NEWS RELEASE: Cascale Issues 2025 Better Buying Partnership Index Report

Download the 2025 BBPI Report Today Anonymous survey of consumer goods buyer-supplier relationships reveals improvement in softgoods category Amsterdam, Hong…
BLOG: With Cascale, Better Buying Legacy Lives On

An excerpt from a guest blog on Cascale’s website, authored by Dr. Marsha Dickson, President and Co-founder at Better Buying…
NEWS RELEASE: Cascale Announces Better Buying Asset Purchase to Advance Responsible Purchasing Practices and Decent Work for All

Integration of Better Buying tools and methodologies positions Cascale to amplify supplier voices, promote industry accountability, and foster more resilient…
GUEST BLOG: Will regulators become the next source of audit fatigue? Steve Lamar, AAFA President and CEO

‘“First mile thinking” applies to regulators just as much as companies. And as they challenge us to get it right,…
NEWS RELEASE: Focus on including all variables in your cost models if want to want to be better buyers, suppliers tell global brands and retailers

READ THE REPORT HERE There is a lot of good work being done by global brands and retailers in relation…
NEWS RELEASE: BBPPI 2024: More than 70% of BBI repeat subscribers increase their overall purchasing practices score, with Sporting Goods companies performing better than Fashion Goods companies across all categories

READ THE FULL REPORT READ THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY More than 70% of Better Buying’s 22 repeat subscriber companies have improved…
GUEST BLOG: Taking First Steps on Responsible Purchasing Practices, by Áine Clarke, Head of KnowTheChain

Rethinking the company’s purchasing model is now widely understood to be a necessary component of effective human rights due diligence.…
GUEST BLOG: Why suppliers have the most to gain from open data, by Hannah Lennett, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at Open Supply Hub

Think about some of the conferences, events, or webinars you have been to recently that were focused on improving social…
GUEST BLOG: Collaboration is the New Compliance, by Steve Lamar, President and CEO OF American Apparel & Footwear Association

The regulatory age is upon us. And this creates some profound opportunities for new collaboration across the supply chain. Governments across…
ARTICLE: Do you know how the Better Buying Purchasing Practices IndexTM was created?

An article from Dr. Marsha Dickson, President and Co-Founder of Better Buying Institute I’ve been noticing lately the need to…
NEWS RELEASE: Better Buying Institute Publishes 2024 BBPPI Garment Scorecard

DOWNLOAD THE SCORECARD Twenty seven buyer companies engaged in the eighth annual Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index TM (BBPP) ratings…
GUEST BLOG: Responsible purchasing practices as a tool to promote ethical behavior

Chana Rosenthal, Principal & Founder, reDesign Consulting and Ethical Denim Council (EDC) Consultant “The goal for the EDC is to…
ARTICLE: Has the concept of “leverage” had its day? Dr. Marsha Dickson

Better Buying’s President and Co-Founder, Dr. Marsha Dickson, argues for a new language, and a new concept, to secure human…
CASE STUDY: Birger Christensen Collective

Birger Christensen collective is committed to empowering women to change fashion for good. Understanding our suppliers’ needs and how to…
NEWS RELEASE: BBPI 2024 – Overall partnership score for Softgoods up 8 Points

3 out of 4 BBI repeat subscribers improved their partnership scores over 3 consecutive cycles DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT DOWNLOAD EXECUTIVE…
NEWS RELEASE: Harmonized social assessments from SLCP continue to be “win-win” for workers and sustainable partnerships

Latest research from the Better Buying Institute (BBI) shows the impact of SLCP’s converged assessments – with 74% of savings…
NEWS STORY: BBPPI Report 2023 – BBI repeat subscribers continue to improve, but progress remains slow and uneven

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT DOWNLOAD THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Improvements seen in Cost and Cost Negotiation and Payment and Terms, but…
ARTICLE in Vogue Business: Are fashion’s buying practices really improving?

During and in the years following Covid-19, order cancellations had devastating consequences for suppliers as they were left to foot the…
NEWS RELEASE: Better Buying Institute Publishes 2023 BBPPI Garment Scorecard

DOWNLOAD SCORECARD Twenty six buyer companies engaged in seventh annual ratings cycle during Q2 2023, twenty four of which were…
GUEST BLOG: Improving Purchasing Practices in the Global Seafood Industry: It’s Time, Garrett Okrasinski

The time has come for the seafood industry to commit to examining and improving purchasing practices, and to better understand…
EVENT: Dr. Marsha Dickson to Speak at Innovation Forum’s Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference 2024

Better Buying’s President and Co-Founder Dr. Marsha Dickson has been announced as a key speaker at the Innovation Forum’s Sustainable…
Check Out Our New Interactive Business Benefits Page!

BUSINESS BENEFITS Would your business benefit from: Improved pricing? Reduced costs? Fewer delays? Better on time delivery? Reduced human rights…
Better Buying Institute Publishes First Industry Score for Commercial Compliance

Better Buying Commercial Compliance TrackerTM provides benchmark for future scores, and is published as part of BBI’s participation in Sustainable…
Introducing Katie Hess, Better Buying’s new Head of Product

Katie’s background is in product management and strategic leadership. Prior to joining Better Buying Institute, she worked with a number…
VIDEO TOOLKIT: How Better Buying’s tools and resources support companies to meet human rights due diligence reporting requirements

Non-apparel companies urged to “take the lead” on human rights due diligence by subscribing to the Better Buying Partnership IndexTM

The Better Buying Institute (BBI) is inviting non-apparel companies to subscribe to its Better Buying Partnership IndexTM (BBPI) to take the…
The 2023 Ratings Cycle is Open for Supplier Ratings!

REGISTER TO RATE HERE The 2023 Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index TM (BBPPI) ratings cycle is open for supplier ratings…
Assessing Purchasing Practices: an overview of approaches and tools
This kind of mapping and analysis work can be useful for offering more guidance and clarity to companies looking to…
Better Buying Partnership Index TM 2023: Buyer-supplier partnership quality up by just one point on last year

Buyers urged to focus on communication with suppliers amid decline in business stability READ FULL REPORT READ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The…
Better Buying Institute at Innovation Forum’s Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference in Amsterdam

Better Buying Institute is proud to join Innovation Forum’s Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference in Amsterdam (April 25-26). This two-day…
Special Report: Purchasing Practices and Factory-Level Noncompliances: How the available research can inform supply chain due diligence

Better Buying Institute has published a Special Report looking at the available research that documents the connection between purchasing practices…
The STTI Survey of Commercial Compliance is Open for Ratings – complete by January 20th

COMPLETE THE SURVEY Suppliers are invited to participate in the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI) survey of commercial compliance.…
An End of Year Message from the Better BuyingTM Team

Dear Friends, Just Published! Spotlight Report on Win-Win Sustainable Partnership – how are suppliers investing savings when buyers accept recently…
PRESS RELEASE: Workers Benefit When Brands and Retailers Accept Standardized Audits from Suppliers

Workers benefit when global brands and retailers accept standardized audits from garment factories, according to research carried out by Better…
Dr. Marsha Dickson honored in Vogue Business 100 Innovators: Sustainability Thought Leaders

We are delighted that our President and Co-Founder, Dr. Marsha Dickson, has been honored in the 2022 Vogue Business list…
Hey Fashion! Talk – join Dr. Marsha Dickson, Eileen Fisher and Shiraz Omar on tackling overproduction

Better Buying Institute’s President and Co-Founder Dr. Marsha Dickson joined Eileen Fisher, Founder of women’s clothing brand and Better BuyingTM…
Better Buying Institute joins Sustainable Apparel Coalition as Affiliate Member

The Better Buying Institute is pleased to announce that we have joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition as an Affiliate…
We’re Hiring! Could you be our new Research Analyst?

Better Buying Institute is seeking a Research Analyst who will use their analytical skills and their interest in supply chain…
Shahi Exports’ Anant Ahuja joins Better Buying Institute Board

Better Buying Institute is delighted to announce the appointment of Anant Ahuja to its Board of Directors. Ahuja is Head…
Join Better Buying’s Talent Pool

Better Buying Institute (BBI) reimagines supply chain sustainability, leveraging data to strengthen supplier-buyer relationships and improve purchasing practices that drive…
The BBPPI 2022 Garment Scorecard is Out Today!

Record number of Garment ratings submitted – up 37% on 2021 Ratings from 54 different countries Overall Garment score static…
We are Hiring! Could you be our next Senior Manager of Research?

Better Buying Institute is seeking a Senior Manager of Research who will use their analytical skills and their passion…
Beyond Tier-1 – New Opportunities for Better BuyingTM Surveys

Gain a high-level view into tier-1 and beyond – including raw materials Cascade work on purchasing practices throughout your supply…
Copenhagen Fashion Summit: STTI calls for responsible purchasing practices and global standardization on due diligence

STTI spokesperson and Vice President BGMEA Miran Ali called for a globally standardized approach to due diligence at the…
BBPPI 2022 Ratings Cycle Open for Ratings April 1st-May 31st

“Responsible purchasing practices are becoming a top priority for Better Buying’s subscribers, rather than a ‘nice to have’ when times…
STTI’s First In-Person Meeting Brings Commercial Compliance One Step Closer

The Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI) holds its first bi-annual in-person meeting on Monday March 14th in Istanbul, Turkey…
Brands and Retailers Urged to Halt Buyer-Specific Audits after Research Finds Audit Harmonization Saving Suppliers Thousands of Dollars a Year

Brands and retailers should discontinue the use of proprietary company audits and assessments and start talking to their suppliers about…
Brands and Retailers Must Partner with Suppliers on Innovation to Drive Business Efficiency

Launch of the Better Buying Partnership IndexTM DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT AND SUMMARY What really makes a “True Partner?” Article by…
We’re Hiring! We’re Looking for Local Ambassadors, and a Research Intern, to Support with the 2022 Ratings Cycle.

Better Buying Institute is seeking a number of Local Ambassadors to engage suppliers during the 2022 ratings cycle. The Local…
Better Buying Institute Continues Expansion into Consumer Goods Sector with Focus on Homegoods

Homegoods retailers and brands are now invited to subscribe for the 2022 Better BuyingTM ratings cycle The Better Buying Institute…
Better BuyingTM Repeat Subscribers Continue to Improve Purchasing Practices Despite Unprecedented Challenge of COVID-19

2021 Purchasing Practices Index: further evidence that responsible purchasing lies at the heart of supply chain resilience READ THE FULL…
SanMar Corporation Becomes First Better BuyingTM Subscriber to Make its Scorecard Publicly Available

SanMar Corporation, a leading national supplier of wholesale apparel and accessories, has become the first Better Buying™ subscriber to embrace…
The Five Principles of Responsible PurchasingTM: Better BuyingTM Launches High-Level Principles for Brands and Retailers

The Better Buying Institute is launching a set of five high-level principles for responsible purchasing for brands and retailers to…
Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative publishes White Paper on Commercial Compliance

First joint manufacturers’ position statement on improving purchasing practices The Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI), which is led by…
Audit harmonization can reduce supplier costs by thousands, and drive investment in social and labor conditions

Initial analysis of Better Buying Purchasing Practice Index (BBPPI) 2021 data indicates that adoption by buyers of standardized CSR reporting…
Deep Dive: Monthly Order Variability

Better Buying Institute has published a Deep Dive, and a number of accompanying resources, on the issue of Monthly Order…
Suppliers reveal simple, low-cost changes buyer companies can make to boost sustainability performance

Supplier insights from latest Better BuyingTM research reveal that some of the most impactful measures companies can take are low cost,…
Dr Marsha Dickson guests on Manufactured Podcast series

Listen to Dr Marsha Dickson’s guest appearance in a series of episodes of the Manufactured Podcast. Episode 1 One “silver…
Assessing Purchasing Practices Impacts on Suppliers and Workers

Better BuyingTM and mental wellbeing by surveying 1360 workers from 13 factories. More than ever, buyers must work closely with suppliers…
Deep Dive Report on “Better” Design, Development

A deep dive into the critically important purchasing practices related to design, development, and calendar management. READ THE FULL REPORT…
Better Buying Releases New Report Calling for Minimally Acceptable Payment Standards

Suppliers from 30 countries have responded to Better Buying’s survey about the detrimental COVID-19 payment and business continuity. Workers in…
2020 Better Buying Index ReportTM Released
The Better Buying Institute today released the 2020 Better Buying Index ReportTM, underscoring the importance of better purchasing practices by…
Better BuyingTM Spotlight on Hardgoods

Read the report
Better Buying Releases New Report: Cost and Cost Negotiation and the Need for New Practices

Better Buying Releases New Report Linking High-Pressure Costing Practices to Suppliers’ Sustainability Better BuyingTM has released its third in a series…
Webinar: Creating an equitable fashion industry
Our President, Dr. Marsha Dickson, highlighted the magnitude of financial vulnerability that suppliers are facing in the wake of the…
Joint Call to Action: Responding Responsibly to the COVID-19 Crisis

Better BuyingTM recently engaged with a group of multi-stakeholder initiatives to release a joint statement directed toward a) the governments of…
Webinar: Keeping Workers Centerstage

Our President, Dr. Marsha Dickson, spoke on a panel talk organized by the Association of National Institute of Fashion Technology…
Guidelines for “Better” Purchasing Practices Amidst the Coronavirus Crisis and Recovery

Suppliers from 39 countries, have responded to Better Buying’s survey about the supply and challenges they are experiencing due to…
Better Buying Introduces New Program to Support Improved Purchasing Practices

This fall, Better Buying takes supplier ratings to the next level with Learning Loops: a continuous, two-way improvement process between…
2019 Better BuyingTM Index Report Released

The 2019 Better BuyingTM Index Report introduces for the first time, country-level analyses and sustainable outcomes for all. READ THE REPORT…
Second-Ever Better BuyingTM Index Report Released

Following the spring launch of the Better BuyingTM Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI), Better BuyingTM now released its second report designed to support…
Better BuyingTM a Focus at 2018 Hong Kong Fashion Summit

Better Buying<sup><span style=”font-size:10px;”>TM</sup> attended the 25th Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer (July 2018) to share the initiative’s latest developments…
Better BuyingTMAnnounces Ambassadors to Support Supplier Ratings of Critical Purchasing Practices

Better Buying<sup><span style=”font-size:10px;”>TM</sup> Ambassadors work with suppliers, industry associations, and environmental sustainability goals. FULL STORY
New Platform Seeks To Improve the Relationship Between Buyers and Suppliers

We aren’t the first ones to purchase the clothes we wear. Before they reach store shelves, these items are bought by…
Just Style Interview with Dr. Marsha Dickson: Can Supplier Ratings Reform Apparel Purchasing Practices?

Just-Style Can supplier ratings reform apparel purchasing practices? A new initiative has been launched to try to improve the purchasing…
White Paper Prepared for Better Buying’s Geneva Workshop

A White Paper was prepared for Better Buying’s Geneva Workshop as part of the feasibility study leading up to the…
New Better BuyingTM Initiative Aims to Eliminate the Barriers to Code of Conduct Compliance Caused by Purchasing Practices

New Better Buying<sup><span style=”font-size:10px;”>TM</sup> Initiative Aims to Eliminate the Barriers to Code of Conduct Compliance Caused by Purchasing Practices Geneva,…