DTC, the sales and marketing arm of the De Beers Group, has outlined the company’s vision and objectives for 2008 and beyond and has reinforced its commitment to the Supplier of Choice strategy. Nicky Oppenheimer, Chairman of the De Beers Group, Gareth Penny, Managing Director of the De Beers Group and Varda Shine, Managing Director of the DTC shared their vision with clients at the DTC’s January Sightholder Dinner yesterday evening.%%During the event, Varda Shine discussed the need for a more cooperative relationship with Sightholders, based on shared goals, standards and responsibilities. Looking forward to the new contract period starting in 2008, she highlighted the DTC’s renewed emphasis on working with Sightholders that could demonstrate world-class excellence and the need for the DTC and its Sightholders to ‘stand-up and be counted’ on the issue of ethical business practices.%%She also introduced several innovations ahead of the new contract period, including:%%- A promise to extend the ITO for the 2008 contract period to a 12 month duration.%%- Providing a simplified but robust application process, recognising an applicant’s expertise in specific types of rough diamonds.%%- A greater focus on building a cooperative partnership with Sightholders that will deliver commercial benefits to the DTC and to Sightholders alike.%%- The importance of working with partners that add value to the diamonds the DTC sells by doing what they do best regardless of where they operate in the diamond pipeline and regardless of their business model.%%-Building the DTC’s reputation as the home of rough diamonds, the home of ‘Big Ideas’ and world-class services, the home of excellence and the home of the highest ethical business practices.%%-Reinforcing the ethical standards required for doing business with the DTC and ensuring these standards and transparency remain core attributes required of all DTC clients.