{"id":10056,"date":"2021-06-25T17:02:53","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T15:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/br\/sustainability-report-2020\/responsible-business\/cotton\/"},"modified":"2024-04-08T17:38:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T15:38:19","slug":"cotton","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/br\/en\/sustainability-report-2020-2\/responsible-business\/cotton\/","title":{"rendered":"Cotton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Responsible Business<\/p>\n

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Cotton<\/h1>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
Home<\/a><\/span> \u00bb Private: Sustainability Report 2020<\/a><\/span> \u00bb Responsible Business<\/a><\/span> \u00bb Cotton<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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As a natural fiber, cotton is renewable and biodegradable, and therefore significantly more sustainable than synthetic fabrics, many of which are petroleum based. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cotton supply chains are complex, however, and present a number of challenges in relation to both human and environmental issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promoting the Better Cotton Initiative\u2019s<\/em> comprehensive sustainability standards, working with a range of partners to improve supply chain practices through local projects, and purchasing more Better Cotton are the main ways in which we influence production methods to address these issues.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe leverage the influence and resources of our industry-leading position to advance sustainable cotton production, working alongside textile industry partners and expert organizations such as the Better Cotton Initiative, the International Labour Organization and Cotton made in Africa to maximize the impact of our initiatives.\u201d\n<\/div>\n

Joe Nicosia<\/p>\n

Head of Cotton<\/p>\n <\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Cotton and Covid-19 <\/h2> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n
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Cotton was one of the agricultural sectors most adversely impacted by Covid-<\/span>19 in 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section> \n\n

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With many clothing retailers across the world forced into bankruptcy, we saw a ripple effect throughout the supply chain, as textile mills stopped operations abruptly and tried to cancel contracts. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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When the global supply chain slowed, LDC leveraged its significant warehouse network to hold inventory, thereby offsetting the impact of contract delays. We were also at pains to honor all existing purchase obligations to our suppliers, fulfilling our role as a trusted partner at a time of crisis for the industry. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n <\/div>\n \n \n

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Better Cotton Volumes<\/h2> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n
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To encourage responsible cotton production, we support the Better Cotton Initiative<\/a><\/em> (BCI) in its important efforts to drive progress in the industry.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section> \n\n

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Since 2013, we have steadily grown year-on-year volumes of cotton purchased from sources certified by BCI. In 2020, the pandemic\u2019s negative impact on cotton consumption and supply chains resulted in a lower uptake of BCI-certified cotton. Volumes in the US were hit particularly hard, due to lower production in the west Texas region, where we have a big footprint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, as the sector recovered toward the end of the year, we saw a big upswing in our BCI program and managed to increase our BCI–<\/em>certified cotton purchases by more than 4% year on year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In such unprecedented and volatile circumstances, this is a positive outcome that signals our firm intent to continue to increase the volume of BCI–<\/em>certified cotton purchased – in 2021 and beyond. It also means that we have already met our medium-term goal of purchasing 50% more Better Cotton in 2023 compared to 2018. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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BCI\u2019s Theory of Change<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n