Our organisation
Powering resilient supply chains
CottonConnect helps global brands build sustainable supply chains that are traceable, resilient and ready for the future.
Why we exist
A changing supply chain landscape
We connect the people, processes and data behind cotton and other raw materials so businesses can source with confidence, reduce risk, and deliver on their sustainability commitments without compromising performance.
Cotton is one of the world’s most important raw materials, yet the systems behind it are under pressure – and brands are having to rethink how they source. Climate risk, resource constraints, evolving regulation and rising expectations from consumers are reshaping how brands need to source. At the same time, supply chains remain complex and often lack transparency at the point of origin.
This creates a fundamental challenge: how to secure supply, manage risk, and prove impact, at scale. CottonConnect exists to make that possible.
We work with brands to strengthen supply chains from the ground up – improving visibility, building resilience, and creating long-term value for both businesses and the communities behind production.
Cotton accounts for almost 24% of all global textile production
What we do
Connecting supply chains, end to end
We bring together on-the-ground delivery, data and technology to give brands a clear line of sight from farm to finished product.
Our programmes work across every stage of the value chain – from farmers and ginners through to mills and manufacturers – building the systems and relationships needed for true traceability.
The result: brands achieve a supply chain that is not only more transparent, but more stable, more efficient, and better equipped to meet both commercial and ESG goals.
Find out how we can help you
Global impact, local expertise
Scale and reach
We operate in key sourcing regions around the world, with teams embedded in the markets from which you source. This local presence allows us to deliver value where it matters most, ensuring resilience, scalability and alignment with brand priorities.
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key sourcing markets
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K+
farmers engaged to date
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retailers on board
Goals
How we measure our impact
Environment and Climate goals by 2030
GHG Emissions:
Reduce GHG emissions for REEL Cotton by 50% by 2030 (from the baseline year 2017)
On track
GHG emissions are tracked on an annual basis through farm level and programme level assessments. Life Cycle Assessment conducted for REEL programmes every three years.
Biodiversity:
More than 90% of REEL Cotton farmers are trained to adopt regenerative practices by 2030
On track
More than 99% of the REEL programme farmers are currently being trained on regenerative practices. In future more farmers will be enrolled in the REEL Regenerative programme, ensuring they are trained to adopt regenerative practices, thereby meeting this goal.
Soil health
100% of REEL Cotton farmers improve soil health by 2030
On track
Annual soil sampling is carried out to track year on year progress of soil health against key parameters.
Traceability goals by 2025
Traceability:
100% of REEL Cotton is traceable by 2025
Achieved
Cotton procurement and processing of all REEL and REEL Regenerative programmes is traced through TraceBale.
Social goals by 2030
Smallholder livelihoods:
Increase the net income and resilience in a sustainable manner for one million cotton farmers and workers by 2030
On track
Over 800,000 farmers have participated in CottonConnect programmes up to and including 2024-25.
Women’s empowerment:
500,000 women trained in Women in Cotton programmes by 2030
On track
264,269 women participated in Women in Cotton programmes in 2024-25
Built on collaboration
Our clients
We partner with brands, retailers and manufacturers to strengthen their supply chains and support responsible sourcing at scale. Our clients value our ability to turn complex challenges into practical solutions, combining traceability, on-the-ground delivery and credible data to help them meet their business and sustainability targets.
Our partners
Only by making sustainable production commercially viable can we support the people and nature at the heart of producing raw materials. We have developed tools to help brands move beyond addressing risk and compliance to actively address issues affecting climate, livelihoods, and human rights.
Strong supply chains depend on strong partnerships. We work alongside NGOs, governments, industry bodies and supply chain partners to design and deliver programmes that create lasting change. By combining expertise across the system, we’re able to move faster, scale impact, and ensure solutions are grounded in both local knowledge and global best practice.
Our clients
Leading global brands
Our people
Expertise where it matters
Our team brings together specialists in agriculture, supply chains and sustainability, based in the regions where our programmes operate. And our leadership team combines deep expertise across agriculture, sustainability, finance and global supply chains, with experience spanning apparel, FMCG and international markets.
This combination of local knowledge and commercial experience allows us to deliver solutions that work in practice, and deliver value in the real world.
The team
Specialists and experts in agriculture, business and rural management
Our board
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Alison Ward
Alison has led CottonConnect since 2013 and brings over 25 years of global experience in sustainability and corporate affairs. She specialises in turning complex supply chain challenges into commercially viable, scalable solutions across FMCG, food and apparel. Her commitment to sustainable sourcing began at Cadbury, where she oversaw the first mainstream Fairtrade chocolate bar across six markets.
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La Rhea Pepper
La Rhea is a fifth-generation cotton farmer from Texas, US, and former CEO of Textile Exchange, the global non-profit that works to create a more sustainable textile industry. She began farming organic cotton in the early 1990s, and since then has been a key figure in the organic cotton movement.
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Robert Smeele
Robert has more than 25 years of experience in finance roles in both the public and private sector. He has extensive experience in the charitable sector and has been a member of the Board of Directors, among others, of the COFRA Foundation and the Redevco Foundation. He is also Director of Taxes at Endress & Hauser, based in Switzerland.
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Yogesh Bellani
Yogesh is an entrepreneur and growth strategist with over 25 years of experience scaling consumer brands in India and internationally. As Founder of Uttishta Partners and former CEO of Del Monte Foods India, he brings deep expertise in market entry and business growth. He advises companies on strategy, mentors founders, and teaches Strategy and Marketing at leading Indian business schools.
Management team
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Kinner Lakhani
Kinner is an experienced commercial leader with expertise across sales, account management, operations and business development. He has worked with global brands in apparel, footwear and accessories, and brings deep industry insight from a family background in cotton production and manufacturing. He holds an MBA from SDA Bocconi and an Exchange MBA from Chicago Booth, and leads key accounts, programme delivery and strategic growth at CottonConnect.
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Abhishek Nambiar
Abhishek joined CottonConnect in 2021, bringing over 20 years of experience across business strategy, HR, risk and programme management. He holds an MBA in Finance and an Advanced HR certification from IIM Ahmedabad, and is a Master Black Belt in project management. He leads CottonConnect’s global HR, IT and administration functions, ensuring the organisation remains aligned, effective and focused on delivering its strategic goals.
“We believe in helping brands, suppliers and farmers develop partnerships that are truly transformational.”
Our structure
Designed for long-term value
CottonConnect is a social enterprise that builds resilient and traceable supply chains, enabling global brands to source cotton and other crops more fairly and sustainably.
Today, the business is owned by CottonConnect Trustees Limited, a structure designed to ensure that value created is reinvested into strengthening supply chains and supporting the people behind them.
This model allows us to stay focused on delivering measurable results for our clients, while maintaining a clear commitment to driving value in the communities in which we operate. CottonConnect Trustees Limited operates with defined governance structures and full financial transparency, with accounts filed in the UK with Companies House.
