Better Cotton Standard Audit Clears Brazilian Farms of Deforestation Breach, But Concerns Linger
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- Published: Thursday, 25 April 2024 13:14
The Better Cotton Standard has announced that a recent third-party audit found no breach of its standards at certified farms in Brazil, which were recently linked to environmental and human rights abuses. However, while the audit results provided some relief, concerns remain about the efficacy of the assessment process and the broader impact on local communities.
The audit, conducted by Peterson, concluded that the certified farms in question did not violate Better Cotton standards related to community impact. It also found that the farms were registered with the Rural Environmental Registry and certified by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources, indicating compliance with national legislation and industry standards.
However, critics argue that the scope of the audit was limited and failed to address key issues raised by organizations like Earthsight, which implicated fashion giants H&M and Zara owner Inditex in corruption, illegal deforestation, and land grabbing in the ecologically sensitive Cerrado region.
EarthSight pointed out that the audit focused on only three locations, none of which were the sites where the worst violations were alleged to have occurred. Moreover, concerns were raised about the adequacy of Better Cotton's standards in addressing community needs, cultural values of lands, and preventing land conversion in areas of high conservation value.
Rubens Carvalho, head of deforestation research at Earthsight, criticized the audit as "extremely unsatisfactory and incomplete." He highlighted discrepancies between Better Cotton's standards and the realities of land use and indigenous rights protection on the ground.
While Better Cotton maintains that it welcomes scrutiny from watchdog groups like Earthsight, it acknowledged the need for improvement in farm and regulatory oversight. The organization committed to considering direct due diligence on large corporate owners of cotton farms and enhancing engagement across commodity stakeholder groups.
Despite the audit's findings, concerns persist about the transparency and effectiveness of the Better Cotton Standard in addressing deforestation, land grabbing, and human rights violations. Critics stress the importance of traceability to the farm level to address these issues effectively and ensure sustainable cotton production practices.
As the debate continues, stakeholders emphasize the urgency of comprehensive and transparent auditing processes to uphold environmental and ethical standards in the cotton industry. The outcome of ongoing discussions and initiatives will be critical in shaping the future of cotton production and trade, with a focus on promoting sustainability and social responsibility across the supply chain.