IOAS was pleased to announce its partnership with the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in February 2026, following the strengthening of the scheme’s certification and assurance model.
This reflects increasing expectations for sustainability schemes to demonstrate greater independence and consistency in assurance, making credible accreditation of Certification Bodies increasingly important.
IOAS is supporting BCI’s evolution by assessing and accrediting Certification Bodies operating within the BCI system. Our first BCI assessment in China took place in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, including assessment activity at a cotton spinning facility.
Independent third-party accreditation provides oversight of the certification system, helping to ensure that standards are being adhered to and the assurance system is working as intended, ultimately strengthening trust in the label.
Lauren Carlyle, Executive Director of IOAS, said: “IOAS is pleased to be bringing its assessment expertise to BCI assessments in China, applying our rigorous assessment approach to support credible assurance and confidence in BCI certification.”
We look forward to continuing to support credible certification across the Better Cotton supply chain in China and globally.
Visit http://www.ioas.org or contact enquiry@ioas.org to find out more.
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