INTERVIEWS
As part of our 20 Stories of Impact series, we’re speaking with RJC members, stakeholders, and pioneers who’ve shaped our journey over the past two decades, exploring sustainability, industry trends, the future of jewellery, and more. Eyal Atzmon is Founder and Strategic Advisor at El-Ran/ Windiam Group.
Working closely with leading luxury brands naturally inspired us to align our business practices with the high standards set by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) in terms of compliance and ethical responsibility. Over the years, our commitment to responsible business practices has continued to evolve, becoming an integral part of our corporate culture. After EL-RAN became an RJC member, I actively joined the RJC Assurance Committee and later became its chairman, where I was able to present the brand’s position on responsibility, traceability, ethics, and transparency.
We have actively developed and implemented robust protocols and processes tailored to the needs of several prestigious brands. At present, we are engaged in pioneering innovative supply chain solutions that further enhance transparency, traceability, and responsible sourcing. We firmly believe that compliance, transparency and responsible practices are essential to genuine success. These are not partial measures but values that must be fully integrated across the entire business. This conviction drives us not merely to speak about these principles but to embed them into our operations, delivering tangible, measurable outcomes. We often encounter scepticism about the feasibility of true traceability or the practical value of RJC membership. However, our experience has consistently demonstrated its meaningful and positive impact. When fully embraced, it becomes a powerful driver of integrity and trust.
Certainly. The Assurance Committee, led by Andreea and her dedicated team at the RJC, carries out outstanding and highly professional work. Although my voluntary role does not involve day-to-day operational tasks, I remain closely engaged with key compliance matters, offering guidance drawn from my 44 years of industry experience. Above all, it is inspiring to see how the Assurance Committee has evolved over the years, continually strengthening the compliance framework and audit processes. Today, the RJC is regarded as the most trusted authority in the industry, and it is genuinely rewarding to contribute in a supportive capacity to such collaborative decision-making efforts.
This is indeed a crucial issue for our industry. As I have mentioned previously, traceability, sustainability and transparency are no longer merely trends; they have become essential components for any successful diamond company. At El-Ran Diamonds, we proactively embraced compliance, ethics, traceability and transparency from an early stage, recognising their increasing importance. Integrating these principles into our business felt both natural and necessary. We understood that a full commitment to these values would be vital to our long-term success and growth. While our industry has faced significant challenges, including financial crises, ineffective marketing efforts and instances of unethical conduct, there are still many dedicated and responsible professionals who share our values and commitment. At El-Ran, we are proud to have made these principles a core part of our identity and continued success.
What excites me most is that our industry is clearly moving towards greater responsibility and transparency. The increasing focus on diamond origin, compliance and traceability is helping to positively transform public perception, which is an encouraging sign for the future. In the jewellery sector specifically, the industry will need to find effective ways to adapt to the rise and growing influence of lab-grown diamonds. As for organisations such as the RJC, I believe it already represents the gold standard in responsible business practices. It provides a rigorous certification process that ensures members are genuinely committed to ethical standards. While other valuable initiatives exist, such as WJI2030 and ESG-driven frameworks, the RJC remains central and uniquely positioned to lead and certify responsible practices across the jewellery industry. It has firmly established its role and will continue to make a meaningful and lasting impact.
