Better Cotton’s future is shaped by the Better Cotton Council, an elected board that drives cotton towards a truly sustainable future. The Council sits at the centre of the organisation and is responsible for our strategic direction. Together, the 12 Council members shape the policy that ultimately helps to fulfil our mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment.

Our Council also establishes any groups or committees that could help achieve our aims. There are two permanent committees in place: the Executive Committee and Finance Committee. There is also a Nominations Committee established during each election round to oversee fair and transparent elections.

Applications for 2024 Elections are closed. Elected Members will be announced on this page in March 2024. The next Council Election will be in 2026.

How is the Council formed?

The Council consists of elected and appointed members. The General Assembly, made up of 2,500+ Better Cotton Members, elects two representatives from each membership category to the Council. Council members are drawn from the organisations and companies that represent the four major Better Cotton membership categories: retailers and brands, suppliers and manufacturers, producer organisations and civil society.

Each category has up to three seats, two elected and one nominated by the existing Council. This enables us to make sure we have the right people for the job and ensures we’re harnessing diverse talents in an inclusive way. Once the elected and nominated members are determined, the Council can appoint up to three additional independent Council members for an expert external view. 

Minutes from the most recent General Assembly meeting can be found here.

Meet the Council Members

Civil Society

Solidaridad 
until 2026
Tamar Hoek


PAN UK 
until 2024
Rajan Bhopal

Retailers & Brands

IKEA
until 2026
Arvind Rewal
Secretary

Walmart
until 2024
Gerson Fajardo
Vice-Chair

J.Crew Group
until 2026
Liz Hershfield

Producer Organisations

Auscott
until 2026
Bob Dall’alba

Supima 
until 2024
Marc Lewkowitz
Chair

Rural Business Development Centre Pakistan (RBDC)
Until 2024
Shahid Zia

Suppliers & Manufacturers

OLAM Agri 
until 2026
Ashok Hegde

Louis Dreyfus Company
until 2024
Pierre Chehab

Independent

Amit Shah
until 2024
Treasurer

Kevin Quinlan
until 2026

Council documentation

Council By-Laws
PDF
102.03 KB

Council ByLaws

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Better Cotton Statutes
PDF
184.09 KB

Better Cotton Statutes

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