Cotton Farming and Covid-19: On the Ground in China
In our new blog series, we interview BCI Implementing Partners in China who are supporting BCI Farmers and farming communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read moreCotton Farming and Covid-19: On the Ground in India
In our new blog series, we interview BCI Implementing Partners in India who are supporting BCI Farmers and farming communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read moreBetter Cotton Creates New Chain of Custody Advisory Group: Apply Now
As BCI develops its 2030 strategy and targets for the next decade, in addition to deepening BCI’s impact at field level, the focus remains on scaling the sustainable production and sourcing of Better Cotton – the cotton grown by licensed BCI Farmers in line with the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria.
Under this target area, BCI will consider the existing Better Cotton Chain of Custody (CoC), which constitutes the key framework that connects supply with demand of Better Cotton and helps to incentivise cotton farmers to adopt more sustainable practices.
The Better Cotton CoC currently incorporates two different chain of custody models: product segregation at the beginning of the supply chain (farm to gin) and mass-balance after the gin stage*. Going forward, BCI will consider whether it can provide a wider range ofchain of custodyoptions for all Better Cotton supply chain players, both BCI Members and non-members.
The purpose of BCI’s new member-based Chain of Custody Advisory Group is to provide advice on the development of the Better Cotton CoC, including projects and activities such asgin monitoring visits and supply chain audits in key Better Cotton producing countries.
Consisting of BCI Members and non-members, the Advisory Group will ensure any new chain of custody developments are commercially relevant, feasible and attractive to BCI’s multi-stakeholder membership. Though it is not a decision-making body for the organisation, the group will provide strategic advice and allow for more focused discussions on the Better Cotton CoC.
BCI would like to invite interested stakeholders to join the new Chain of Custody Advisory Group to help shape the future of BCI.
Download the application form.
You can find further background information, details on the Advisory Group scope of work, and the Terms of Reference here.
The deadline to apply for the Chain of Custody Advisory Group is Friday 8 May 2020.
Please contact BCI Supply Chain Integrity Manager Joyce Lam at [email protected] if you would like to participate, or if you require further information.
*In the segregation method, the purpose is to ensure that Better Cotton is not mixed or substituted with conventional cotton between the farm and gin. In the mass balance approach, the objective is to ensure that the quantity of Better Cotton purchased does not exceed the quantity of Better Cotton sold. Find out more about the Better Cotton Chain of Custody here.
Read moreNew Blog Series from Better Cotton CEO: Covid-19 and the Cotton Sector
BCI exists to improve farmer livelihoods through the adoption of more sustainable practices. I’d like to share a few insights that are crucial for the cotton and textile sector to consider during this period.
Read moreEarth Day 2020: Helping Better Cotton Farmers to Adopt Sustainable Practices in the Face of Climate Change
Today is Earth Day 2020, and we would like to take this opportunity to highlight how BCI and our on-the-ground partners are supporting more than 2.5 million cotton farmers to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Read moreApplications Are Open for the Better Cotton 2020 Council Elections
Elected by BCI Members, the BCI Council ensures the organisation has clear strategic direction and policy to fulfil its mission of making global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in, and better for the sector’s future.
The Council is equally represented by four BCI membership categories, reflecting the entire cotton supply chain and beyond: retailers and brands, suppliers and manufacturers, civil society and producer organisations. There are three seats per membership caucus, supplemented by up to three additional independent members.
Every two years, during the BCI General Assembly, BCI Members have the opportunity to elect their new BCI Council representatives whose seats are up for election at the end of their three-year term. This year, the General Assembly will take place virtually on Tuesday 9 June (online registration will open soon).
Ahead of the General Assembly, BCI is accepting applications for the 2020 Council elections.
BCI Members can download the election application package here. The current Council composition and open seats can be found in the application package.
This is a great opportunity for BCI Members to represent their area of the cotton supply chain, share valuable industry insights, and contribute to BCI’s strategic direction in the coming years, while being part of an exemplary multi-stakeholder governance body.
View the current BCI Council here.
If you are interested in representing your organisation on the BCI Council and have any questions, please contact Eren Ozalay at [email protected].
Read moreSustainable Farming Solutions Shortlisted for Global Better Cotton Innovation Challenge
In November 2019, the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), with the support of Dalberg Advisors, launched the Better Cotton Innovation Challenge – a global project seeking innovative ideas and solutions to improve sustainable cotton farming practices around the world.
The Challenge was divided into two categories:
Challenge One: Customised Training
Challenge one sought innovations to help bring customised training on more sustainable farming practices to hundreds of thousands of cotton farmers across the globe.
Challenge Two: Data Collection
Challenge two sought solutions that could reduce the time and cost of farmer data collection to enable more efficient BCI licensing processes.
A total of 87 applications were submitted before the January 2020 deadline – 36 applications for the customised training challenge, and 51 applications for the data collection challenge.
”We are delighted that the Challenge received such a high level of interest from organisations all over the world. Thank you to those who took the time to submit thoughtful, creative and practical solutions.” – Cristina Martin, Programme Manager, BCI.
All 87 applications were reviewed by the Innovation Challenge Team, and the top 20 solutions were shortlisted to progress through to the next stage of the challenge. The 20 shortlisted applicants – from India, Pakistan, Greece, Israel, Kenya, Australia and the US – received mentorship from cotton sector experts and BCI as they prepared high-quality, detailed proposals for their solutions, including plans to test their innovations at field level.
A jury composed of external experts, alongside BCI, IDH and Dalberg, then assessed the detailed applications and selected five final candidates to progress to the next phase of on-the-ground trials.
When shortlisting the solutions, the jury considered:
- Impact: Is the solution effective?
- Adaptive: Is it adaptive and flexible?
- Scalable: Is it scalable and replicable?
- Viability: Is it financially viable and sustainable?
- Capability: Is the team capable of implementing the solution?
- Pragmatic: Is the on-the-ground test being proposed practical?
- X-Factor: Is it novel and new to the BCI programme?
In the next stage of the competition, the five applicants will have the opportunity to pilot their sustainability-focused solutions in the field with BCI Farmers.
”In light of the spread of Covid-19 and global travel restrictions, the field-testing element of the Challenge has been postponed until July 2020 in order to safeguard the health and wellbeing of everyone involved in the Better Cotton Innovation Challenge. We look forward to continuing this exciting competition with our finalist innovators, and sharing their solutions, later in the year.” – Cristina Martin, Programme Manager.
Find out more about the challenge here.
Better Cotton General Assembly to Take Place Virtually on 9 June 2020
The BCI General Assembly is the biennial gathering of BCI Members across all BCI membership categories, to elect the BCI Council (the governing body of the organisation) and receive key updates from the BCI Leadership Team.
While the 2020 Global Cotton Sustainability Conference in Lisbon has been postponed to 2-4 March 2021 in response to the current situation regarding the Coronavirus COVID-19 and its global impact on health and travel, the continuity of the BCI governance must proceed as planned.
The virtual BCI General Assembly meeting will take place on Tuesday 9 June. The meeting will take place twice, to enable members across multiple time zones to participate.
Meeting 1 – For Asia, Africa and Europe: 08:00 CET
Meeting 2 – For Americas and Europe: 16:00 CET
Online registration details will be shared with BCI Members shortly.
Read moreBetter Cotton Sets Up Expert Task Force on Forced Labour and Decent Work
The Better Cotton Standard System is a holistic approach to sustainable cotton production which covers all three pillars of sustainability: social, environmental and economic, and addresses the many challenges of cotton production. One of the seven Better Cotton Principles and Criteria directly addresses Decent Work and forced labour specifically. Decent Work is defined as work which offers fair pay, security and equal opportunities for learning and progression, in an environment where people feel safe, respected, and able to express their concerns or negotiate better conditions.
In order to adapt and respond to Decent Work challenges in cotton farming, wherever such challenges may arise, BCI is actively engaged in dialogue on Decent Work and forced labour issues with our stakeholders, including civil society organisations, retailers and brands, and expert organisations.
Task Force on Forced Labour and Decent Work
BCI is currently working to strengthen Better Cotton Principle Six: Decent Work and has set up an expert Task Force on Forced Labour and Decent Work to review selected elements of the Better Cotton Standard System. Based on this review, the Task Force will produce recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the system in identifying, preventing, mitigating and remediating forced labour risks.
Task Force Members
The Task Force on Forced Labour and Decent Work brings together representatives from civil society, retailers, brands and consultancies with a strong expertise in human rights and forced labour issues in supply chains, particularly in the textile sector. The Task Force also draws on the expertise of a project adviser with a background in tackling the risks of child and forced labour in cotton harvests at the International Labour Organization.
Civil Society
- Patricia Jurewicz, Founder and Vice President | Responsible Sourcing Network
- Shelly Han, Chief of Staff & Director or Engagement | Fair Labour Association
- Allison Gill, Cotton Campaign Coordinator | International Labor Rights Forum
- Isabelle Rogers, Global Cotton Programme Manager | Solidaridad
- Chloe Cranston, Business and Human Rights Manager | Anti-Slavery International
- Komala Ramachandra, Senior Researcher | Human Rights Watch
Consultancies / Research Organisations
- Rosey Hurst, Founder and Director | Impactt
- Aarti Kapoor, Managing Director | Embode
- Brett Dodge, Senior Consultant | Ergon
Retailers and Brands
- Fiona Sadler, Head of Ethical Trade (will temporarily represent M&S) | Lydia Hopton, Ethical Trade Manager | M&S Clothing and Home
- Aditi Wanchoo, Senior Manager – Development Partnerships Social & Environmental Affairs | adidas
- Jason Tucker, Director of Labor Performance, Sustainable Manufacturing & Sourcing | Nike
Project Advisors
- Stephen McClelland, Independent Senior Consultant
Find out more about the Task Force members here.
We will share updates on the progress of the Task Force as more information is available.
Read moreA Diverse Approach Is Key to Assessing Better Cotton’s Field-Level Results and Impact
To ensure the BCI programmesare making a difference, we arecommitted to measuring sustainability improvements everywhere Better Cotton is grown.
Read moreGlobal Cotton Sustainability Conference Moves to March 2021
The 2020 Global Cotton Sustainability Conferencehas been postponed until 2 – 4 March* 2021.
The decision to postpone this year’s conference was not taken lightly, butthe BCI Leadership Team agreed that postponement is the most responsible approach given the current situation regarding Coronavirus COVID-19 and its global impact on health and travel. BCI’s priority is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all BCI staff, members, partners and stakeholders.
“The spread of coronavirus will have an ongoing impact all over the world, and affect the entire BCI community, including members, staff, partners and other stakeholders. The situation now requires a significant step-up in the BCI management response. We need to face an unprecedented crisis with unprecedented solutions. It is inspiring to see how quickly, and with a deep sense of engagement, our stakeholders, partners and team members have stepped up to the plate and embraced new ways of working and living in order to continue delivering on their commitments. With this level of engagement, we feel confident about the sustainable cotton community’s ability to meet the challenges of this period of crisis and uncertainty and emerge stronger.” –Alan McClay, CEO, BCI.
The conference in 2021 will deliver the same programme, designed to address sustainability issues across the entire cotton supply chain. Join us next year to hear from inspiring speakers from farm to fashion, and network with leaders and experts from across the cotton sustainability sector.
Some of the exciting conference sessions already lined up include:
Keynotes
- The Value of Cotton in the Circular Economy
- Money, Magic, Measurement & Sustainable Agriculture
- Making Purpose Real
Plenary Panel Discussions
- Experiences from the Field: Smallholder Farmers
- Getting Aligned on Impact
- Reaching Our 2020 Goals
Breakout sessions
- Farm Adaptation to Climate Change
- Can Cotton be Carbon Neutral?
- Embedding Climate Action: Internal Engagement and Communications
- Innovation Showcase
- The Cotton 2025 Challenge
- Impact for People: The Case Studies
- Community Partnerships
- Women in Agriculture and Beyond
The goal of the 4th Global Cotton Sustainability Conference is to bring the entire sector together in shaping a more sustainable future for cotton.
The full conference agenda, list of registered attendees and more is available now in the free conference mobile app. Find out more and download the app today.
We hope you can join us in Lisbon on 2 – 4 March 2021*.
*BCI intends to postpone the conference to 2 – 4 March 2021, with final arrangements currently under review. We are providing advance notice, so you can make arrangements for attending now. Pending venue confirmation, logistics may be subject to change.
International Women’s Day 2020: Celebrating Gender Equality in Cotton Farming Communities Across the World
BCI seeks to ensure equal and respectful treatment for all women in cotton farming communities, and today, we’d like to celebrate women’s achievements by sharing stories from the field from Pakistan, Mali and Tajikistan.
Read more