Applications for the inaugural European Fair Cotton Procurement Awards will be accepted until 14 February 2014. The awards recognise and reward excellence in the sourcing of Fair Trade cotton and responsible purchasing within the cotton supply chain. Interested public bodies are encouraged to apply to their relevant national award scheme, available in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and France. Applicants from other EU countries can register by contacting coordination@fairprocurement.info.

The awards are open to all levels of local authorities, public bodies and higher education establishments subject to the EU public procurement rules. A panel of judges will examine submissions based on three criteria: organisational policy covering sustainable sourcing of cotton in procurement; procurement practice (chiefly how ethical standards have been applied); and achievements in procuring Fair Trade cotton products.

Through applying for the award organisations can not only showcase their commitment to responsible procurement practices, but establish themselves as a leader in ethical procurement. Applicants will also have the opportunity to exchange best practice with other advanced organisations. Winners will be announced at the LANDMARK project final conference, to be held in Bremen (Germany) on 27 March 2014.

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