Cotton is grown in areas of the world with formidable challenges, both environmental and social. BCI’s mission dictates that we operate in many of these regions, and therefore, we must manage complex, socio-political and economic conditions in order to deliver support and interventions where they will have the most impact. In order to adapt and respond to decent work and forced labour challenges, in particular, BCI is actively engaged in dialogue on these issues with subject matter experts and key stakeholders, including civil society organisations, retailers and brands, and ethical supply chains consultants.
To that end and in the spirit of our commitment to continuous improvement, BCI formed the Task Force on Forced Labour. The aim of the Task Force is to highlight gaps and develop recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the system. The group is comprised of 12 experts representing civil society, retailers and brands, and ethical supply chain consultancies. The Task Force has worked virtually for six months to review current BCI systems, discuss key issues and gaps, and develop proposed recommendations.
In 2021, BCI is also exploring opportunities to pilot a more comprehensive set of decent work activities, including a detailed forced labour risk assessment and civil society engagement tactics, in one or two high priority regions.
