Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has strengthened its focus on regenerative practices by launching an updated version of its Principles & Criteria (P&C). This update marks another step in the organisation’s progress toward becoming a regenerative standards system.

The new version, P&C v3.2, came into effect on April 1. It follows an independent review of BCI’s standards against recognised regenerative programmes, along with consultations across the industry to ensure the changes are well aligned.

Jannis Bellinghausen, Senior Director of Standards System Integrity at BCI, stated that the Principles & Criteria are regularly updated to stay relevant and reflect the real conditions faced by farmers. He added that with climate change affecting farming communities, the organisation has increased its focus on continuous improvement based on regenerative agriculture practices.

BCI’s Principles & Criteria already included key areas such as soil health, biodiversity, natural habitats, water use, pesticides, fertilisers, and livestock where applicable. These areas continue to remain an important part of the standard.

The updated version further strengthens the requirement for farmers to show continuous improvement. It encourages them to give more attention to regenerative agriculture while setting their goals and planning yearly activities.