Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) has reported strong sustainability performance across its partner network following the completion of its 2025 Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report, covering verification activities in 20 cotton companies across 10 production countries in Africa south of the Sahara.
A total of 24 verification missions were conducted during 2025, comprising 12 field-level and 12 ginnery-level assessments. The verifications evaluated compliance with CmiA’s sustainability standards across four key pillars: management, people, planet, and prosperity.
Strong Results Across Sustainability Pillars
According to the report, independent on-site verifications confirmed that partner companies achieved a “very good” rating across all four sustainability pillars. The strongest performance was recorded in the prosperity pillar, followed closely by management, with people and planet also receiving very good ratings.
The report assessed compliance with 12 sustainability principles and 288 indicators, measuring both adherence to minimum requirements and continuous improvement in sustainability performance.
Commenting on the findings, Ruth Achterwinter, CmiA Verification Manager at the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), said:
“These results bear out our principle of consistently assisting partners in implementing the standards’ requirements through diverse approaches. Only close cooperation—as equals and on site—makes these results possible.”
She added:
“The verifications are carried out on an ongoing basis by independent and qualified organisations. We make targeted use of the results to support our partners as needed.”
Farmer Training Supports Standard Implementation
The report also highlights the role of training programmes in supporting approximately 715,000 CmiA farmers, including almost 43,000 producers of CmiA Organic cotton.
Training covered a broad range of topics, including:
- Climate-resilient cotton production
- Soil improvement methods
- Women’s empowerment
- Best agricultural practices
Partnerships Strengthen Implementation
According to the report, collaboration between the Aid by Trade Foundation and its partners continues to be supported through projects and knowledge-sharing initiatives, including the Innovations Club, regional workshops, and cooperation with international cotton representatives and stakeholders.
These activities contribute to the implementation of sustainability standards while promoting continuous improvement across the cotton value chain.
