Better Cotton begins physical certification and updates related processesIssuing time:2025-02-17 14:49 Better Cotton has been leading one of the strongest and most trusted voluntary standards systems in the industry, and today, it has completed the transformation to a certification program, with all conformity assessments and subsequent certifications being completed by third-party organizations. This strategic move highlights the organization's commitment to upholding the highest sustainability and transparency standards in the cotton industry, adding additional rigor to its already strong model, further enhancing impartiality and independence.
Important Update 1. CB (certification body) will start BCI COC certification audit and issue certification certificates from February 3, 2025. Brand Audits-New brand certification starts from April 2025. 2. Suppliers and manufacturers will no longer classify risk levels into A, B, and C. 3. Within 3 years of the validity period of the BCI COC certificate, the CB needs to perform a supervisory audit. The following situations require a supervisory audit: If the NC quantity level exceeds a certain number, a supervisory audit is required. Supervision can also be triggered by risks or new information about the organization. For multiple sites, a supervisory audit of the certified sites is required every year. 4. Added Multi-Site Certification-NEW multi-site audit and certification. Key steps in the BCI certification process 1. Certification application and screening Receiving applications: The certification body receives certification applications from supply chain organizations. Screening verification: Verification of whether the application meets the eligibility criteria (see the Better Cotton Chain of Custody Standard v1.0/1.1 - Eligibility Criteria Policy - Better Cotton), including: - Membership validity period. - Better Cotton Project (BCP) account status. - Retailers and Brand Owners (RB) need to check whether the TRC activation fee has been paid. 2. Audit scheduling and information sharing Audit scheduling: The certification body shall submit audit details to the Better Cotton Organization at least two weeks in advance of the final audit scheduling stage. 3. Audit execution, report submission and certification Audit Execution: The certification body conducts the audit. Report submission: After the audit is completed, the certification body will upload the certificate and report and notify the Better Cotton Organization. 4. System update and certificate issuance System Update: The Better Cotton Organization updates the internal system and notifies the certification body via email once the record is updated. Certificate issuance: The certification body shares the certificate with the supply chain organization. |
