December 2007

The Active Monitoring Programme Working Group has completed the first regular round of the Active Monitoring Programme (AMP) and analyzed the results.  We are pleased to report that all sixty authentications were completed successfully.  We would like to thank all signatories who were called on to participate.

One persistent problem, which was identified during the pilot programme, still needs to be addressed: the issue of timely replies.  The Code requires a response within 5 business days when responding to a consumer authentication.   This is to account for the many signatories involved along the pipeline and the need for a timely response to the consumers.  With the assistance of computers, it should be relatively easy for signatories to meet this requirement. 

This 5 day response time is not being met by all signatories participating in the AMP.   Allowance for some extensions has been built into the Programme.   It is essential to maintain consumer satisfaction and confidence in the Code with a timely response.  A timely response to the Code's office request for information for an authentication or the AMP is a requirement and obligation of a Code Signatory. Given the number of steps in the process it is important that all abide by the 5 business days requirement in order to provide an answer to consumers within 30 days.

Given the feedback received to date, we believe that the Active Monitoring Programme has been useful and that it should continue.   We thank you all for your participation.

May 9, 2007

The Active Monitoring Working Group has completed the pilot project for monitoring and analyzed the results. We would like to thank all signatories who were called on to participate.

Two problems were identified as a result of this programme:

1. Timing

The Code required a response within 5 business days when responding to a consumer authentication. This 5 day response time was not being met during the monitoring programme. Some extensions were granted through mutual agreement with the Code office and the allowance for such extensions will be built into future monitoring. Signatories may find it useful to use the monitoring programme as a way to check their own systems ability to respond to the requirements of the Code.

2. Bankruptcy and Business Failure

The monitoring programme highlighted the problems of authenticating diamond origin where records were no longer available due to a bankruptcy or business failure somewhere in the chain. This issue is on the agenda for the Code committee to address.

We believe that the Active Monitoring programme pilot has been a success and signatories have indicated that they would like the programme to continue. We will, therefore, be launching an expanded and on-going Active Monitoring Programme (AMP) beginning this spring/summer and we thank you all, in advance, for your participation.