The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has launched a nationwide effort to help encourage enrollment in the program. The Trust Protocol has now officially moved into phase two of the program and is providing resources to generate interest. The program provides a standard to verify the sustainability of American cotton, an attribute that is becoming increasingly important to consumers. The goal is to have more than half of U.S. producers participating in the program by 2025.
“Consumers want more transparency when it comes to the products they purchase, and the European Union is threatening brands and retailers with stricter regulations when it comes to sustainability reporting and the responsible sourcing of raw materials. These evolving dynamics prompted the creation of a new sustainability standard for cotton and the launching of the U.S. Trust Protocol by the industry,” President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Gary Adams said in a news release. “By joining the Trust Protocol, our growers will now be able to better document their current sustainability programs using a quantifiable, digital platform and that data is assessed and verified by a third-party audit – something no other cotton producing nation does today.”
The Trust Protocol assists growers with documenting and highlighting the efforts for better land management and environmental stewardship. The program also provides assistance for making continuous improvements to environmental sustainability. Using the data collection platform, participants in the program will have access to aggregate year-over-year data related to the main sustainability priorities set forth in the Trust Protocol.
A series of webinars are being offered to provide more information about the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and detail the steps for enrolling in the program. The grower enrollment live-webinar sessions begin September 29 and will run through October 15. A full schedule of the webinars being offered if available through the Trust Protocol website.
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