Higg FEM: The standardized environmental assessment facilities complete once and share everywhere.

The Higg FEM reduces assessment fatigue by replacing the multiple, differently formatted environmental questionnaires that brands send on their own timelines with a single standardized assessment that facilities complete once and share across their entire customer base. Research cited on the Worldly platform shows that facilities conducting regular energy audits through the Higg FEM see an increase in the frequency of energy reduction — evidence that standardized assessment drives improvement, not just reporting compliance.

The Higg FEM covers key environmental performance areas at the facility level including energy use and carbon intensity, water consumption and wastewater management, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation and disposal, and chemical management practices. Because the assessment uses standardized questions aligned to industry frameworks, the data it produces supports benchmarking, year-over-year progress tracking, and external reporting requirements — rather than generating one-off responses that cannot be compared across suppliers.

When suppliers complete disconnected environmental questionnaires for each brand customer, the data that comes back is inconsistent in methodology and format — making it difficult for brands to compare performance across their supply base, identify risk hotspots, or use the data for credible reporting. A shared standard like the Higg FEM produces comparable data across all participating facilities, giving brands the consistent baseline they need for benchmarking, regulatory disclosure, and supplier engagement decisions.

The Worldly platform connects a network of brands, suppliers, and facilities spanning over 45,000 manufacturing sites across 97 countries, with more than 300 brands and retailers accepting assessments through the platform. Assessments completed through Worldly can be shared across brand customers, meaning facilities that invest time in completing the Higg FEM generate value across multiple customer relationships rather than for a single buyer.