Towards More Sustainable – Working with Global Value Chains in Textile Production Side Event organised by Sweden, Switzerland and the Better Cotton Initiative 4th Global Review of Aid for Trade 9 July, 1-3 pm Objectives This side-event aims to take a holistic approach to cotton production, including producers, suppliers, and retailers. Managing supply chains so they are socially and environmentally sustainable is a challenge for many companies that produce and sell cotton products. Cotton can be sourced from multiple suppliers and different countries, and products can be assembled at various stages in a value chain. During this event we will explore how to work with value chains as a tool for development, how to address key negative impacts of cotton production globally, responsibility in the supply chain and the private sector perspective on value chains in textile production. Introduction Side Event 25: Towards more Sustainable Cotton – Working with GVCs in the Textile Industry (Sweden/Switzerland/Better Cotton Initiative) (Room S3) Cotton is the world’s most important natural fibre. But for companies in the textile industry it is a challenge to reach out through the value chain to assure production is socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Stakeholders, from farmers, suppliers and manufactures to brands and retailers as well as civil society have joined forces and developed a voluntary initiative, Better Cotton Initiative – BCI, with the objective to collectively address the negative impacts of mainstream cotton production and to create a global market for cotton produced in a way that is better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future. Data already show that Better Cotton has a positive impact in the field. Among the founding partners of BCI were HM, IKEA and WWF with support from SECO and Sida. Join this event and listen to opportunities and lessons learned from the entire chain from farm to the retailer. Sandwiches and beverages will be served, in the delegates’ room, as a lighter lunch prior to the event. In order to give attendees time to eat, the side event will begin at 1:15 pm

Programme Moderator: Lena Tham, Manager Market Transformation, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Speakers: Eva Walder, Director-General for Trade, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden Lise Melvin, Chief Executive Director, Better Cotton Initiative Ivo Germann, Head Operations South/East Economic Cooperation and Development State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Switzerland

Panelists: Henrik Lampa, Environmental Manager, H&M David Rosenberg, Group Sustainability Advisor, Ecom Agroindustrial Corp. Amelia Sidumo, Better Cotton Initiative Regional Co-ordinator for

Discussion and Q&A