Sustainable Cotton Production in India: A Case Study in Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

Cotton is the world’s most widely traded agricultural commodity, but it is also one of the world’s most toxic to grow. In India, the second largest producer of cotton, Zameen Organics Pvt. Ltd. has pioneered a business model of sustainable cotton production that is based on environmental stewardship and concern for the health and equity of farmers engaged in growing cotton. Zameen’s approach to business illustrates the principles of strategic corporate social responsibility, a business approach that leverages a company’s distinctive competencies to address external issues and by which all stakeholders, not just the shareholders, are enriched.