What is the Better Cotton (BCI) Principles and Criteria (P&C)?
The Better Cotton (formerly BCI) Principles and Criteria (P&C) is the global and foundational production standard that farmers must comply with to be licensed to sell "Better Cotton," aiming to mainstream sustainable cotton production worldwide. With the updated v3.0 version, the standard guides cotton producers across social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Its primary goal is to improve farmers' incomes and working conditions while optimizing water consumption, protecting soil health, supporting biodiversity, and minimizing the use of synthetic chemicals.
Key Technical Framework of the BCI Principles and Criteria
The updated standard structures farm-level cotton production around six core Principles and two cross-cutting priorities. The technical framework can be summarized as follows:
Management: Farmers are required to establish an informed, data-driven, and inclusive management system. Effective data management enables farms to better plan and improve future agricultural activities.
Natural Resources: Covers the protection of soil health, the efficient and sustainable use of water, and the enhancement of biodiversity on the land. Regenerative agriculture practices, such as minimizing soil disturbance and maximizing soil cover, are explicitly encouraged.
Crop Protection: Promotes the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods to progressively reduce the use and risk of synthetic pesticides. The phase-out of highly hazardous pesticides is a key target.
Fibre Quality: Mandates the adoption of best agricultural practices that enhance the processing quality of the harvested cotton in the textile industry, minimizing waste and contamination (foreign matter).
Decent Work: Zero tolerance is enforced against forced labor and child labor on the farm. Worker health and safety, payment of at least the minimum wage, non-discrimination, a workplace free from violence/harassment, and freedom of association are guaranteed under this standard.
Sustainable Livelihoods: Steps are taken to improve the economic well-being and resilience of cotton communities, particularly small and medium-sized farmers, making them more resilient to market fluctuations.
Cross-Cutting Priorities: Gender Equality (strengthening the role of women in agriculture) and Climate Change (reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change) are mandatory focus areas integrated across all six principles.
Why Choose ETKO for BCI Verification?
In addition to the BCI Chain of Custody in the supply chain, the compliance of farm-grown cotton with the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria must be verified by an independent and competent body to ensure credibility. ETKO’s extensive experience in field audits and its team of international expert auditors transparently prove that your farm-level production processes are fully compliant with BCI requirements. This verification process, conducted with ETKO's quality assurance, enables producers to support their sustainability claims in the international market with solid data.