Better Cotton Platform

What is the purpose of the Better Cotton Platform?

The Better Cotton Platform (BCP) is an online system used only by Better Cotton and registered supply chain organisations that buy, sell or source Better Cotton or cotton-containing products as Better Cotton. The aim of the platform is to act as an online database where supply chain actors can enter and monitor transactions for Mass Balance and/or Physical Better Cotton, and Better Cotton can verify the volumes of Better Cotton sourced in the supply chain. 

You can read more about Better Cotton Chain of Custody here. 

How do Better Cotton orders work?

Better Cotton orders work differently for Mass Balance and physical Chain of Custody models. 

For Mass Balance, Better Cotton order does not equal a Better Cotton product. The key principle for Mass Balance Chain of Custody model is that the amount of Better Cotton sold should never exceed the amount of Better Cotton purchased. In the BCP, this is tracked by using Better Cotton Claim Units (BCCUs). Find out how the BCCUs work here. 

For Segregation or Controlled Blending, Physical Better Cotton volumes get captured at each transaction along the supply chain, making it possible to track the cotton in the end product back to its country of origin.  

Who uses the Better Cotton Platform?

All cotton supply chain actors – ginners, traders, spinners, fabric mills, garment and end product manufacturers, sourcing agents and retailers and brands – can have access to the BCP. More than 13,000 organisations currently use the Better Cotton Platform to enable the flow of BCCUs or Physical Better Cotton volumes through the supply chain, including more than 200 well-known retailers and brands who are already sourcing large volumes of cotton as Better Cotton. 

Can I communicate about my BCP access?

Companies with BCP access can use the following statements, separately or together, when they communicate about Better Cotton.

‘We’re proud to work with members of Better Cotton.’

‘We have passed the Better Cotton Chain of Custody training and have access to the Better Cotton Platform.’

Please note that non-member BCP Suppliers cannot use the Better Cotton logo, which is only available for Members.

Better Cotton Members have more options available to them to communicate their membership and commitment to Better Cotton.

Find out more from our Supplier and Manufacturer Member Toolkit.

Find out more about the difference between Better Cotton membership and non-member BCP access.

What are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible for BCP access:

• You must be a registered legal entity.
• You must not be listed on any internationally recognised default list, nor be affiliated with a company on a default list. Examples of such lists are ICA, WCEA and CICCA.
• You must complete an online training course provided by Better Cotton after submitting your application and making your payment.

Please review the Better Cotton Platform Terms and Conditions. You can then register for an account here.

How much does access cost?

One access for a site planning to source Traceable Better Cotton costs 990 € for a period of 12 months.

You will be asked automatically to renew your access to the BCP at the end of each 12-month period. Timely payment will ensure uninterrupted access to the system. If the renewal fee is not paid on time, your BCP access will be temporarily blocked until payment is made.

How do I pay?

You can pay for BCP Access with a VISA or Master Card credit or debit card or international bank transfer.

If you use credit card payment, please ensure that your card is registered in the same country as your organisation.

Please note: When paying via international bank transfer, reconciliation can take more than 10 working days before the payment is properly reconciled in our Better Cotton account. You are also responsible for covering all related bank charges, including local taxes. BCP access will not be given until the payment has been properly reconciled. It is not possible to switch payment method after you submit the form, so please choose carefully the payment mode you want to use for the payment of your fee.

Please note that Better Cotton Initiative will not refund payments should you neglect to read the Terms and Conditions before purchasing access to the BCP.

Is our online payment safe?

We use the Stripe payment platform to securely process online payments. Your data is always transmitted via SSL encryption and Better Cotton Initiative does not hold any credit card data relating to your payment. All other data submitted is managed according to the Better Cotton Data Protection Policy.

Is there any training involved?

Yes. After you complete the BCP registration process and purchase an account, you will receive an email from [email protected] with a link to an online training which explains how the BCP works and how to use it. You must successfully complete this online training via the unique link in the email you receive before you will be given access to the BCP for using the Mass Balance Chain of Custody. 

The training platform offers different courses for different types of supply chain actors. You will need to complete the course relevant to the type of business you conduct. For example, if you buy fabric and sell garments, you must complete the training tailored for this type of business activity. 

To unlock the benefits of Traceability, you must onboard your organisation to the Chain of Custody Standard v1.0, and this may include paying for and passing a third-party assessment.  Once onboarded, there is no additional cost to gain access to the traceability solution through the Better Cotton Platform, but you will require on-going assessments to ensure compliance with the Standard. Our Supplier Training Programme is available on our website to learn more.  

Once on-boarded and with your permission, we will list you on our Supplier List for the Chain of Custody Standard 1.0, where your Better Cotton customers can see that you are qualified to do traceability.  

What is the difference between Better Cotton membership and Better Cotton Platform access? Learn more. 

If you are interested in becoming a Better Cotton Member, please visit our membership webpages or contact our Membership team via the contact form. 

For questions relating to the BCP, please contact us via the BCP Helpdesk. 

很抱歉我们无法提供全中文的申请表格。为此，我们附上了《申请表填写指南》为中文使用企业提供了表格填写关键部分的说明指导。请注意，填写表格时请务必使用英文，其他文字无法识别无法成功申请。 

下面附上《条款和条例》的双语文件，供您参考。 

• 申请表填写指南 
• 条款和条件 
• BCP 供应商申请表 

重要提醒： 

1. 日常咨询，请邮件给帮助中心（写明贵司的BCI编号或账号英文名：[email protected] 

2. 登录BCP后，可在“帮助”菜单下”的“BCP操作资料”和“常规问题（FAQ）”处找到所有的相关操作资料和相关问题的解答。BCP网址：https://cottonplatform.bettercotton.org/login?languageid=2052 BCP平台网址仅限用Edge、火狐Firefox或Chrome打开。