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.
Let us help you find what you’re looking for
Results for {phrase} ({results_count} of {results_count_total})
Displaying {results_count} results of {results_count_total}
Better Cotton will be at the forefront of cutting-edge sustainability conversations as it holds its symposium for Programme Partners in Phuket, Thailand from 6th – 8th February 2023. Over 130 representatives from across six countries will be attending in-person alongside the Better Cotton Council and its CEO, Alan McClay. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together Better Cotton Programme Partners to inspire progress, share best practices for implementing the Standard and to update partners on the latest exciting new initiatives. Programme Partners are the organisations that Better Cotton works with to reach millions of farmers, workers and their communities to improve the way they grow cotton.
One of the major themes spearheading this year’s symposium is the need to adapt to climate change and address the cotton sector’s future impacts to ensure more sustainable livelihoods.
The ‘Innovations Marketplace’ symposium is the first since the pandemic and provides an important opportunity for cross-sector dialogue between local partners in Thailand and international agricultural, commodities, textile and supply chain stakeholders. This annual event provides a unique forum to discuss the ground-breaking innovative tools and practices that have greatly impacted and shaped farmers growing Better Cotton. It will also provide the latest updates on the revised Better Cotton Standard, which lays out the global definition of guiding principles and criteria.
Innovations Marketplace
As in previous years, Better Cotton’s members, including the farmers they work with, can reflect on the insights, shifts and developments that have taken place to support and improve field practices. In past meetings, they have seen ground-breaking examples, from new farming models and training activities to alternative farming delivery mechanisms.
Day one highlights Better Cotton’s Climate Change Approach and includes a panel interview with Programme Partners on farm-level mitigation and adaptation best practices. In addition, climate data and its critical data points that help monitor climate change to benefit smallholders will be discussed. Attendees will also get the chance to hear the latest on Better Cotton’s Traceability programme and its links to insetting, farmer remuneration and payment for ecosystem services.
Day two highlights will focus on farmer and smallholder livelihoods with a panel on best practices for livelihood improvement and increased resilience of communities. Another key topic for discussion will be technology and how it can be leveraged further to support smallholders.
The full agenda topics being covered across the two days include:
Climate action and capacity building
Better Cotton’s Approach to Climate Change
Farm-level mitigation and adaptation practices – Technical expert and Partner contributions
Launch of the Online Resource Centre (ORC)
Climate change and links to data and traceability
A training cascade workshop – focusing on a follow-up to the farmer centricity and Field Facilitator / Producer Unit (PU) Manager surveys
Livelihoods – Better Cotton’s Approach, partner activities and discussions on future plans
Climate and livelihood innovations
Innovations marketplace
We’re hugely excited that the meeting is returning to a face-to-face format after two years of remote events and are looking forward to the fantastic opportunities for networking and idea sharing to support farmer livelihoods that this will bring.
Lena Staafgard, COO, Better Cotton
Newsletter sign-up
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.
