The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future. BCI aims to transform cotton production worldwide by developing Better Cotton as a sustainable mainstream commodity. BCI works across the cotton supply chain to promote measurable and continuing improvements.
Find out more about BCI at - https://bettercotton.org/
ISEAL Code Compliant designates members who have successfully undergone independent evaluations against the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice in Standards-Setting, Assurance and Impacts.
The ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems (‘the ISEAL Code’) v1.0 became effective as of 1 March 2024. There is an 18-month transition period of ISEAL Code Compliant organisations to align their systems to the ISEAL Code.
During the transition period, no independent evaluations against the Standard-Setting, Impacts, or Assurance Codes are conducted, but Code Compliant organisations will engage in compliance activities and are expected to align their systems with the ISEAL Code. Independent evaluations against the scope of the ISEAL Code are anticipated from Q4 2025. Information on the transition period is publicly available on the ISEAL Code of Good Practice revision and integration page.
Independent evaluation in progress
As a result of this independent evaluation, BCI have made the following improvements to their assurance system:
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Updated the Better Cotton Assurance Manual to clarify the independence of the external oversight body.
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Updated the Conflict of Interest Policy to better define management practices to respond to risks to impartiality deriving from a potential conflict of interest of auditors.
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Updated information in relation to their assurance scheme, e.g. description of how stakeholders can provide input to the assurance process and benchmarking information.
Independent evaluation in progress
ISEAL Code Compliant members provide publicly available reports that give a comprehensive and accessible overview of a member's system.
ISEAL System Overview Better Cotton Initiative 2022