Companies and NGOs co-operate on mainstreaming sustainable cotton
IDH, IKEA, Levi's, M&S, H&M, ECOM, Rabobank, Solidaridad and WWF start a six year Fast Track programme to transform the cotton market and make sustainable cotton a commercially viable commodity. ‘ We are very excited about this programme’, says Guido Verijke, Deputy Business Area Manager Textiles of IKEA: 'IDH can provide the push and opportunity to make it work at a large scale because of their front runner demand driven programme’.
Out of 30 M tons global production this programme will ensure production of 1 M tons by 2015 reducing significantly the footprint of cotton production and improve the lives of hundred thousands of very poor farmers. Both funders and the private sector will invest at least 20 M euro in the next five years.
Part of the programme is a highly innovative Fast Track Fund established by IDH, ICCO and Rabobank to match private investments in BCI cotton production.
Cotton is the most polluting crop in the world in terms of pesticides and water consumption, and due to low prices the income of cotton farmers is low. The BCI aims at making global cotton production better for people, planet and the future of the whole sector.
BCI has global presence and focuses on efficiency, better agricultural practices and implementation of minimum norms. BCI is accepted as the standard by a growing number of powerful brands and retailers. Joost Oorthuizen: ‘Because of lessons learned with Organic Cotton over the last 10 years we are able to accelerate sustaibnable cotton production’.
Fast Track Programme and Fund
The fast track programme aims at changing the sector through a demand driven approach based on retail commitment to bring sustainable cotton into their consumer products (jeans, household textiles, furniture and interior decorations). This allows for major investments in creating large volumes of sustainably produced cotton.
The programme is fueled by the innovative Fast Track Fund of IDH, ICCO and Rabobank Foundation. This fund matches private sector investments of retailers/brands and other private players for farmer support programmes to produce sustainable cotton. The fund is accessible to front runner companies who aim for a 100% sustainable sourcing.
Guido Verijke, Deputy Business Area Manager Textiles of IKEA: ' IKEA welcomes collaboration between IDH and the BCI. We see the work of IDH and BCI as complementary. BCI provides the standards and systems while IDH provides the push and opportunity to make it work at a large scale because of their front runner demand driven programme.'
The programme and the fund will be jointly managed by a BCI supply chain manager and the IDH programme manager that acts on behalf of the funders.
A dedicated website will be launched soon. For more information please contact, Lise Melvin, director of BCI.
Read more about the IDH cotton programme
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