The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) announced late Monday that it had renamed itself Cascale, “a global nonprofit alliance that fosters collaboration to advance equitable and regenerative business practices in the consumer products industry.”
It currently includes more than 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations and non-governmental organizations in 36 countries. The name “Cascale” emphasizes the scaling aspect and reflects the organization’s goal of spreading collective action across the consumer goods industry.
“The ‘Cas’ in Cascale is the inverse of ‘SAC’, while ‘CA’ refers to ‘collective action’ and ‘scale’ to scaled ambitions. The ‘C’ in Cascale is reminiscent of a new ‘phase’, similar to the lunar cycles in nature, as well as the moonlight or a reflection. The elements of the logo represent our three categories of members and our external stakeholders, all of whom play a crucial role in our shared success,” explains the non-profit organization in a press release.
Cascale aims to promote collective action in the consumer goods industry
SAC was founded in 2009 by Walmart and Patagonia to bring together apparel industry players and develop a common approach to measuring sustainability. In 2010, the organization, led by American mountaineer and adventurer Rick Ridgeway, introduced the Higg Index Suite, which will retain its name. According to the organization, the five tools – the Higg Facility Environmental Module, the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module, the Higg Brand & Retail Module, the Higg Materials Sustainability Index and the Higg Product Module – are used by 24,000 companies and organizations.
“Cascale’s vision reflects my mission to inspire responsible companies committed to transparency and benefiting people and the planet,” explains co-founder Ridgeway, who is also a former vice president of sustainability and public engagement at Patagonia. “The ongoing spirit of collaboration and unwavering commitment to sustainability have had a tremendous impact – but we still have much work to do, together. As Cascale continues to evolve to meet the needs of a broader range of consumer products beyond apparel and footwear, I am proud to celebrate this new vision for an organization that is close to my heart.”
Cascale will now build and expand high-impact programs focused on responsible business practices, circular product design and responsible manufacturing. The organization will also advocate for “effective policies aimed at fostering collective action to make systemic change not only possible but inevitable.”
As part of the decarbonization program launched in 2022, members commit to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2030. From 2023, Cascale companies must set science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions; By September 2023, 50.7 percent of members had set or committed to such goals.
“Collaboration is at the heart of positive change in the industry. As we have emphasized before, individual actors cannot do this alone. Cascale’s impactful work has set the course for a transformative path. We are very pleased to continue to support the organization in its next phase of development based on the revised strategic plan. This is not just a transition, but a shared evolution towards a healthier and greener future for all,” comments Krishna Manda, Vice Chairman of Cascale and Vice President Corporate Sustainability of the Lenzing Group.
Looking ahead, Cascale promises programs focused on responsible business practices, circular product design and responsible manufacturing, as well as evolving member requirements.