Jewelry Journey Podcast – Avi Levy   What you’ll learn in this episode:   What causes a customer to trust (or not trust) a gem laboratory  How the International Gemological Institute (IGI) is trying to make the jewelry industry more sustainable  Why labs, retailers and dealers have a duty to educate customers on gemstones  Why lab-grown gems are growing in popularity, and why some customers will always choose natural stones   About Avi Levy   Avi Levy currently serves as President of the International Gemological Institute (IGI) North America. With 30 years of fine jewelry expertise, Avi brings valuable experience to the Institute including diamond sourcing, manufacturing, product development, brand partnerships and wholesale trade to major jewelry retailers. Skilled in building relationships and trust within all areas of the supply chain, his leadership skills and expertise gained from various roles have yielded advantageous results and strengthened key partnerships. Additional Resources: Website Instagram @igi_gemgrams Facebook LinkedIn   Photos: Available on TheJeweleryJourney.com Transcript: Founded in 1975, the International Gemological Institute (IGI) is the largest independent gemological laboratory worldwide with more than 20 laboratories. Avi Levi leads the North American division of the business, and his goal is to bring this esteemed company into the 21st century. He joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about why he partnered with SCS Global Services to make IGI’s work more sustainable; how IGI is maintaining trust with clients while updating its offerings; and why he wants to educate consumers on the intricacies of natural and lab-grown stones. Read the episode transcript here.     Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. Here at the Jewelry Journey, we’re about all things jewelry. With that in mind, I wanted to let you know about an upcoming jewelry conference, which is “Beyond Boundaries: Jewelry of the Americas.” It’s sponsored by the Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, or, as it’s otherwise known, ASJRA. The conference takes place virtually on Saturday and Sunday May 21 and May 22, which is around the corner. For details on the program and the speakers, go to www.jewelryconference.com. Non-members are welcome. I have to say that I attended this conference in person for several years, and it’s one of my favorite conferences. It’s a real treat to be able to sit in your pajamas or in comfies in your living room and listen to some extraordinary speakers. So, check it out. Register at www.jewelryconference.com. See you there.   This is a two-part Jewelry Journey Podcast. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it comes out later this week. Today, my guest is Avi Levy, North American President of the International Gemological Institute or IGI, a 45-year-old company. IGI provides the fine jewelry community and consumers with a broad range of services including independent diamond grading reports and laser inscription. Several months ago, IGI announced its collaboration with SCS Global Services to work to offset its carbon emissions by 2022, with intentions to roll this out across IGI’s 20 laboratories worldwide. Avi and his team are bringing a breath of fresh air to this established company, and we’re going to hear all about that today. Avi, welcome to the program.   Avi: Hi, how are you? Thanks for having me.   Sharon: So glad to have you. You have a lot going on, and we want to hear all about it. You’ve been in the jewelry industry for several decades. Can you tell us about your experience?   Avi: Sure, I could tell you a little bit. I started pretty much right out of high school. My dad is a diamond manufacturer/cutter, so he was in the business. He got me into the business, and I got interested. I started working retail on 47th Street when I was in college, so it started there. Slowly but surely, I went to different phases of the ind