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Sustainability
Sustainable Cotton Hub: Alarming 2023 Ranking Report
by Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
Much of the cotton purchased by major companies does not meet even the requirements of basic certification, meaning that its source cannot be verified to be meeting minimal standards, finds the “2023 Cotton Ranking” published by Solidaridad Europe and the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK – brought together by the newly launched Sustainable Cotton Hub.
One key mission for the platform is to provide recommendations on how major stakeholders can address the multifold critical aspects. The 2023 Cotton Ranking marks one of the very first sharing of facts & figures evaluated by the platform partners.
According to the now-submitted ranking report, only 9 of the 82 largest cotton-sourcing companies in the world are found to be sourcing 99% or all of their cotton from certified sources. “When it comes to their use of cotton, the vast majority of international brands (89%) are non-transparent, unsustainable, and show little progress toward improving labor conditions,” criticizes the 2023 Cotton Ranking – now replacing what since 2016 had been launched under the name “The Sustainable Cotton Ranking”.
Ensuring reliable cotton production The latest ranking and the very first documentation paper in conjunction reveal the negative impacts of the current corporate practices on cotton farmers and the environment. Low margins are pushing farmers to work for less money and to gamble on hazardous agrochemicals in an effort to stay above the poverty line.
Currently, smallholder cotton farmers, who make up the majority of the world’s cotton producers, live on the edge of poverty and do not receive a fair income/wage. The report further underpins the effect besides social harm. With no access to training and no support for adaptation to climate change likely to reduce or destroy yields across every cotton-growing region, smallholder farmers will not be able to ensure reliable production and will be pushed even further into poverty.
"Nearly half of smallholder cotton farmers are poisoned by pesticides every year. Zero pesticide poisoning is possible today if textile & apparel companies choose to take responsibility for their supply chains and deepen investment in supporting a transition to agroecological cotton production" adds Rajan Bhopal, International Project Manager Supply Chains at PAN UK.
Currently, smallholder cotton farmers, who make up the majority of the world’s cotton producers, live on the edge of poverty and do not receive a fair income/wage. The report further underpins the effect besides social harm. With no access to training and no support for adaptation to climate change likely to reduce or destroy yields across every cotton-growing region, smallholder farmers will not be able to ensure reliable production and will be pushed even further into poverty.
"Nearly half of smallholder cotton farmers are poisoned by pesticides every year. Zero pesticide poisoning is possible today if textile & apparel companies choose to take responsibility for their supply chains and deepen investment in supporting a transition to agroecological cotton production" adds Rajan Bhopal, International Project Manager Supply Chains at PAN UK.
Unsustainable cotton is a choiceMatter-of-factly there is a wide range of possible actions available to corporations that can help them mitigate, address, or even reverse the worst environmental and social impacts of the cotton production on which they rely. The exclusive purchase of certified cotton represents an essential step here. The mere nine exemplary companies among the world's leading cotton buyers that consistently follow are Adidas, C&A, Columbia, Decathlon, H&M, Ikea, Lojas Renner, Marks & Spencer, and Puma.
Taking action nowThe Sustainable Cotton Hub aims to bring together experts from organizations working in and around the cotton sector, such as for this very case Solidaridad and PAN UK. The mutual goal is to expose the sustainability challenges of cotton production, and explore the host of contributing economic, labor, and environmental factors,” explains Bram Verkerke from Solidaridad Europe vis-a-vis the international press.
Besides the 2023 Cotton Ranking the paper ‘Cotton and Corporate Responsibility’ marks a first step for the platform’s communication works. While many brands cite complex trade realities as a barrier to progress the paper wants to exactly address corporate social responsibility in the sector, invalidates this argument, and provides clear recommendations. These include investing in smallholder climate adaptation, updating purchasing practices to ensure better pay for cotton producers, and becoming transparent on cotton sourcing, but even these are just a start.
“In reality, given the resources available to big brands, unsustainable cotton is a choice. A bad one. But it doesn’t have to be one we live with. Brands and retailers can make new decisions. They can choose to be more transparent in their operations and about their suppliers. They can choose to take on the complex question of fair pay, rather than using it as an excuse. And they can choose to engage with all actors along their supply chain, rather than hiding behind intermediaries,” says Tamar Hoek of Solidaridad Europe.
“In reality, given the resources available to big brands, unsustainable cotton is a choice. A bad one. But it doesn’t have to be one we live with. Brands and retailers can make new decisions. They can choose to be more transparent in their operations and about their suppliers. They can choose to take on the complex question of fair pay, rather than using it as an excuse. And they can choose to engage with all actors along their supply chain, rather than hiding behind intermediaries,” says Tamar Hoek of Solidaridad Europe.
The display shows how much each stakeholder in the value chain receives from the sale of a cotton T-shirt as per Sustainable Cotton Hub’s evaluation.
Further documentations according to the initiative partners are in the works for publishing over the course of this year, providing a closer look at the impacts of:• hazardous agrochemicals,• realities of labor in cotton and textiles• projected water risks for cotton growing regions, • the persistent issue of poverty in the supply chain. These communications tools shall provide insights, facts, assessments, and recommendations to buyers, manufacturers, retailers, standards bodies, and governments.
Future papers will cover topics including climate change, nature, and inequality the spokesperson announces.
