Better Cotton is the world’s leading sustainability initiative for cotton. Our mission is to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment.
In just over 10 years we have become the world’s largest cotton sustainability programme. Our mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment.
Better Cotton is grown in 22 countries around the world and accounts for 22% of global cotton production. In the 2022-23 cotton season, 2.13 million licensed Better Cotton Farmers grew 5.47 million tonnes of Better Cotton.
Today Better Cotton has more than 2,700 members, reflecting the breadth and diversity of the industry. Members of a global community that understands the mutual benefits of sustainable cotton farming. The moment you join, you become part of this too.
The founding premise of Better Cotton is that a healthy sustainable future for cotton and the people that farm it is in the interests of everyone connected with it.
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This year BCI turns 10 years old.Over the course of the year,we will be publishing a series of articles, with input from key stakeholders who have been influential throughout BCI’s first decade – from partners, to civil society organisations, to retailers and brands.
The Better Cotton Assurance Programme is a key component of the Better Cotton Standard System. It involves farmers participating in a continuous cycle of learning and improvement, and it forms the central mechanism for assessing whether farmers can grow and sell Better Cotton.
The Better Cotton Assurance Programme protocol has recently been updated to include some minor clarifications. The updates in Version 3.1 include the following:
If a non-conformity with a Core Indicator of the Better Cotton Principles & Criteria is identified during an external assessment, a Corrective Action Plan is required to be prepared and implemented. This responsibility is now with the Producer Unit Managers with the support of BCI’s Implementing Partners (where required). (Section 3).
Additional details have been added to define the exceptional circumstances where a reoccurring incidental non-conformity on a particular indicator may retain its grading as an incidental non-conformity rather than being escalated to a systemic non-conformity. (Section 6.4).
Further information has been added to the Assurance Programme overview document to provide increased clarity around what constitutes as a licence cancellation, suspension and denial for Producer Units and Large Farms. (Section 7.3).
Producers have the right to appeal against a licencing decision. The appeals timeline has been revised to 10 working days from the point of being informed of the licensing decision, an increase from 10 calendar days. (Section 9).
The Better Cotton Assurance Programme protocol V3.1 can be found on the Assurance Programme pages of BCI’s website.
The Better Cotton Assurance Programme is a key component of the Better Cotton Standard System. It involves farmers participating in a continuous cycle of learning and improvement, and it forms the central mechanism for assessing whether farmers can grow and sell Better Cotton.
The Better Cotton Assurance Programme protocol has recently been updated to include some minor clarifications. The updates in Version 3.1 include the following:
If a non-conformity with the Better Cotton Standard is identified during an external assessment, Producer Unit Managers are now responsible for the preparation of a Corrective Action Plan. Where required, Producer Unit Managers will receive support from BCI’s Implementing Partners. (Section 3).
A Group Assurance Manager model is available for Large Farms in the USA. A rotation limit for third-party verifiers has been added to the Assurance Programme – this enhances credibility by ensuring multiple verifiers provide assurance assessments. (Section 6.4).
Additional details now provide clarity around the “exceptional circumstances’ clause. For example, a reoccurring incidental non-conformity may retain its grading as an incidental non-conformity rather than being escalated to a systemic non-conformity.(Section 6.5).
Further information has been added to the Assurance Programme overview document to provide increased clarity around what constitutes a licence cancellation, suspension and denial for Producer Units and Large Farms. (Section 7.3).
Producers have the right to appeal a licencing decision. The appeals timeline has been changed to 10 working days from the point of being informed of the licensing decision, an increase from 10 calendar days. (Section 9).
The Better Cotton Assurance Programme protocol V3.1 can be found on the Assurance Programme pages of BCI’s website.
BCI’s Founding CEO, Lise Melvin, worked with a dedicated team for seven years to transform the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) from an idea into a reality.
This year, the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) turns 10 years old.
In this short amount of time, BCI has experienced exceptional growth. Today, the Initiative has more than 1,400 members and works with 60 field-level partners, to reach and train 1.6 million cotton farmers in 23 countries (2016-17 season figures). With our partners, members and stakeholders we have achieved a lot in the past 10 years, but there is a long way to go to ensure global cotton production is better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future.
As BCI heads towards its second decade, the organisation’s focus is firmly fixed on the future and building a strategy to 2030. We are truly a collaborative effort and we continue to work with all of our stakeholders to ensure BCI and the Better Cotton Standard System effectively address cotton production challenges, while meeting the sourcing needs of our members.
Throughout the year we will be publishing a series of articles, with input from key stakeholders who have been influential throughout BCI’s first decade – from partners, to civil society organisations, to retailers and brands. The first article in the series will be published in early March.
We are also turning our attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how BCI and its members can continue to be catalysts for change as part of the global momentum harnessed by the SDGs. Over the last year, we conducted a mapping exercise whereby we compared BCI’s organisational objectives to the 17 Goals and related targets to determine where BCI is driving them in a tangible way. We identified 10 SDGs where BCI is making robust contributions – you can find out more in our new SDG hub.
Additionally, we recognise that the need for BCI Members to communicate about sustainability is growing and evolving, and the Better Cotton Claims Framework must evolve in parallel with these growing market and consumer expectations. At the beginning of the year we launched a review of the framework. Following a period of consultation, the Better Cotton Claims Framework V2.0 will be released in the spring. We are also continuing to refine the monitoring and evaluation of our field-level work in order to facilitate credible communications about the outcomes and impacts of members’ investments in more sustainable cotton production.
We would like to say thank you to all of our members, partners and stakeholders for your continued support, and we look forward to working together as BCI moves into the next chapter.
In India, the first harvest of Better Cotton took place during the 2010-11 cotton season. Global fabric and apparel manufacturer Arvind Ltd. partnered with the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) to lead the implementation of the Better Cotton Standard,laying the foundation for more sustainable cotton production in the country.
Arvind’s journey to sustainable cotton production began a few years earlier in 2007, when the organisation developed an organic smallholder farming programme;at the same time, BCIwas being established. Seeing the potential to take sustainably produced cotton mainstream, and change the sector for the better, Arvind joined the earlydiscussions about the initiative. The manufacturer went on to become BCI’s first Implementing Partner in India – the first bales of Better Cotton were produced on a farm under Arvind’s management. Today,Arvind works with more than 25,000 BCI Farmers (9% are women) in three cotton-producing regions.
Once Arvind haveidentified cotton-producing communities that require support, they aim to work with as many farmers as they can. However, it is not always easy to convince farmers to break away from traditional practices. ”Initially farmers have a mixed reaction to BCI”, says Pragnesh Shah, CEO, Cotton and Agri Business at Arvind. ”They want to know how implementing the Better Cotton Standard will benefit them, and they want to know what the risks are. The farmers we work with do not have the finances to invest in better farming technologiesand they cannot afford to take risks that may impact their yields. We need to clearly demonstrate the benefits of adopting new — cost-effective and sustainable — farming techniques to them”.
To do this, Arvind works closely with local agricultural universities and science centres to organise meetings where farmers can interact directly with subject experts. To clearly demonstrate the benefits of new practices, cotton demonstration plots are implemented in each village under the BCI Programme. ”Seeing is believing for many farmers”, says Abhishek Bansal, Head of Sustainability at Arvind. ”Once they see the potential to reduce their input costs, improve their yields and profits, as well as receive free training and advice, they are enthusiastic about BCI and open to adopting new practices”.
Environmental conditions such as water availability and soil health present particularly pressing challenges for many of the cotton farmers within Arvind’s BCI Programme areas. The farmers work in water stressed regions and depend on rainfall to irrigate their crops – if the summer monsoon fails this leads to water shortages. In collaboration with other NGOs, Arvind teaches farmers about water harvesting and drip irrigation methods, helping them to manage and use water in a more sustainable way.
Educating farmers on the impacts of hazardous chemicals on soil and on personal health is another key focus area. ”Historically there has been a common overuse of chemicals in cotton farming in India”, says Pragnesh. ”We teach farmers how to make and use natural bio-pesticides while also helping them to understand what fertilisers and pesticides should be used, given the condition of the land. We provide farmers with the knowledge to identify friendly and enemy insects – showing them how to use various types of traps to remove enemies without the use of pesticides. In the long-term we want to help farmers to improve soil fertility and reduce the need for chemicals”.
Pragnesh and Abhishek have discovered that attitudes towards cotton production are shifting. They have seen first-hand that the next generation of cotton farmers are looking for change. ”Younger farmers are becoming more environmentally conscious, and they are keen to implement new techniques and technologies that will help to effectively raise yields”, says Pragnesh. A shift is also taking place beyond the cotton fields. ”In the last two years we have seen increased demand for Better Cotton from retailers and brands, as many implement sustainable raw materials strategies”, says Abhishek. ”We hope to have 400,000 hectares under Better Cotton cultivation in the next 4 to 5 years (up from 100,000 hectares today) in order to meet demand for more sustainably produced cotton”.
Arvind has been a supporter of BCI since day one and fostered more sustainable cotton production in India. The organisation continues to be a valued partner and is working with BCI to achieve our 2020 target of reaching and training 5 million cotton farmers on more sustainable agricultural practices.
In India, the first harvest of Better Cotton took place during the 2010-11 cotton season. Global fabric and apparel manufacturer Arvind Ltd. partnered with the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) to lead the implementation of the Better Cotton Standard,laying the foundation for more sustainable cotton production in the country.
Arvind’s journey to sustainable cotton production began a few years earlier in 2007, when the organisation developed an organic smallholder farming programme;at the same time, BCIwas being established. Seeing the potential to take sustainably produced cotton mainstream, and change the sector for the better, Arvind joined the earlydiscussions about the initiative. The manufacturer went on to become BCI’s first Implementing Partner in India – the first bales of Better Cotton were produced on a farm under Arvind’s management. Today,Arvind works with more than 25,000 BCI Farmers (9% are women) in three cotton-producing regions.
Once Arvind haveidentified cotton-producing communities that require support, they aim to work with as many farmers as they can. However, it is not always easy to convince farmers to break away from traditional practices. ”Initially farmers have a mixed reaction to BCI”, says Pragnesh Shah, CEO, Cotton and Agri Business at Arvind. ”They want to know how implementing the Better Cotton Standard will benefit them, and they want to know what the risks are. The farmers we work with do not have the finances to invest in better farming technologiesand they cannot afford to take risks that may impact their yields. We need to clearly demonstrate the benefits of adopting new — cost-effective and sustainable — farming techniques to them”.
To do this, Arvind works closely with local agricultural universities and science centres to organise meetings where farmers can interact directly with subject experts. To clearly demonstrate the benefits of new practices, cotton demonstration plots are implemented in each village under the BCI Programme. ”Seeing is believing for many farmers”, says Abhishek Bansal, Head of Sustainability at Arvind. ”Once they see the potential to reduce their input costs, improve their yields and profits, as well as receive free training and advice, they are enthusiastic about BCI and open to adopting new practices”.
Environmental conditions such as water availability and soil health present particularly pressing challenges for many of the cotton farmers within Arvind’s BCI Programme areas. The farmers work in water stressed regions and depend on rainfall to irrigate their crops – if the summer monsoon fails this leads to water shortages. In collaboration with other NGOs, Arvind teaches farmers about water harvesting and drip irrigation methods, helping them to manage and use water in a more sustainable way.
Educating farmers on the impacts of hazardous chemicals on soil and on personal health is another key focus area. ”Historically there has been a common overuse of chemicals in cotton farming in India”, says Pragnesh. ”We teach farmers how to make and use natural bio-pesticides while also helping them to understand what fertilisers and pesticides should be used, given the condition of the land. We provide farmers with the knowledge to identify friendly and enemy insects – showing them how to use various types of traps to remove enemies without the use of pesticides. In the long-term we want to help farmers to improve soil fertility and reduce the need for chemicals”.
Pragnesh and Abhishek have discovered that attitudes towards cotton production are shifting. They have seen first-hand that the next generation of cotton farmers are looking for change. ”Younger farmers are becoming more environmentally conscious, and they are keen to implement new techniques and technologies that will help to effectively raise yields”, says Pragnesh. A shift is also taking place beyond the cotton fields. ”In the last two years we have seen increased demand for Better Cotton from retailers and brands, as many implement sustainable raw materials strategies”, says Abhishek. ”We hope to have 400,000 hectares under Better Cotton cultivation in the next 4 to 5 years (up from 100,000 hectares today) in order to meet demand for more sustainably produced cotton”.
Arvind has been a supporter of BCI since day one and fostered more sustainable cotton production in India. The organisation continues to be a valued partner and is working with BCI to achieve our 2020 target of reaching and training 5 million cotton farmers on more sustainable agricultural practices.
2019 Global Cotton Sustainability Conference Driving Change from Field to Fashion
11 – 13 June, 2019 |Shanghai, China
The 2019 Global Cotton Sustainability Conference will bring the entire sector together in Shanghai on 12 – 13 June, to shape a more sustainable future for cotton. Join industry leaders and experts for an interactive opportunity to explore topics at field level, in the supply chain and in consumer-facing business.
Prior to the public conference, on 11 June, the Better Cotton Initiative will host its Annual Member Meeting to share organisational updates, report on Better Cotton supply and facilitate a new peer-engagement platform.
Register before 15 Febto take advantage of the early-bird registration fees. BCI Members receive an additional 60% discount!
Call for Speakers
This year we are inviting other cotton sustainability standards and initiatives to participate in shaping the agenda of the 2019 Global Cotton Sustainability Conference.If you would like to share your ideas, expertise and insights with us, please submit your speaker proposal by 15 December.Learn more.
Sponsorship Opportunities
The global conference provides access to an international audience, prominent stakeholders within the cotton industry and organisations with a commitment to sustainability. We have a variety of conference sponsorship packages still available.Contact[email protected]for further information.
In order to produce and sellBetter Cotton, licensed BCI Farmers adhere to the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria(P&C), addressing topics from water use to pest management to decent work. Implementing the Better Cotton P&C enables farmers to produce cotton in a way that is measurably better for themselves, the environment and farming communities.
Farmer results from the 2016-17 season demonstrate the benefits of implementing more sustainable practices around the world.Here are some key highlights from China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey.
Social
In Turkey, 83% of BCI Farmers had advanced knowledge of child labour issues.
BCI is addressing women’s inclusion, and in China, 37% of farmers who received BCI training on pesticide preparation and use were women.
Environmental
BCI Farmers in Pakistan used 20% less water for irrigation than Comparison Farmers.
BCI Farmers in India used 17% less synthetic fertiliser than Comparison Farmers.
BCI Farmers in Tajikistan used 63% less pesticide than Comparison Farmers.
Economic
BCI Farmers in China hada 14% higher yield than Comparison Farmers.
BCI Farmers in Pakistan had a 37% higher profit than Comparison Farmers.
Access theBCI Farmer Results 2016-17to see how BCI is driving measurable improvements in cotton production.
Comparison Farmers
The BCI Farmer Results presented here compare the country averages of key social, environmental and economic indicators achieved by licensed BCI Farmers to non-BCI farmers in the same geographic area who are not participating in the BCI programme. We refer to the latter farmers as Comparison Farmers.
Talking About Farmer Results Accurately
Farm results must not be manipulated in any way. Averaging farm results across different geographies undermines the credibility of the data. Should you wish to use results pleasecontactthe Communications Team who will help you craft your Better Cotton story in a way that maintains the integrity of the data.
Do you want to know what the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world is up to? Keep up to date with the latest developments and hear from BCI Farmers, Partners and Members in the new BCI Quarterly Newsletter. BCI Members also receive a Monthly Member Update.
Leave a few details below and you’ll receive the next newsletter.
We’ve updated our Data Privacy Policy
These updates are intended to reflect changes to the Better Cotton Platform’s default sharing settings and data use in our Audit management system.
You don’t need to do anything to accept these changes – they’re effective from today, 2 April 2025.
You can read the full text by visiting our Data Privacy Policy page.
