CODE OF CONDUCT

All ACF members are required to commit to our Code of Conduct

CODE OF CONDUCT

The ACF’s mission is to support African cotton farmers and their ecosystem partners in improving their livelihoods, sustainability, and resilience. The ACF supports cotton farmers and strengthens the cotton supply chain through the concept of shared value. In this way, solutions should be impactful, sustainable and scalable.

ACF’s members commit to the vision of a sustainable, modern, and thriving African cotton sector – where farmers are profitable, cotton-growing communities are empowered, human rights are respected, and the environment is conserved. They support African cotton farmers and their ecosystem partners in improving their livelihoods, sustainability, and resilience. Members aim to create shared value and achieve transformative systems change through multi-stakeholder partnerships and investments, R&D, policy dialogue, joint learning, and knowledge-sharing. Members support ACF’s goal to increase the productivity and incomes for at least two million African cotton farmers and their ecosystem partners through stronger supply chains, income diversification, policies, market linkages, financial services, and technical support by 2025.

As an ACF member, you commit to support this vision, mission, and goal. You understand and practice the following Code of Conduct in all your business dealings. Breaches of the Code of Conduct may lead to the termination of membership as specified in the ACF statutes.

Commitment and Conduct

The ACF is focused on transformative systems change, and credibility is crucial to establishing and maintaining relationships with cotton farmers, their value chain partners, governments, civil society, and development organizations. The ACF and its members strive to act with integrity at all times.

1. Members commit themselves to the mission, goals, and strategic principles of ACF
2. Members promote and communicate this commitment throughout their own organization and to external partners.
3. Members act responsibly and are transparent in their engagement with ACF.
4. Members follow communication guidelines established by the Board and do not make any misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the ACF, its partners, or its impact. External communications are evidence-based and consistent.

Collaboration and Promotion

The ACF is a multi-stakeholder initiative that promotes collaboration. ACF and its members welcome constructive feedback and aspire to be innovative.

1. Members actively share their knowledge and expertise pertaining to the mission with the ACF and other members.
2. ACF complements, rather than competes with, other established initiatives.
3. ACF is a pre-competitive platform for solving systemic issues inhibiting improved cotton farmer productivity and incomes. Members agree to strictly adhere to ACF’s anti-trust policy and to refrain from any behavior which can be construed as anti-competitive.
4. Members respect contract sanctity and contribute to building trust in the supply chain.

Ensuring Integrity and Credibility

Credibility of the multi-stakeholder ACF is crucial to collaboration and in achieving ACF’s mission.

1. Members follow the laws in their countries of operation, operate according to high ethical standards, and conduct business with farmers in the spirit of shared value.
2. Members help ACF monitor false claims and other risks to ACF’s integrity and credibility.
3. All members contribute to the continuous improvement of the ACF’s strategy, approach, and repository of best practices.
4. Members commit to timely payment of annual dues to ensure operational consistency.
5. Members commit to using grant funding from development agencies according to its intended purpose and the ACF’s mission, supplementing the members’ own commercial investments. Use of grant funding for activities outside of its intended purpose without permission is prohibited and will result in termination of membership.