Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition) has launched the latest version of the Higg Brand and Retail Module (BRM), part of the Higg Index suite.
This module is a framework specifically for the textile, clothing and footwear industries. It is designed for brands and retailers to assess, assess and improve environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. Since the last major update, the Higg BRM now assesses the entire value chain to provide a more comprehensive view of a company’s sustainability development.
Evaluating ESG performance based on eleven criteria
The tool assesses eleven critical areas of influence along global value chains to promote a holistic approach to sustainability: environment, biodiversity, climate, chemicals, waste and water; in the area of social workers, employees, consumers and communities and in the area of governance structure & management and ethics & behavior.
The Higg BRM 2023 update, made in collaboration with Worldly, a provider of environmental and social data for the apparel and footwear industries, was released on Worldly’s platform earlier this week.
“The update to the Higg BRM 2023 is only minor, but brings a variety of benefits for users. This includes refined guidance, new social metrics and a framework designed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving sustainability landscape,” explains Cascale in a press release.
“The Higg BRM remains consistent and comparable to previous versions, allowing for year-on-year tracking and improvement. [Er] is intended to help organizations respond to the specific challenges users face in order to enable significant, sustainable change in the industry,” it continues.
The update includes enhanced benchmarking capabilities designed to provide a holistic view of a company’s performance, highlight emerging trends and uncover opportunities for continuous improvement.
In addition, Higg BRM verification is now available to all users, although it remains voluntary for Cascale members. “This will provide more accurate and trusted data, drive deeper insights into performance metrics and data, and provide new avenues for continuous improvement,” said Cascale.
This Thursday, March 7th, Cascale will offer members a recent update webinar to present key information and resources and inform the next steps of the Higg BRM.