International Sustainable Community
RUNNER-UP: Primark
The Project…
Primark has been working hard to ensure its clothes are made with respect for workers’ rights and the environment. While Primark buys no cotton direct from producers, its long-term ambition is to ensure all the cotton in its supply chain is sourced sustainably. In 2013, Primark used its relationships to bring together agricultural experts, CottonConnect, and the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) to create ‘Primark’s Sustainable Cotton Programme’, a unique three-year partnership that trained 1,251 female smallholder farmers in India through classroom sessions, in-field training, and learning groups. The programme has helped farmers produce more environmentally sustainable cotton, increase cotton quality and ultimately improve their livelihoods.