For over 160 years, Standard Chartered Bank has provided banking services that help clients to succeed, creating wealth, jobs and growth. Growth in our markets is leading to rapid urbanisation and creating increased need for infrastructure and technology. We’re committed to sustainable social and economic development through our business, operations and communities. Supporting sustainable and responsible growth, including delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals, represents a significant opportunity for us.
In pursuing this opportunity, we supported Louis Dreyfus Company with its first sustainable trade loan in India. The financing will help farmers to produce better cotton in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.
Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) or Better Cotton for short, is the world’s leading sustainability initiative for cotton. Their mission is to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. Better Cotton has developed partnerships across industries including farmers, ginners, spinners, suppliers, manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, civil society organisations, donors and governments. This adds up to more than 2,300 members in the Better Cotton network. Over 2.4 million farmers in 25 countries have a licence to sell their cotton as Better Cotton after receiving training on how to use water efficiently, care for soil health and better natural habitat.
For the sustainable finance transaction, credit has been extended to Louis Dreyfus Company India Private Limited (LD India) for the domestic procurement of cotton. The cotton is certified as better cotton by BCI. The extended credit will facilitate LD India’s initiative to support value chain stakeholders including farmers across the country to adopt sustainable farming practices.