Ergon worked with a major garment brand to develop its understanding of how it could use its influence to promote more sustainable cotton cultivation, focusing on the socio-economic and labour rights impacts of cotton farming.
More than 95% of its products are made with cotton. However, in a fragmented sector, with a complex and intermediated value chain, there are no simple solutions for brands to promote more sustainable practices in the primary sectors of the value chain.
Ergon worked with a senior-level internal working group to understand, firstly, the form and scope of social and labour rights impacts in primary cotton cultivation and, secondly, to develop responses which best harnessed the opportunities for the company to work with others to achieve change. In particular, Ergon brought its knowledge of the sector to bear in providing explanation of the different initiatives and platforms operating in the sector.
Following the review process, the brand joined forces with other companies, NGOs and producer organisations to join and support the BCI (Better Cotton Initiative).
