Although regulation and reporting requirements continue to evolve, industry experts agree: primary data is at the heart of every compliance strategy. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and Worldly know gathering primary supply chain data is a common, industry-wide need, and we have worked diligently with the industry to build and improve upon a solution – the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM). 

Over the last decade, the Higg FEM has been embraced by both brands and manufacturers, becoming the most widely-used assessment for environmental performance within supply chains. But we know that industry needs and modern requirements continue to evolve. We and our partners at SAC regularly update and improve the Higg FEM to meet customers’ needs. This year, however, we’re launching not just an update to the Higg FEM, but a transformation. 

Thanks to feedback from across the industry, our partners at SAC have spent the last two years redesigning the Higg FEM to better align with global frameworks. In parallel, Worldly has re-envisioned the assessment design and launched new features that will ensure data accuracy and improve the user experience. As the result of this hard work, on November 2nd Worldly and the SAC will launch the Higg FEM 4.0 – the industry’s most comprehensive environmental assessment, fueling a transformative industry shift. 

Comprehensive data for easier reporting

With Higg FEM 4.0, your company can collect the environmental data needed to report to industry frameworks — and continue to reduce the duplicative third-party assessments for your facilities.  

• Easily report to global frameworks: Higg FEM 4.0 data better support companies reporting to Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), ZDHC Roadmap to Zero, and GHG Protocol 
• Prepare for regulations: Higg FEM 4.0 was also restructured to help your compliance reporting journey in 2024. By increasing the scope of primary data collected, your company will be better equipped to meet the urgency of massive pending ESG regulation, like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which goes into effect in January 2024. 
• Save time collecting emissions data: Facilities will more comprehensively report their Scope 1 and 2 emissions within Higg FEM 4.0, reducing the need for completing duplicative assessments. Access to this data will also make it easier to calculate your company’s Scope 3 emissions. 
• Gather a wider view of environmental impact: Higg FEM 4.0 addresses the environmental issues our industry cares about most, including questions on groundwater and soil contamination, phasing out coal and fossil-fuel, carbon offsets, and rainwater harvesting.

New features ensure more confident, relevant reporting

Higg FEM 4.0 includes a new, more logic-based assessment so facilities only complete relevant questions, as well as features that give all value chain partners more confidence in their data. 

• Tailored, custom questions: enhanced logic ensures users are only prompted to complete relevant questions based on their facility profile 
• An extra set of eyes: Potential errors will be automatically highlighted at entry – drawing upon analysis of 10,000+ historical data points. 
• Guidance where and when it’s needed: We’ve added embedded question guidance throughout the assessment, so facilities can get support without having to refer to external guides. This allows for better guidance when and where users need it. 

Support and training when you need it

Worldly and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition are prepared to support you and your facilities through any new changes with comprehensive training, a dedicated FEM4.0 website, FAQs and guidance that will be translated into 9 languages. We’re here to help and ready to respond to your needs. 

Start preparing today

These adjustments will help stakeholders up and down the value chain know what they need to know, and gather the data necessary to make strategic improvements where it matters. Higg FEM 4.0 will be available to begin on November 2. To prepare, start building your Higg FEM facility list on Worldly today. Don’t have access to Worldly yet? Speak with our team.