The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) will co-host a dynamic side session at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector. 

Cotton is the world’s second most produced fibre, yet millions of smallholder farmers remain invisible at the deepest tiers of the textile supply chain. This 90-minute session will explore how human rights and environmental due diligence can be effectively implemented at farm level in India’s cotton sector, focusing on meaningful stakeholder engagement and the environmental and social dimensions of cotton as a natural fibre. 

As mandatory due diligence face increasing challenges, empowering farming communities to access their rights and secure decent working conditions has never been more critical. Drawing on practical models from BCI’s and OCA’s work in India, participants will gain actionable insights into extending due diligence to farm level. Expect concrete examples of collaborative approaches that build farmer capacity, foster shared accountability, and strengthen sustainability across supply chains. 

This session will include interpretation in Hindi and Telugu. 

Date: 9 February 2026
Time: 13:30 – 15:00 CET
Location: Virtual Zoom Webinar  

Open to policymakers, brands, sustainability practitioners and civil society, the session will offer a platform to explore practical approaches that promote fairer, more transparent, and more human-centred cotton supply chains.