Meet The Trust Protocol's Executive Team

The Trust Protocol recently released the 2023/24 Annual Report. What kind of progress are you seeing towards program goals?

All of our work begins with our growers, so progress begins there too. We’re seeing gains across both acreage and grower enrollment, with a 31% increase in planted acres and a 35% increase in growers. At the field level, they're recording environmental improvements across all six of our key metrics as measured against the 2015 National Baseline. In the midst of a challenging economic landscape, cotton producers are still improving their impact and adopting precision agriculture techniques while meeting some of the highest regulatory standards in the world. They’re committed to continuing progress against sustainability goals and giving brands and retailers data-backed assurances. Within the Trust Protocol, we’re working alongside them to provide the resources and support needed to navigate the challenges ahead. Economic sustainability is as important for these growers as their continuous improvement journey. Shifting down the supply chain, we’ve welcomed a number of new members, bringing the total to 45 global parent companies and brands, and over 2,500 mills and manufacturers. Cross-industry collaboration enables us to provide article-level traceability from farm to finished product.

?

Looking ahead, what is one key priority for the organization that you'll be driving towards in 2025? What tactics are you employing to achieve success?

As Trust Protocol growers refine their practices, we’re seeing an increased supply of cotton that can help brands and retailers meet their responsible sourcing goals in line with new sustainability requirements going into effect in 2025. Our traceability solution enables members to track two different fibers, depending on their needs: Protocol Cotton, which is grown by Protocol growers, and U.S. Cotton, which is grown in the United States. Article-level traceability provides the assurance that brands and retailers need, while data-backed insights enable them to set science-based targets, benchmark performance, and report their environmental impact transparently.

What can members expect from the Trust Protocol in 2025?

Next year brings a number of important opportunities and milestones in our journey towards setting a new standard in sustainable cotton production. Upcoming initiatives will engage the entire value chain in order to drive progress across three strategic pillars, all of which are grounded in our core values of authenticity, innovation, and integrity:

• Environmental Stewardship: As we measure and verify field-level environmental impact, we benchmark our progress in six key metrics against 2025 National Goals, so next year will be an important milestone for sharing results and learnings. We’ll also continue leading the Climate Smart Cotton Program to support growers as they strive to improve profitability, operations, and environmental stewardship; over 1,400 U.S. farming entities are now enrolled, including 282 from historically underserved communities. In order to participate, growers must first be members of the Trust Protocol.
• Traceability: As we continue to adopt and scale our traceability solution across the full supply chain, we’re improving accessibility, enhancing our infrastructure, and engaging stakeholders with training and education. We’re also further bolstering transparency by developing Chain of Custody guidelines, including robust assurance models for both digital and physical verification.
• Continuous Improvement: The needs and expectations of our stakeholders are constantly evolving with our industry. We’re always learning and refining, thanks to regular evaluation of our own processes and all aspects of the cotton supply chain, from farming practices to data capture and reporting methods. We’re also continuing to pursue partnerships with those who share our commitment to sustainability and traceability. Collaboration is key to advancement for both sustainability and Protocol growers.