BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton program joins United Nations’ hosted Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, April 11, 2022 – Fashion and agriculture may seem like two industries that are miles apart, but BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton program has brought them closer by creating the first transparent and traceable cotton supply chain. Today the company announced a new collaboration between the e3 Sustainable Cotton program and the United Nations’(UN) hosted Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network for a series of convenings in New York City throughout 2022.

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a United Nations (UN) hosted online platform for industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and UN system entities. The network showcases and enables collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Considering the fashion and lifestyle sector’s significant impact on societies and the environment, the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network fosters transparent, inclusive, and transformative engagement of global stakeholders to drive urgent action for sustainability. The network provides an impartial platform for the industry and the UN system. Its key objective is to mobilize expertise, innovation, technology, and resources towards a sustainable and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, with the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework.

“The e3 Sustainable Cotton program is an industry-leading sustainable cotton program that delivers a true farm to fashion story bringing transparency and traceability to the forefront of the conversation,” said Kerry Bannigan, Executive Director, Fashion Impact Fund and Co-Founder, Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network. “The e3 program’s mission and goals are aligned with ours to educate and accelerate impact, making them an ideal partner to spark conversation and evoke positive change.”

The e3 cotton program will co-host a series of roundtable events with various industry stakeholders, United Nations representatives and news media to explore how the fashion and lifestyle industries are uniquely positioned to collaborate and engage on the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Sustainability is the responsibility of every company moving forward,” said Jennifer Crumpler, Regional Seed Sustainability Manager and Fiber Development Manager for BASF Agricultural Solutions. “Our program’s participation with the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network will allow us to bring awareness of a better way to create sustainable cotton clothing. We can trace our cotton from farm to finished product. Cotton farmers can deliver on sustainability measurements that leave the land better than they found it. There is a way to make the cotton supply chain transparent for consumers.”

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund.

The e3 Cotton program provides unmatched field-level traceability and is driven by comprehensive verification and a valued reputation for growing socially equitable, economically viable and environmentally responsible cotton. Farmers who are part of the e3 Sustainable Cotton program commit to tracking eight sustainability measures on 100% of their eligible cotton acres, ranging from water use and pesticide management to soil conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Through a series of digital platforms, the cotton they grow can be traced from an individual cotton bale in their field, all the way to the end consumer. To learn more about the e3 Sustainable Cotton program, visit www.e3cotton.us.

^{e3 is a registered trademark of BASF.}

^{© 2022 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.}

Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population while reducing environmental impacts. Working with partners and agricultural experts and by integrating sustainability criteria into all business decisions, we help farmers to create a positive impact on sustainable agriculture. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline, connecting innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our portfolio comprises seeds and specifically selected plant traits, chemical and biological crop protection, solutions for soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we strive to find the right balance for success – for farmers, agriculture and future generations. In 2021, our division generated sales of €8.2 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,700 employees in North America and had sales of $25.9 billion in 2021. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €78.6 billion in 2021. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a United Nations (UN) hosted online platform for industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and UN system entities. The network showcases and enables collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals; fostering transparent, inclusive, and transformative engagement of global stakeholders to drive urgent action for sustainability. The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network provides an impartial platform for the industry and the UN system with the key objectives to mobilize expertise, innovation, technology, and resources towards a sustainable and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, with the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework. The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund. https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/action-networks/conscious-fashion-and-lifestyle-network