Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s

Higg Index

Jason Kibbey, Sustainable Apparel Coalition CEO

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 Agenda
Introduction to the SAC & Higg Index Facility Modules
 Intro to the SAC & Higg
 Intro to Facility Modules (Environmental)
 Steps to use the Higg Index

2
 Why Are We Here?

TOXIC
WATER WASTE
DISCHARGE

AIR SOCIAL &

LAND USE
EMISSIONS LABOR

3
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)

4
 Our Vision

Hawk Takahashi McKay Savage Miyukiutada Julien Harneis

An apparel, footwear, and home textiles industry

that produces no unnecessary
environmental harm, and has a positive
impact on the people and communities
associated with its activities.

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 Who We Are
We currently represent more than 30% of the global market share of the
apparel & footwear industries.

Government Brands

Service
Retailers
Providers

SAC Members

Trade
Manufacturers
Associations

Academic
Non-profits
Institutions

For an updated list, please visit www.apparelcoalition.org/current-members 6

 Current Members
Brands & Retailers:
 Current Members
Manufacturers:
 Current Members
Non-Profit, Government & Academia:
 Current Members
Industry Affiliates:
The Higg Index Suite of Tools

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 Building Blocks of the Higg Index 2.0

Higg Index 2.0

European Outdoor Group Materials Global Social Social/Labor Best

Outdoor Industry Sustainability Compliance Program Practice Tools (e.g.,
Association (OIA) Eco Index (MSI) (GSCP) reference tools SAI Social
Index Fingerprint, FLA SCI
etc)

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 Benefits of Using the Higg 2.0

Identification of
Education,
sustainability Communication Roadmap for
learning,
opportunities & & collaboration improvement
benchmarking
risks

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 Higg Index 2.0: Suite of Tools

• Environment:
Apparel/Footwear
Facility • Social/Labor:
Apparel/Footwear -
Beta

Higg • Environment: Apparel

• Environment:
Index Brand Footwear
• Social/Labor:
Apparel/Footwear -
2.0 Beta

• Rapid Design Module

(RDM) - Beta
Product • Materials
Sustainability Index
(MSI) Data Explorer
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 Higg Index Development
Higg Index 1.0 Higg Index 2.0 Future Versions*

Web based and Excel files

LCA-based metrics
Social/Labor - Beta (Brand
and Facility Modules) Consumer facing
communication
Environmental footwear
Excel based
brand content
Refined full Product
Qualitative questions Enhanced chemicals content Module

Focuses on apparel Enhanced guidance Enhanced validation

Validation guidelines for
Focuses on environment Environmental Facility Other improvements
Module TBD

Rapid Design Module - Beta

*Projected improvements
Additional materials in MSI

Released July 2012 Released December 2013 To come…

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 Adoption Statistics
As of April 28, 2014

 720+ accounts
 1370+ users
 830+ connections between accounts
 680+ modules completed

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Facility Module – Environment: Apparel/Footwear

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Environmental Facility Module Sections

Environmental
Management
System or
Program

Chemicals Energy Use and

Management GHG Emissions

7 Areas of
Environmental
Waste
Management
Assessment Water Use

Emissions to Wastewater/
Air Effluent

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 Types of Questions

Level 3
Aspirational practices &
demonstrating performance

Level 2
Planning and managing

Level 1
Awareness and
understanding

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 Types of Questions

Level 3
Aspirational practices &
demonstrating performance

Level 2
Planning and managing

Level 1
Awareness and
understanding

Do you measure and track total water consumption for your site
(including domestic and process water)?

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 Types of Questions

Level 3
Aspirational practices &
demonstrating performance

Level 2
Planning and managing

Level 1 Do you set and review at least annually formal targets for
Awareness and reducing water use at this site?
understanding

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 Types of Questions

Level 3
Aspirational practices &
demonstrating performance

Level 2
Planning and managing
Do you have demonstrated evidence of
reducing the quantity of water used at
this site, such as by reusing rinse water
Level 1 or capturing condensate or cooling
Awareness and water?
understanding

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 Question Types
 Primary Questions
–Main questions to answer “Yes” or No”
–Questions requesting quantitative facility data
–Leading Practice questions
 Secondary Questions
–Only answer if you answered “Yes” to the Primary
Question
–Provide additional details for the supplier and
brand/retailer

NOTE: In order for you to receive points for an answer, you

must answer the Primary Question and ALL Secondary
Questions
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 Question Example
FAC-1.1 Level 1
Primary Question

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 Question Example
FAC-1.1 Level 1
Secondary Question

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 Example: Energy Use & GHGs
FAC-2.1 Level 1
Secondary Question

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 Example: Quantitative Facility Data
FAC-2.1 Level 1

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 Leading Practice Question Example
FAC-2.3 Level 3

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Web Tool Overview

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 Core Functionality

Connect
Complete Report and
and Share
Modules Benchmark
Modules

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Connect to Share Modules

 Account-to-account

 Two-way

 Share: posted modules & profile

 All-or-nothing

Posted:
1) Submitted to benchmark
2) Available to connections

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 Using the Web Tool 101

• Determine your account governance: one account or multiple?

Step 1

• Register and request access

Step 2 • www.higg.org

• Review Getting Started and training materials

Step 3 • Help Tab

• Add users and complete your account profile

Step 4 • Set Language, Account Profile, Add New Users/Facilities

• Complete and post modules

Step 5 • Quick Start

• Manage connections and mark business partners

Step 6 • Connections

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BENCHMARKING!

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 Higg Index Implementation Checklist
 Determine account governance
 Register account(s) at www.higg.org
 Form a team and assign responsibilities
 Get trained
 Reach out to your value chain partners to learn about each
other’s approach to rollout and share best practices
 Complete and post modules
 Connect with other manufacturers and share best practices
 Review completed modules and glean insights
 Set improvement goals

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