Briefly
Why
- The Higg FEM of SAC provides benefits for the facilities:
- Relieves audit-fatigue
- Standardizes how facilities measure and evaluate environmental performance
- Have criteria to make the sustainability index better, in actionable data, and depth to brand’s supply chain
- Indexing of data with increased accuracy and allows for sharing with several brands, regulators, business partners
- Catalyzes sustainability education and collaboration.
Description
Higg facility environmental Index is a benchmark indexing protocol for apparel and footwear industry assessing environmental and social sustainability throughout the supply chain.
Higg FEM tools were developed in 2012 by Sustainable Apparel Coalition for environmental sustainability. Higg Index is for the facility’s internal use for measurement in the improvement of the facility’s environmental performance.
The SAC – Sustainable Apparel Coalition has developed verification program, Higg FEM, to build consistency, credibility and compatibility in Higg Index scores of facilities for them to benchmark and improve performances. Higg verifier body, URS are able to conduct verification for Higg FEM across the brands, retailers and facilities of all sizes and at each stage of their sustainability process.
The Higg FEM incorporates elements for assessment, such as:
1) Environmental Management Systems
2) Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
3) Water Use
4) Wastewater
5) Emissions to Air (if applicable)
6) Waste Management
7) Chemical Use and Its Management