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About us

The institute behind the diamond industry

We represent 1,300+ registered diamond companies, defend their interests in Belgium and abroad, and keep the standards that make the city's reputation worth defending.

Our organization Meet the team
Our organization

A members' organisation with a public mandate

The International Gem & Diamond Institute exists to do two things at once: protect the commercial and legal interests of its registered diamond companies, and safeguard the reputation of the Institute as a trading centre. Those goals rarely conflict, but they never rest on goodwill alone — they are backed by a legal framework, a supervisory authority and a set of published rules that every registered company works to.

The institute is governed by a general assembly of its members. Day-to-day work is done by a small professional team in the diamond district, supported by sector partners in customs, banking, security and training.

1,300+Registered companies represented
1447First diamond record in the city archives
Illustration representing the diamond trading tradition
19.1 bn USD of rough and polished traded through the Institute each year
What we stand for

Three commitments, published and tested

Compliance

Anti-money-laundering duties, customer due diligence and Kimberley Process requirements are applied consistently, whichever company you trade with and however large the transaction.

Transparency

The public register of registered companies, published trade data and a sanctions service that anyone in the sector can consult without asking for permission.

Representation

We speak for the sector in regulatory consultations, trade policy and international forums — and we bring the sector's positions back to the companies that elected us.

Our activities

What the team actually does

Beyond representation, the institute runs a set of practical programmes that companies use every week.

The Diamond Office

Import and export licensing for rough and polished diamonds, guidance on origin rules and support with customs classification questions.

  • Licence applications reviewed before submission
  • Certificates of origin and Kimberley Process documents
  • Advice on customs codes and valuation

Training and certification

The annual anti-money-laundering examination, responsible sourcing courses for rough dealers and workshops on new regulatory developments.

  • AML exam, typically several times a year
  • Three-year exemption on passing
  • Continuing professional development credits

Data and publications

Trade figures for the diamond centre, an annual report, market commentary and the industry data used by banks, insurers and journalists.

  • Import and export values in carats and USD
  • Number of registered companies and employees
  • Country-level breakdowns of the supply chain

Sector programmes

Young professionals network, the annual Diamond Day for schools, the natural diamond campaign and events that bring buyers and suppliers into the same room.

  • Natural diamond consumer campaign
  • Apprenticeship and skills initiatives
  • International trade fair calendar
Tender facility

Winning public and private tenders

A significant share of institutional diamond supply moves through competitive tenders. Companies that have never bid find the paperwork, deadlines and guarantees unfamiliar.

The tender facility helps member companies prepare a bid: reviewing tender documents, checking that the mandatory declarations are in order, estimating how much working capital the contract requires and, where needed, connecting the bidder to finance.

  • Document review and a bid calendar
  • Financial guarantees and bond support
  • Post-award compliance checklist
See open tenders Talk to the facility
Illustration representing a tenders and contracting event
€5 m typical value of an institutional diamond supply framework
Our team

The people behind the institute

A compact team, reachable directly. If you are not sure who to contact, the helpdesk will route your question.

Karen De Wit

Chief Executive Officer

Leads the institute's representation work with regulators, trade bodies and international partners.

Ahmed El Amrani

Director, Diamond Office

Responsible for licensing, customs guidance and the daily operation of the Diamond Office counter.

Sofie Maertens

Head of Compliance

Runs the AML training programme, the responsible sourcing framework and sector-wide guidance.

Jonas Vanderlinden

Data and Insights Manager

Compiles the Institute's trade statistics and publishes the annual report and market commentary.

We are hiring across data, compliance and member services. See open positions and how to apply.