Pakistan launches Better Cotton Multistakeholder Platform to drive sustainable cotton sector

Better Cotton, the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative, has launched a Multistakeholder Platform in Pakistan to boost collaboration across government, industry, donors, and academia and drive collective action toward a more sustainable cotton sector. The platform’s inaugural meeting was held on 10 April in Lahore, with over 35 participants in attendance to establish shared goals and set expectations for future engagement.

The initiative aims to foster greater transparency, accountability, and coordinated action in Pakistan’s cotton industry by formalising closer engagement between stakeholders and government institutions. Participants will convene quarterly to exchange insights, define priorities, and co-create action plans to accelerate sustainability efforts.

Hina Fouzia, Director at Better Cotton Pakistan, emphasized the significance of this collaboration, noting that promoting more sustainable cotton production is crucial not only for Pakistan's economic development but also for safeguarding human and labor rights, meeting national sustainability goals, and ensuring farmers and suppliers can access global markets.

This launch follows a similar Multistakeholder Dialogue introduced by Better Cotton in Brazil last month, which brought together agricultural and textile players to align priorities and develop joint solutions. Both platforms reflect Better Cotton’s strategy to strengthen sector-wide partnerships for long-term sustainable impact.