Jeffery Hogue, Sustainability Chief, Levi’s Strauss’ has exited the board of the Better Cotton Initiative, cutting short a four-year term that was scheduled to end next year. As per Sourcing Journal, Hogue is currently focused on building the denim giant‘s sustainability team and preparing the release of its first sustainability report and ESG disclosure.

Levi‘s maintains its status as a member of the cotton sustainability program, which features boldface names such as Adidas, Burberry, H&M, Ralph Lauren and Ikea on its roster, the spokesperson added. Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch, alleged Levi’s was vacating its spot because BCI has softened its stance on Chinese government’s use of Uyghur Muslims forced labor to produce cotton in Xinjiang.

BCI’s engagement on the issue has continued to confound industry watchers. On one hand, the organization has pulled out of all field level activities in Xinjiang while on the other hand, it has scrubbed all public references to why it was doing so; thus becoming a target of opprobrium from both China, and anti-slavery campaigners.