Members and non-members can take this anonymous, 2-min benchmarking survey and score a 20-percent discount to the Annual Meeting 2025 in Hong Kong. Read more!
Cascale’s Andrew Martin and Joleen Ong had the opportunity to meet with U.S. brand members across the West Coast. Here, they share their learnings.
Over ten days, we had the opportunity to meet with brand members across the U.S. West Coast. With recent trade disruptions and the growing complexity of global sourcing, these conversations came at a pivotal time — one that offered valuable insight into how members are navigating change and where they see Cascale’s role in driving solutions forward.
Despite the challenges facing the industry, we came away encouraged. What we encountered was a shared sense of purpose and a deepened commitment to collaboration, data-driven action, and impact. Our goal was to meet members where they are — and in doing so, we were reminded of the power of listening, co-creating, and showing up in person.
Whether we were discussing decarbonization strategies, responsible purchasing, or the future of the Higg Index, every conversation underscored a core Cascale value: centering member needs while building scalable, systems-level collective action solutions.
Throughout these conversations, several consistent themes emerged. These inputs are directly informing our strategic direction — and in many cases, are already shaping the initiatives underway at Cascale:
Brands are eager for focused, collaborative action on climate. As Cascale evolves from a tool developer to an impact-driven convener, the IDR — born out of work being undertaken by Cascale and the Apparel Impact Institute — has become a cornerstone. It uses over a decade of Higg FEM data to identify high-emitting facilities and bring stakeholders together to address barriers and accelerate decarbonization.
👉 We’ll be hosting IDR Brand Consultations on June 26 in New York and July 8 in London to gather more feedback. Interested? Reach out to join the conversation.
Data quality continues to be top of mind. Several members shared experiences and challenges with Higg FEM data. We hear you — Cascale has partnered with KPMG to conduct an independent review and facilitate brand consultation to identify clear, actionable improvements.
Members expressed that the annual Higg FEM cadence doesn’t always align with internal reporting timelines or decision-making cycles. In response, we are actively co-developing solutions with members to explore Higg FEM cadence improvements that maintain data integrity and minimize burden while aligning more closely with internal planning cycles.
While Worldly’s FDM is currently aligned with the Higg FEM, it is not part of Cascale’s membership requirements and is not an alternative for the Higg FEM. Some members are using it to track Higg FEM quantitative data regularly as part of strategic partnerships between facilities and brand customers. At the same time, concerns about audit fatigue and overlapping assessments persist. Cascale is working with Forum for the Future to consult with members on FDM’s role and explore how to balance brand data needs with responsible, non-redundant demands on manufacturers.
With price sensitivity heightened by macroeconomic pressures, we received clear feedback on the need for flexibility. Cascale and Worldly have committed to aligning and mitigating member impacts through 2026. Additionally, we’re moving away from a one-size-fits-all fee model to better reflect the diversity of our member base.
In between brand visits, we also engaged with aligned partners — from technical verifiers, academia, CSR consultancies, and climate-focused initiatives. Across the board, there was alignment on one point: that the work ahead — whether through the IDR, policy advocacy, Higg Index refinement, or partnership with Worldly — requires strategic clarity and member collaboration.
At Cascale, we are optimistic. The challenges are real, but so is the momentum we’re building together. To stay engaged, we encourage you to participate in upcoming webinars, Coffee & Connect sessions, and make use of platforms like Cascale Connect, our members-only platform, and HowtoHigg—and be sure to subscribe to our Cascale newsletter to receive the latest updates, resources, and engagements directly in your inbox
We’re grateful to our West Coast brand members for their time, hospitality, and unfiltered feedback, and we look forward to continuing the conversation across regions.
If you’re interested in learning more about any of the initiatives mentioned above, please reach out to Joleen Ong, senior director, brand & retailer membership, at joleen.ong@cascale.org.
In this Q&A-style blog, Worldly’s Chief Marketing & Content Officer Jay Gaines and Cascale’s VP Communications & Marketing Lee Green reveal their reflections on the Cascale Forum: Ho Chi Minh City, including all of the honest and probing moments on and off stage.
As the first phase of our 2025 communications strategy, we’re rolling out an anonymous, two-minute benchmarking survey — open to members and non-members alike — with special perks for anyone who participates by the end of June.
Cascale welcomes new members in Q1 including GSCS International Ltd, Just Brands, Gokaldas Exports, Minerva Sustainability, Retraced, schuh, among others.
