Organised by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), the forum aims to enhance collaboration across Brazil's cotton industry and related supply chains.
At the recent meeting, over 50 representatives approved a new governance framework with two key structures.
One is the board of directors, which includes members from diverse sectors such as cotton growers, traders, suppliers, and the textile industry. It also has representatives from retailers, civil society organisations, indigenous communities, educational institutions, and logistics professionals.
The other structure is the executive secretariat, which will support the board and ensure the implementation of decisions made by the Plenary Session.
The board will meet bi-monthly, supported by an executive secretariat led by Better Cotton Initiative’s local team.
According to the Better Cotton Initiative, the Dialogue’s Plenary Session retains its role as the primary decision-making entity.
Better Cotton Initiative large farm programmes and partnerships senior manager Álvaro Moreira said: “This second meeting has cemented the Dialogue’s critical role as a vehicle for collaboration and action within Brazil’s cotton sector.
“With the new governance structure, we'll be ready to support the sector with new initiatives in 2026, making further progress in areas such as traceability, protection from climate change, cross sectoral cooperation, and the promotion of cotton as a natural fibre. All topics of the Dialogue are defined collectively by its members."
Inaugurated in March 2025 with support from the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa), the Dialogue aims to foster cooperation among farmers, businesses, researchers, civil society, and government representatives. It seeks to address shared challenges within Brazil's cotton sector while enabling the exchange of experiences and strategic improvements.
Abrapa institutional relations director Silmara Ferraresi said: “When we gather, in the same forum, links that complement each other and rely on each other, to discuss common issues, this is important for the future. I believe in collective action. We only work as a chain when everyone comes to the table, and we put on the table everyone’s interests and challenges.”
Participants at the Brasília meeting proposed candidates for the board of directors, with further nominations accepted until 20 January 2026. A public webinar focusing on traceability is planned for 2026. This event will provide external parties involved in Brazil’s cotton sector an opportunity to engage directly with the Dialogue’s initiatives and objectives.
Initiated by the Better Cotton Initiative in late 2024, the Brazil Cotton Multistakeholder Dialogue is part of broader efforts to expand the non-profit, multistakeholder governance group’s influence within Brazil's cotton sector.
