UK | M&S has announced a partnership with Pilio, a sustainability innovator and solutions provider, to launch the Affordable Clean Environment (ACE) cotton programme.
This initiative was designed to accelerate access to clean energy and strengthen biodiverse farming practices across cotton growing communities in India.
Cotton is central to M&S’s products, making up the largest share of its material portfolio and accounting for more than half of the total fibre mix. The ACE Cotton programme is an important part of Plan A of M&S’ sustainability strategy to protect and enhance biodiversity across its entire value chain.
Building on progress already made in sourcing more responsible cotton, with 100 percent of the cotton in M&S clothing coming from Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), recycled, or organic sources since 2019, and home textiles tracking towards the same goal by 2025/26, this programme goes further by investing directly in clean energy and nature positive solutions for cotton growing communities.
At the heart of the ACE Cotton programme is a focus on community livelihoods, ensuring cotton farmers are central to decision-making and that the initiatives are developed in partnership with them.
Catherine Bottrill, CEO of Pilio, said it was great to be working with M&S, who recognise the importance of investing in a holistic solution that improves the lives of cotton growers alongside addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“Access to clean energy benefits strengthens the prosperity of farming communities while reducing emissions and delivering positive outcomes for biodiversity across brand supply chain.”
The programme will also unlock financing for both on-farm and off-farm solar technologies, helping reduce carbon emissions associated with cotton production and strengthen the long-term resilience of rural communities.
Working with farmers already licensed under the Better Cotton Initiative, the ACE cotton programme will extend its support beyond agricultural practices to include habitat creation, restoration of land and the introduction of nature-positive approaches such as native plantings for wildlife and waterway habitat areas and nature corridors connecting fields across local landscapes.
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