O produtor ou unidade produtiva participante tem etapas a cumprir, concebidas com base em diagnóstico, aprendizado e melhoria, permitindo chegar ao final da safra em condições de obter a certificação e o licenciamento.

Veja o que é necessário para participar:​

​1. ADESÃO   O produtor deve preencher o Termo de Adesão ABR (TA), via sistema, e enviá-lo à sua associação estadual filiada à Abrapa.  Nesse termo, ele declara se opta ou não pelo licenciamento BCI.​ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\​​​​​​\\\\\\\\\\\​​​\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

2. DIAGNÓSTICO​ ​   ​A unidade produtiva recebe a visita de uma equipe técnica da associação estadual para aplicação da lista de Verificação para Diagnóstico da Propriedade (VDP), que fornece a situação real da unidade produtiva em relação aos requisitos para certificação.​ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\​​​​​​\\\\\\\\\\\​​​\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

3. CORREÇÃO DAS NÃO CONFORMIDADES​ ​ Os itens não conformes apontados na verificação de diagnóstico são relacionados no Plano de Correção das Não Conformidades (PCNC). O produtor define, junto com a associação estadual, o plano e o prazo para realizar as correções, de forma a obter a certificação ainda na mesma safra. A associação estadual prestará assessoria e fará o monitoramento das correções.​ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\​​​​​​\\\\\\\\\\\​​​\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

4. AUDITORIA EXT​ERNA​ ​ Ao final, a unidade produtiva passa por uma auditoria externa independente, realizada por uma empresa certificadora credenciada pela Abrapa (ABNT, SGS ou Genesis, conforme o estado). \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\​​​​​​\\\\\\\\\\\​​​\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ​​

5. CERTIFICAÇÃO​ ​​ Se houver aprovação da auditoria externa - com base em um percentual mínimo de conformidade definido por unidade produtiva e safra -, o produtor recebe a certificação ABR e, se houve opção no ato de adesão, o licenciamento BCI, ambos válidos para a safra auditada.  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\​​​​​​\\\\\\\\\\\​​​\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\​

Critérios ​​de diagnóstico e certificação

As listas de Verificação para Diagnóstico da Propriedade (VDP) e de Verificação para Certificação da Propriedade (VCP) contêm todos os itens necessários à avaliação de conformidade da unidade produtiva, divididos em oito critérios: (1) contrato de trabalho; (2) proibição de trabalho infantil; (3) proibição de trabalho análogo a escravo ou em condições degradantes ou indignas; (4) liberdade de associação sindical; (5) proibição de discriminação de pessoas; (6) segurança, saúde ocupacional e meio ambiente do trabalho; (7) desempenho ambiental; (8) boas práticas agrícolas.

Evolução da conformidade

A certificação ABR utiliza um processo de evolução contínua até atingir um patamar ideal de conformidade nos critérios 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 e 8. Na primeira safra de certificação, é exigida a conformidade mínima de 85%. A conformidade mínima deverá atingir 87% na segunda safra, 89% na terceira e 90% na quarta safra de certificação, sendo este o patamar ideal de conformidade mínima, que deverá ser mantido para a obtenção de novas certificações.​

Simulação em condição ideal, com certificação da unidade produtiva em todas as safras de a​desão​​

Critérios de conformidade total ob​rigatória para certificação em todas as safras:

• Todos os itens do critério 2: Proibição de Trabalho Infantil 
• Todos os itens do critério 3: Proibição de Trabalho Análogo a Escravo ou em Condições Degradantes ou Indignas

Quem certifica, quem​ licencia

A certificação ABR é realizada diretamente pela empresa certificadora e o licenciamento BCI é realizado diretamente pela Better Cotton Initiative.

• Com a certificação ABR, o produtor ou unidade produtiva pode solicitar à Abrapa a liberação para emissão dos selos que vão identificar os seus fardos na safra certificada. A produção dos selos é contratada diretamente pelo produtor ou unidade produtiva junto às gráficas credenciadas pela Abrapa (mesmas gráficas credenciadas no SAI - Sistema Abrapa de Identificação).​

• O licenciamento BCI é lançado pela Better Cotton Initiative no sistema Better Cotton Tracer (BCT), o qual, juntamente com o Sistema Abrapa de Identificação (SAI), gerencia o controle de origem e o rastreamento do Better Cotton no mercado.