Cascale explained the updates to its Higg Brand and Retail Module Tool reflect its dedication to continually advancing and refining the Higg Index to cater to the evolving needs of its members, users, and the broader industry.
The Higg BRM is Cascale’s leading framework and it is designed specifically for the textile, apparel, and footwear sectors to help brands and retailers assess and enhance their ESG performance, whilst avoiding duplication across sustainability initiatives.
The tool evaluates 11 critical impact areas across global value chains, advocating for a holistic approach to sustainability.
The amended Higg BRM 2023
The Higg BRM 2023 update, in collaboration with Worldly, the exclusive licensee and platform for the Higg Index tools, is said to offer a multitude of benefits to its users including:
- New benchmarking capabilities to provide a holistic view of a company’s performance
- Spotlights emerging trends
- Uncovers opportunities for continuous improvements
- Assesses the entire value chain
- Available to all users but remains optional for Cascale members
- Refined guidance
- New social metrics
- A framework designed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving sustainability landscape.
The Higg BRM is now available on Worldly's platform and Cascale states it is actively evolving the tool to address potential gaps between it and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
The Higg BRM 2023 update maintains consistency and comparability with its predecessors, enabling year-over-year tracking and continuous enhancement, with the ultimate goal of assisting organisations in addressing the unique challenges they encounter, thereby fostering “significant, sustainable change for the industry.”
Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco, senior director of Higg Index strategy & operations at Cascale said: “The Higg BRM is more than a tool — it's a community's commitment to a sustainable future. As we stride forward and converge with key frameworks, including the Textile Exchange's Material Benchmark and the ZDHC Brands to Zero program, our members are empowered to craft sustainability strategies that are not only consistent but impactful.”
The evolution of the Higg BRM
In 2022, Cascale embarked on a discovery phase to identify industry needs and areas for enhancement within the Higg BRM. The organisation conducted interviews with 78 members and evaluated 15 assessment frameworks.
In collaboration with members and industry partners, Cascale commenced the development of the new Higg BRM tool. Key collaborators included Textile Exchange, ZDHC, Fair Wear, and STTI, who contributed to the development of specific content on chemicals, materials, biodiversity, circularity, and responsible purchasing practices.
In 2023, a streamlined version of the Higg BRM was introduced, incorporating an exclusive, industry-specific ESG framework.
A verification pilot was also conducted in 2023 involving 11 Cascale member brands and three verifier bodies. Following the pilot, Cascale identified areas for improvement and tool enhancement to improve data accuracy and meet industry needs.
