Better Cotton Backs UN Small Business Initiative at COP28

Better Cotton has pledged its support to the United Nations’ International Trade Centre’s (ITC) ‘Uniting Sustainable Actions’ initiative, which champions the work of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in global supply chains.

The initiative endeavours to highlight and reward the contributions of SMEs by collating and publicising their sustainability credentials on the UN’s Certified Business Registry – a centralised platform convening multiple supply chain actors.

SMEs benefit from enhanced market access, with scope to generate new business. For retailers and brands, it is an opportunity to identify climate-smart suppliers from emerging markets.

Better Cotton is one of five sustainability standards from within the apparel and textile sectors to have committed to contributing company data to the registry, which will highlight the fundamental role Supplier and Manufacturer Members play in facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable materials.

It is joined by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Textile Exchange, Oeko-Tex and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP). These organisations will together spotlight more than 60,000 SMEs via the Certified Business Registry, helping boost supply chain transparency and create opportunities for collaboration.

Better Cotton will provide the credentials of Better Cotton Supplier and Manufacturer Members to have aligned with the new Chain of Custody Standard. The standard establishes the requirements Supplier and Manufacturer Members must comply with to trade Traceable Better Cotton, which was introduced to help Better Cotton Farmers access increasingly regulated markets.

Alia Malik, Better Cotton’s Senior Director for Data and Traceability said, “As COP28 gets underway, this commitment to showcasing businesses that source more sustainable materials is another positive step towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.”

On 11 December, Better Cotton’s Public Affairs Manager, Lisa Ventura, will participate in an event at COP28, hosted by the ITC and the U.S. Department of State, titled Just Transition Through Trade – Empowering Small Enterprises. Lisa will talk about the role of policy in achieving a just transition and share reflections on how the current regulatory regime should support small businesses as well as smallholder farmers to contribute to climate action. To find out more about the event, click here.

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