Measuring Impact

Sustainability for the Australian cotton industry means running profitable and productive businesses in balance with natural and human resources. It also means being accountable to stakeholders for the industry’s actions and impacts. Providing credible, transparent data on our impacts and progress is an important part of that accountability.

The Australian cotton industry has commissioned decadal independent environmental assessments of its impacts since 1991.

We have produced comprehensive sustainability reports every five years, from 2014. In farming systems, where seasonal variations can make a single year look much better or worse than average, a five-year period gives a better picture of change over time. Between five-year reports, these concise annual updates give a summary of actions, progress and trends.

Environmental assessments:

  • 1991: First Independent Environmental Audit. Recommendations made to reduce the industry’s environmental impact. The Audit uncovered major issues with pesticide use and lead to the development of the myBMP (Best Management Practices) program.
  • 2003: Second Independent Environment Audit. Found all 44 recommendations from the First Audit had been implemented, and provided new recommendations, primarily in the areas of water use efficiency and biodiversity.
  • 2012: Third Independent Environmental Assessment. Six recommendations for improvement, including more regular reporting on environmental impacts. The industry responded by producing its first five-year Sustainability Report in 2014.
  • 2021: Fourth Independent Environmental Assessment. The assessment found the Australian cotton industry had delivered fully on four of the six recommendations in the 2012 Third Independent Environmental Assessment and has made significant progress on the other two. The Assessment also gave 16 new recommendations, More than half the new recommendations are to continue work already underway, while others are initiatives put forward by the cotton industry during the assessment as actions that were planned for future.


Sustainability Reporting:



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Cotton Australia has formed a number of authentic partnerships with retailers, brands, manufacturers and supply chain partners who share the industry's values. If your organisation believes in reducing environmental footprint, the fair and safe treatment of workers, quality product and supply chain traceability - then we may be in business.

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