QUEENSLAND – This year’s Australian Cotton Conference will focus on
strategies to shorten and ensure ethical supply chains and the growing
role of CSR and the environment in the country’s textile sector.
Environmental issues and corporate and social responsibility will be key themes at this year’s Australian Cotton Conference, which takes place from 10 12 August at the Gold Coast Conference & Exhibition Centre, Queensland.With more than 95% of raw Australian cotton exported, one of the key challenges involved in branding ‘Australia’ to the textile and retail sector involves supply chain management.
Under the ‘Fashioning the Future’ theme, delegates at the event will hear from Peter Kreitals from Kreitals Consulting Group and Emer Diviney from Ethical Clothing Australia, who will both share their views on strategies to shorten and ensure ethical supply chains and the growing role of Corporate Social Responsibility and the environment in the textile sector.
According to Diviney, the national coordinator of Ethical Clothing Australia, the joint business-union accreditation body for Australian-made textile, clothing and footwear products, consumer and buyers are responding increasingly well to brands that go the extra yards on ethical and sustainable considerations.
“For a best practice approach, it’s very important for brands to consider their entire supply chain, from the field to the shelf and take practical steps to ensure compliance down the whole line,” she said. “In some cases, this will involve brands embracing a combination of accreditation and certification systems.”
They will join a strong line-up of international speakers including Bob Antoshak from FC Stone in the USA, who will discuss global textile sector performance and John Cheh from Esquel Enterprises in Hong Kong, who will share his experience on the quality and environmental performance of Australian cotton.
The forum will also launch the Australian Cotton Industry’s new brand, which will coincide with product launches from a number of iconic Australian textile brands.
Web: www.australiancottonconference.com.au
