Threading natural capital into cotton: Doing business with nature

A new Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) report, produced jointly with seven leading global businesses, addresses natural capital challenges in the cotton industry that impact all actors, from farmers to retailers.

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‘Threading natural capital into cotton: Doing business with nature’ calls on those in the cotton industry to accelerate action on natural capital accounting, with the aim of ensuring a sustainable future for the sector.  It outlines the necessary steps which must be taken in order to ensure that positive practices are embedded in the cotton industry going forward. The report presents natural capital management interventions in the cotton supply chain and focuses on water, biodiversity and soil particularly at the growing stage of the supply chain where natural capital challenges are most prevalent. The report is complemented by an online tool, created for businesses along the cotton supply chain to engage in conversations around natural capital impacts.
 
This report concludes that dependencies on natural capital must be recognized by businesses and, further, that by incorporating an understanding of this dependency into operational decision-making processes, sustainable and resilient cotton supply chains will be encouraged. This report hopes to inform constructive dialogue among the vast multitude of relevant stakeholders, from farmers to retailers.
 
This report is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between the Natural Capital Leaders Platform and leading companies including Asda, Bayer, Cargill, C&A, Kering, Olam International and Value Retail, working together with experts and cotton initiatives as part of a Cotton Action Research Collaboratory (ARC).

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