Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
SourcingOct 17, 2019
Univ. Tackles Sustainability, CSR with New Grad Program
The University of Delaware developed its new Minerals, Materials and Society graduate certificate with the mid-career professional in mind.
Newark, Del.—Today’s market requires jewelry companies and professionals to address sustainability and responsible sourcing, but the question of how to do so isn’t easily answered.
In response to the growing need for sustainable development training, the University of Delaware has developed a Minerals, Materials and Society graduate certificate program.
Under the leadership of Saleem H. Ali, Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment at UD, the MMS program is among the first of its kind in the United States, according to the university.
Classes start in January, and the program will take an interdisciplinary approach to linking science and policy issues associated with mineral and material sourcing.
Designed with mid-career professionals in mind, particularly those in sustainability and supply chain transparency, the program aims to equip students with the skills they’ll need for jobs pertaining to sustainable supply chain management, and environmental and social responsibility.
Offering a comprehensive look at the mineral supply chain and key skills and solutions is vital for the industry, which is “very vulnerable to reputational loss” because jewelry is not essential for survival, Ali told National Jeweler.
“It’s one where you really need people to feel a certain sense of comfort about buying a product that is responsibly sourced,” he said. “That’s why understanding where minerals come from and what are the vulnerabilities in terms of environmental and social impact is particularly relevant.”
The sustainability program will examine not only mined mineral resources but also man-made materials as well as recycled and remanufactured options.
The program also will explore “post-carbon communities,” reinventing communities that have been dependent on extractive industries to find alternative sustainable livelihoods.
“One of the goals of this program is to not only help different sectors understand what the issues are but also how to address them—what’s happening, what are the options, how do you answer the questions? And then—how does the whole industry move forward? What do you do after extractives? How can you move the needle?” said MMS Program Manager Patricia Syvrud, a GIA graduate gemologist and former executive director of the World Diamond Council.
Classes are offered in a hybrid model. Most will be taken online, but students also will participate in one-to-two-week intensive on-campus classes during the summer and winter sessions and field course offerings.
There are three required classes: Certification Systems for Sustainable Development, Minerals and Ecological Economics, and Sustainable Management of Risk in Industry.
Additionally, students must choose an experiential laboratory and then achieve the 15-credit requirement through chosen electives, which are either on-campus or online courses.
Experiential learning opportunities and research partnerships are offered through collaborations with several international universities, including the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Materials Institute in Australia and the National University of Science and Technology in Russia.
For example, one of the modules features a study-abroad program in Russia. “Innovations in Legacy Mining: Lessons from the World’s Largest Iron Ore Mine in Russia” will focus on improving management of the coexistence between agriculture and mining.
The university is welcoming undergraduate students to take courses offered through the program or professionals who want to take individual courses in relation to a specific area.
Applications are being accepted now on a rolling basis.
The 15-credit program can be completed in 18-24 months; the cost is $1,100 per credit hour.
Ultimately, UD hopes companies in the jewelry industry will see the importance of the certificate and offer to pay their employees’ tuition and/or give them time off for the on-campus courses (without them having to use vacation time), or that companies will sponsor students in developing countries so they can get the certificate.
“This is a good opportunity for them to help with social mobility of the communities where they’re operating and getting their minerals,” Ali said.
UD also is looking for financial support through its MMS Leadership Council, which industry leaders can join; a council campaign with an honorary industry chair will be launched shortly.
Financial support will provide funds for scholarships, stakeholder engagement meetings and development of sector-specific industry training programs.
For full program information, visit the UD website.
Experiential learning opportunities and research partnerships are offered through collaborations with several international universities, including the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Materials Institute in Australia and the National University of Science and Technology in Russia.
For example, one of the modules features a study-abroad program in Russia. “Innovations in Legacy Mining: Lessons from the World’s Largest Iron Ore Mine in Russia” will focus on improving management of the coexistence between agriculture and mining.
The university is welcoming undergraduate students to take courses offered through the program or professionals who want to take individual courses in relation to a specific area.
Applications are being accepted now on a rolling basis.
The 15-credit program can be completed in 18-24 months; the cost is $1,100 per credit hour.
Ultimately, UD hopes companies in the jewelry industry will see the importance of the certificate and offer to pay their employees’ tuition and/or give them time off for the on-campus courses (without them having to use vacation time), or that companies will sponsor students in developing countries so they can get the certificate.
“This is a good opportunity for them to help with social mobility of the communities where they’re operating and getting their minerals,” Ali said.
UD also is looking for financial support through its MMS Leadership Council, which industry leaders can join; a council campaign with an honorary industry chair will be launched shortly.
Financial support will provide funds for scholarships, stakeholder engagement meetings and development of sector-specific industry training programs.
For full program information, visit the UD website.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
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.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
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.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
Events & AwardsMay 15, 2026
JA, MJSA To Sponsor Roundtable at TJSThe discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
White Diamonds Lead Sotheby’s Auction, Blue Diamond Does Not SellA matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.
Supplier BulletinMay 14, 2026
A Diamond Is Forever Continues Desert Diamonds – Bridal ReinvigoratedSponsored by A Diamond Is Forever
SourcingMay 14, 2026
State of Colored Stones: The Spirit of Young American Gemstone CuttersThe next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
‘Ocean Dream’ Makes Waves at Christie’s, Fetching $17MIt was the second auction appearance for the fancy vivid blue-green diamond, which sold for $7.8 million at Christie’s Geneva 12 years ago.
