sustainable and ethical cotton sourcing how to get it right, and make it pay for your business

For more information on speaking, sponsoring or attending please contact Tobias.Webb@innovation-‐forum.co.uk or call +44 (0) 7867 416 646

Sustainable and ethical cotton sourcing: How to get it right, and make it pay for your business

A two-‐day business event organised by Innovation Forum

16-‐17 March 2015, Central London location

Sponsored by and in Partnership with CottonConnect

Overview: Cotton is increasingly on the corporate sourcing agenda for a number of important reasons. Not only is its growth and harvesting high impact for farmers and agricultural workers but its growth has a significant environmental impact through water and chemicals usage. All through the ginning, spinning and processing of cotton into textiles and in their manufacture into clothes, significant social and environmental impacts are known across the value chain. Companies sourcing cotton, either as traders, manufacturers or in its final form as clothing and other materials, are increasingly aware of cotton’s negative impacts. Many are seeking to address these through tracing, auditing and collaborative partnerships across the supply chain. This event has been created to help brands, suppliers, traders and key NGO partners understand both the issues and how they can collaborate effectively to manage risk and drive supply chain change that lasts, and is more sustainable. Event objectives:

• To provide both a basic and advanced level forum for brands and suppliers who wish to get started – and improve -‐ on ethical and sustainable cotton sourcing


• To raise awareness amongst companies up and down the supply chain of what can be done to improve practices and supplier performance

• To showcase best emerging practices and processes for companies to leapfrog from starting out to delivering against objectives quickly

• To highlight the practical tools and partners available to assist brands and their suppliers in engaging farmers, traders, manufacturers and governments on sustainable and ethical cotton issues

Confirmed speakers so far include:

• Alison Ward, CEO, CottonConnect • Pramod Singh, project manager India, Better Cotton Project, IKEA • Kate Larsen, founder Suaveco & CSRWinWin (former Director The

Children's Place, former Burberry CSR Asia).

Another 20-‐25 speakers from business, NGOs and other experts will be confirmed by end of October 2014. Draft Agenda: Day One: Cotton sourcing risks, transparency and tools 9.00 Welcome and introductions 9.15 Sourcing trends: How brands can better manage cotton supply risk Cotton often comes from countries and areas with serious political risk. But how serious ARE these risks, and are they growing for sourcing brands? In this opening session we’ll look at some of the facts and figures about who buys from where, the risks they are running, and whether cotton hedging and risk mitigation strategies are taking account of ethical, reputational and sustainability risk.

• Out of the top ten cotton producers globally, only the US and Australia could be said to be stable politically. What does sourcing from important but challenging producers such as Pakistan and China mean for brands?

• The Uzbekistan question: Is forced and child labour really on the wane? Is the country ‘safe’ to be sourcing from?

• Are there safer sourcing markets – and new emerging important ones – that you can and should include in risk and mitigation planning?

Speakers: 10.15 Break 10.45 How are brands responding? The headlines For sourcing companies the cotton market has been a volatile one in recent years. According to the 2013 Organic Cotton Report by Textile Exchange, overall


demand is growing, whilst production contracts. Overall production of natural fibres fell 3% in 2013, whilst conventional cotton production fell 4.1% compared to 2012. So markets are under pressure, whilst sustainability and ethical expectations on brands are growing. In this session we’ll ask several leading companies who buy finished cotton for an update on their progress to date, challenges they face and have overcome, and key lessons learned so far. Speakers: Or: The GMO vs. Organic debate: Where is the industry headed, what’s best for farmers? Speakers: 11.45 What do the campaigners think of progress so far by brands? Cotton sourcing companies have been under pressure for more than a decade on sourcing. In this session we’ll ask some of the NGO groups focusing on cotton for their views on what they have heard from companies at the event and around the world generally. We’ll ask them to also focus on specific ideas and solutions to solve some of the more serious sustainability challenges in global cotton sourcing 12.45 Lunch 2.00 Breakouts

A) Supply chain transparency one: How to get started B) Sustainable agriculture: Linking cotton with other crops C) Lifecycle analysis: water assessments

3.15 Break 3.45 Breakouts

A) Supply chain transparency two: Moving beyond the basics B) Connecting your supply chain C) Engaging farmers one: How to make the business case

5.00 Closing plenary for Day one: What have we learned to date? 6.00 – 7.30 Networking drinks Day Two: Stakeholder engagement, how to deliver on policies 9.30 The farmer perspective: Lessons learned in sustainable agriculture or: Water and alternatives to cotton: Polyester, flax, hemp


Trends, rainfed cotton or irrigated cotton 10.30 Break 11.00 Breakouts

A) Technology 1: Worker/farmer hotlines and mobile technology B) Supply chain transparency three: Advanced practices C) Engaging farmers two: Solutions that build confidence and deliver

results D) Machine picked vs. handpicked: Can sustainable cotton be hand

picked? 12.30 Lunch 13.30 Breakouts

A) Other parts of the supply chain: Talking to Ginners/Spinners/The Mill perspective

B) Merging social and environmental issues in supply chain engagement

C) NGO collaborations: Top tips on how to make them work, and pay off D) Traceability solutions: What are your options?

3.15 Break 3.45 Breakouts

A) Talking to customers: Can it be done, and how? B) Engaging farmers three: How to make farmers into cotton

sustainability leaders C) Pesticide and chemicals use: Practical ways to minimise impact (the

environmental and economic feasibility of applying biological or non-‐pesticide methods for plant protection)

5.00 Closing plenary: What have we learned, conclusions and steps for the next 12 months 6-‐00 -‐ 7.00 Networking session About Innovation Forum Innovation Forum produces high-‐level events and analysis around the sustainability trends and opportunities for business in emerging markets. With over 30 years’ experience in the sustainability space the Innovation Forum team has developed an extensive readership and broader network of senior CR and sustainability professionals, along with strong ties to NGOs, academics, governmental officials and the media operating in the space.


We research, organise, market and host conferences, alongside our sponsors in both London and in emerging markets around the world. We publish analysis, interviews and Q&A’s with leading players from companies, the investment community, analysts and government figures. Innovation Forum is founded and led by Tobias Webb, Ian Welsh and Oliver Bamford, previously founder, editor and lead commercial at Ethical Corporation. Current events include the following: How business can tackle deforestation Collaborate effectively with suppliers and NGOs, understand policy and enforcement trends 28th-‐29th October, 2014, London. More details here. How to effectively engage stakeholders in frontier markets (emerging markets) An exclusive two-‐day executive training workshop, certified by the CSR Training Institute 30-‐31 October, 2014, London. More details here. Business and human rights How to get beyond policy, manage risk and build relationships 10 November, 2014, London. More details here. About Cotton Connect CottonConnect is a social enterprise, pioneering a transparent and sustainable cotton supply chain from retailers to farmers to build a sustainable future for the cotton industry. We believe the cotton industry needs greater collaboration from retailer to farmer to address major challenges and create a sustainable cotton industry. Creating Connections – Supply Chain Services We connect retailers with their cotton supply chain through bespoke programmes and technology and providing strategic advice on supply chains for the future: • Value chain mapping -‐ analysing transactions from garment to farmer • Connecting supply chains from farm to garment • Monitoring and evaluation of impacts Developing the Future for Cotton Farming -‐ Reducing Impact and Increase Sustainability We support farmers to build more sustainable livelihoods and reduce impacts on the environment


• Focusing on water and pesticide efficiency, soil health, livelihood enhancement and decent work. We develop tailor made scalable farmer training programmes across all standards and initiatives • For example developing new models for organic cotton farming Our Team We have an expert team of 35 people in the UK, India, Pakistan, China and South America. Through our farmer extension programmes we work with around 270 farmer training experts. Our Results Working with 22 brands • Producing fibre for 250 million garments Working with 100,000 farmers resulting in a: • 15% reduction in pesticide use • 15% reduction in water use • 6% increase in farmer income

sustainable and ethical cotton sourcing how to get it right, and make it pay for your business

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