The International Training Centre on Corporate Opportunities (ITCCO), in the historical Rodenborch building on the Grote Markt, will provide training to the global diamond and jewellery trade on running ethical businesses.

Antwerp first announced its nomination for such a centre last year at the World Expo in Shanghai. “There are a number of reasons why the United Nations picked Antwerp for the ITCCO training centre,” says George Brys, CEO of HRD Antwerp, a representative of the diamond industry. “First, we already provide courses in CSR and specialised classes in ethical management. Second, we are planning to share our expertise with the world – to allow people from outside of Antwerp or even abroad to enrol in our polisher training programmes.”

A third reason is that Antwerp’s diamond industry, Brys says, has served as an example. It took a leading role in establishing the so-called Kimberly certification scheme, designed to certify the origin of rough diamonds, and introduced its own certificate for high quality goods.

Companies have been implementing CSR for some time now, often hiring consultants to help. “In Antwerp, there are some 1,800 diamond companies, many of them small business units who find it difficult to attract CSR specialists,” Brys explains. “The ITCCO centre will help these businesses find the right people.” Antwerp being the world’s second largest chemical industry cluster, and Europe’s second largest port, Brys reckons that the UN will extend their CSR programmes to other sectors as well.

Ludo van Campenhout, Antwerp’s alderman responsible for the diamond industry, says there are several factors that contributed to the realisation of the ITCCO centre. “There is the pressure from end-users in the diamond and jewellery trade, who increasingly demand their purchases to be made without the use of child labour,” he says. “Also,, the UN is encouraging businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies with their so-called Global Compact guidelines. Finally,, the City of Antwerp has the ambition to become the world leader in the rough diamonds trade.” He says that the ITCCO centre provides the UN with a “pied à terre, helping them to spread the CSR message in a professional way.”

The Rodenborch building itself is multifunctional and available to the various partners in the project. It has an exhibition room for diamonds and jewellery and an information centre explaining what CSR is all about. It also highlights the role of the UN, and the Diamond Industry Trust will be there to promote the job of diamond cutter and polisher.

The inauguration took place in the presence of Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters and Carlos Lopes, under-secretary-general of the UN and managing director of its training and research institute. Just for the occasion, Antwerp cathedral’s carillon played the song “Diamonds are Forever”, and children waved little flags of all of the 192 UN member states.

The ITCCO centre is now hosting a diamond and jewellery exhibition until 16 June, after which the city will begin with the restoration of the building, to be finished by September. The first activities are scheduled for October.

www.unitar.org