused specifically on addressing barriers to entry in the workforce for women, and creating a more diverse STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) talent pool, where women have been underrepresented historically.
In the next five years, De Beers said it will enhance its talent development and succession programs, focus on training to encourage dialogue and challenge stereotypes, review its progress regularly, and help to increase access to STEM careers and education.
De Beers Group CEO and UN Women HeForShe Champion Bruce Cleaver said in a press release: “Achieving gender parity across our workforce is a business-critical priority for De Beers Group—not only is it the right thing to do, it’s the only way we will access the full talent pool and achieve our full potential.
“Now more than ever we have a societal imperative to keep working toward gender equality, as the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges and we must work hard for sustainable change.”
De Beers Group CEO and UN Women HeForShe Champion Bruce Cleaver said in a press release: “Achieving gender parity across our workforce is a business-critical priority for De Beers Group—not only is it the right thing to do, it’s the only way we will access the full talent pool and achieve our full potential.
“Now more than ever we have a societal imperative to keep working toward gender equality, as the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges and we must work hard for sustainable change.”
Senior Vice President, Sustainable Impact, Katie Fergusson, added: “We’ve made really meaningful progress on increasing the representation of women in leadership roles in our business during the past three years, but now we want to accelerate this momentum with a particular focus on technical roles, where women remain underrepresented globally.”
There’s more to De Beers commitment to UN Women.
In 2017 UN Women and De Beers launched Accelerating Women-Owned Micro-Enterprises (AWOME) in southern Africa. Now, De Beers will invest an additional $3 million.
The program has provided business training and mentorship to more than 1,000 female entrepreneurs in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and qualified 50 local trainers so the program can continue.
By 2030, De Beers wants to increase the reach of the program to support 10,000 female micro-entrepreneurs.
Cleaver said, “Our commitments announced today to continue our journey toward gender parity in our workforce and to invest an additional $3 million to continue supporting women entrepreneurs in our host countries in southern Africa are further demonstration of our resolve to be a positive force for progress, and for change.
“We look forward to continuing to work with UN Women and our fellow HeForShe Alliance peers to share learnings, scale impact and accelerate progress over the next five years.”
Additionally, since it began its UN Women partnership, De Beers has granted more than 50 scholarships to young women from underprivileged communities in Canada to pursue STEM education.
De Beers also funded summer science camp for 30 high school girls, and partnered with WomEng in southern Africa to engage more than 900 girls and young women in workshops and mentorship programs.
The company’s new goal is to engage 10,000 girls with STEM by 2030.
The diamond miner and jeweler’s UN Women partnership is part of its internal sustainability program, dubbed Building Forever.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
CollectionsJun 04, 2026
Buddha Mama to Spend the Summer in AspenThe Miami-based fine jewelry brand will host its first summer residency in the Colorado mountain town from June 5 to Aug. 23.
MajorsJun 04, 2026
AGS Honors Late Peter Yantzer, Holds Time Capsule CeremonyThe organization also announced its international board of directors for the 2026-2027 term.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
MajorsJun 04, 2026
Neiman Marcus’ Downtown Dallas Store to Close in SeptemberSaks Global confirmed the closure this week, spelling the end for a store that’s been part of downtown Dallas for more than 100 years.
Weekly QuizJun 04, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsJun 03, 2026
Peter Smith: When Top Talent Leaves and What It Says About YouSmith discusses how managers should handle a top performer's exit, warning that a poor response could have a lasting impact.
GradingJun 03, 2026
GIA’s Tracr Investment Is First Step Toward Industry-Owned PlatformThe Gemological Institute of America is now a 30 percent stakeholder in Tracr, the De Beers-backed blockchain for diamonds.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
WatchesJun 03, 2026
The 1916 Company Taking Pre-Owned Rolexes on the Road, AgainThe retailer is bringing Rolex Certified Pre-Owned watches to five U.S. cities in 2026 for collectors to see, try on, and purchase.
IndependentsJun 03, 2026
Jessica Alba Is the New Face of Gabriel & Co.The actress and entrepreneur stars in the jeweler’s new campaign that celebrates life’s quiet moments.
TrendsJun 03, 2026
State of Design: Only the Innovative Will SurviveThe price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.
FinancialsJun 02, 2026
Signet Jewelers’ Q1 Sales Up 2% As It Focuses on ‘Core Four’ The jewelry retailer is zeroing in on Zales, Jared, Kay Jewelers, and Blue Nile as it looks to create unique brand identities for each.
WatchesJun 02, 2026
Watch Industry Veteran James Marks Joins Sotheby’sSotheby’s has appointed the former Phillips executive as its global head of private sales and retail in its watches division.
AuctionsJun 02, 2026
Sotheby’s to Auction 10-Carat Blue Diamond, 1960s Harry Winston Necklace A private collection of five Paraíba tourmalines also will be up for sale at Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction in New York, scheduled for June 16.
IndependentsJun 02, 2026
State of Retail: 6 Things Retailers Should Know About Consumers TodayFrom Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.
Events & AwardsJun 01, 2026
Design Atelier Brands Have a Big Night at Emotional Couture Design AwardsThe show started by honoring Mildred Marcano, ended with a tearful Beth Anne Bonanno, and recognized a dozen-plus designers in between.
SourcingJun 01, 2026
Gemfields’ Higher-Quality Emerald Auction Achieves $26.8MThe miner said demand for higher-quality emeralds is stable, but there is notable caution in the market.
CollectionsMay 29, 2026
Cultus Artem’s Necklace Is the Oasis in Las Vegas’ DesertThe “River of Heaven” necklace, our Piece of the Week debuting at Couture, combines 26 salt and pepper diamonds spaced by Tahitian pearls.
IndependentsMay 29, 2026
Meet the 2026 Retailer Hall of Fame InducteesThis year’s inductees include second-, third-, and fourth-generation jewelers.
Events & AwardsMay 28, 2026
JCK Announces Jesse Itzler as 2026 Keynote SpeakerThe author, speaker, and entrepreneur will give his presentation, “Spiritual Billionaire,” on Saturday morning.
Events & AwardsMay 28, 2026
JCK Rocks To Ride With NellyThree-time Grammy award-winning artist Nelly is set to perform at the annual event at Tao Beach on Sunday night.
MajorsMay 28, 2026
Signet Jewelers to Buy The Clear Cut Signet will integrate the online-only, natural diamond-focused jeweler into Blue Nile, which it wants to position as a higher-end retailer.
CollectionsMay 28, 2026
Meet The 17 Newcomers to Couture’s Design AtelierThese up-and-coming jewelry brands are bringing their distinct aesthetic and unique point-of-view to the Design Atelier for the first time.
GradingMay 28, 2026
GCAL By Sarine Launches 8X Cushion CutThe lab’s proprietary diamond cut grade has been expanded to include the popular fancy shape.
Events & AwardsMay 27, 2026
5 Security Tips for Las Vegas Jewelry Market Week 2026This year, it’s what could happen outside of show hours that worries JSA Executive Vice President Scott Guginsky.
ColumnistsMay 27, 2026
What Jewelers Can Learn From Luxury Fashion’s Digital PlaybookHigh-end fashion houses know how to emotionally connect with customers online. Retail jewelers should take note, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
Events & AwardsMay 27, 2026
Couture’s ‘The Iridescence’ Will Showcase 7 Emerging Jewelry DesignersThe designers are the third cohort of mentees from the show’s Belonging @ Couture mentorship program.
