Sustainability Resources
Australia

Cotton LEADS partners and founding organizations work collectively to increase sustainability awareness and change throughout the cotton supply chain. Over 500 partners join the program and the journey towards continuous improvement.

Cotton LEADS partners include 716 manufacturers, brands and retailers who recognize the need to advance the supply and use of responsibly produced cotton through international and national efforts. These partners commit to the five core principles of the program and support the use of cottons from the Cotton LEADS program in their supply chains.

An up-to-date, cradle-to-grave examination of cotton’s environmental impacts directs our efforts and helps our partners better understand their environmental footprint.

Partners and founding organizations share how they are leading the way in responsible production and operations through the sharing of best practices.

In 2012, the Third Environment Assessment was conducted to continue documenting performance and practice change, and to continue the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement. This statement is the industry’s official response to the Third Environmental Assessment, outlining the high level outcomes that have been delivered on behalf of the industry.

Founding organizations complete the Natural Resource Survey and make significant improvements in water efficiency.

The Australian cotton industry is committed to sustainability and continuous improvement. This is its first sustainability report prepared according to the principles and framework of the Global Reporting Initiative for Sustainability Reporting (G4 version). In preparing the report the industry has considered more than 100 sustainability indicators, reviewed the literature and international frameworks, and consulted stakeholders.

The 2014 Cotton LEADS program Annual Report outlines the work of the program in its first year as well as future commitments to responsible cotton across cotton producing countries.

This report presents the findings and recommendations of an assessment of the environmental management and performance of Australian cotton growing. The study period of the report is 2003-2012 as it appraises the cotton industry’s implementation of the recommendations of the Second Environmental Audit that reported in 2003 and the cotton industry’s progress since then.

The Australian cotton industry has a 21 year history of independent environmental assessments, demonstrating its commitment to monitoring and improving the industry’s environmental performance. The initial assessment, conducted in 1991, saw the cotton industry become the first major agricultural industry undertake such a task, and in 2012, the Third Environment Assessment was conducted to continue documenting performance and practice change. The Australian Cotton Industry: Third Environmental Assessment made six recommendations for the industry to improve its environmental performance. These recommendations, and the key findings from the Assessment, are outlined in this Assessment Report.