Better Cotton has developed a Member Monitoring Protocol which outlines the objective, scope, and process for Member Monitoring. The main objective of this protocol is to protect the credibility of the organisation by ensuring adherence to the Code of Practice that all Members sign when they join. The Member Monitoring Protocol aims to provide transparency to our Members and other stakeholders about what Better Cotton does and does not do as part of its monitoring.
Better Cotton’s mission is to achieve a positive impact at the field level, and we welcome any organisation in the cotton sector that supports that mission to join us as a Member. However, membership is not evidence of social or environmental compliance and it will always be the responsibility of each Member to monitor its supply chain to meet any regulatory requirements.
Monitoring Criteria
The Monitoring Protocol establishes six monitoring criteria that align with the Member Code of Practice.
- Commitment and Conduct
- Business Integrity
- Decent Work and Human Rights
- Communication
- Sourcing
- Environmental Compliance
Resolution Stages
When an incident is identified by Better Cotton it will be assessed and if further action is deemed necessary a Monitoring Case will be opened, which will follow these steps:
- Warning
- Suspension
- Expulsion
For more details about each step please refer to the Monitoring Protocol at the bottom of this page.
Reporting
Better Cotton will report quarterly on the number of open Monitoring Cases, by Criteria and Stage, as well as the number of Monitoring Cases closed in the previous quarter.
Better Cotton will not publish the name of any individual Member that is subject to a Monitoring Case, whether it is open or closed.
The first report will be available by the end of October 2023.
