Higg Index
Sustainability assessment tool for the apparel and footwear industry, including the Environmental Module (FEM) and the Social & Labor Module (FSLM).
Detailed introduction
Higg Index Sustainability Assessment
Standard Introduction
The Higg Index is a leading industry suite of sustainability assessment tools developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). It includes modules such as the Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM), Brand & Retail Module, and Product Module, providing standardized frameworks for measuring and benchmarking sustainability across the apparel, footwear, and textile industries.
Assessment Content
- Environment Module (FEM):Environmental Management System, Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Water Usage, Wastewater Discharge, Air Emissions, Waste Management, Chemical Management
- Social Labor Module (FSLM):Recruitment and Hiring, Working Hours and Compensation, Employee Benefits, Health and Safety, Community Engagement, Management System
- Brand Module:Sustainable product design, material selection, supply chain management, packaging and logistics, consumer engagement
- Product Module:Material environmental impact, manufacturing process, service life, recyclability, and end-of-life disposal
Evaluation Process
- Register company account on Higg platform (Worldly)
- Complete the self-assessment questionnaire for the relevant module online.
- For FEM and FSLM, on-site verification must be conducted by a validation agency accredited by SAC.
- The verifier validates the accuracy of self-assessment data and issues a verification report.
- Higg scores are published on the platform and can be compared against industry benchmarks.
- Brand clients can view suppliers' Higg scores via the platform.
Fee Details
Higg Platform annual subscription fees vary by company size, ranging from approximately CNY 5,000 to 20,000. On-site FEM/FSLM verification fees are billed separately and typically range from CNY 15,000 to 40,000.
Accredited Institutions
Higg FEM and FSLM verification must be conducted by SAC-recognized verification bodies and verifiers, including SGS, Intertek, TÜV Rheinland, Elevate, and others.
Certificate validity period
Higg assessment results are valid for one year. We recommend updating your self-assessment annually and completing verification to reflect the latest sustainability performance.
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