Cascale and Worldly have released the “Navigating Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) Emissions” report to offer a standardized method for estimating FLAG emissions for the apparel and footwear industry.
Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) Emissions Responsible for 22 Percent of all Global GHGs in 2019
What’s Inside the Report:
Data insights using Cascale’s Higg Index tools, exclusively available on Worldly
Key guidance for companies to assess the relevance of FLAG emissions to their organizations
Cascale’s Andrew Martin took the stage at Project Syndicate’s London Climate Action Week event to talk fashion’s outsized emissions and lagging progress.
During London Climate Action Week’s official program, Cascale’s executive vice president Andrew Martin spoke on day one of a Project Syndicate event centered on decarbonization.
The two-day programming convened cross-industry thinkers, in a live broadcast-style format meant to enrich dialogue and reach a wide, global audience. Over 2,000 attendees joined online, with in-studio attendees spanning Cascale members such as New Look and Amazon, as well as Lego Group, IKEA, Mills Fabrica, Carbon Trust, and McKinsey, among others. Decades-long “Politics Live” host and BBC journalist Jo Coburn moderated the programming.
The first session focused on “Maintaining the Momentum,” and featured speakers from Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and consultancies Kantar, think tank Doughnut Economics Action Lab, and food and beverage group Asahi.
“Our enthusiasm for the ‘win-wins’ is undermining the investment needed in the corporate world,” said Erinch Sahan, business and enterprise lead at Doughnut Economics Action Lab. Sahan passionately mentioned the need for new ownership models, such as that of Cascale founding member Patagonia’s nature-owned shareholder model or U.K.-based beauty brand Lush’s partially employee-owned model. In these alternative ownership models, companies go against the traditional shareholder-owned model that puts profit above all else.
Companies can’t afford to stick to the status quo according to Jonathan Hall, managing partner of the sustainable transformation practice within Kantar. He referenced the World Economic Forum’s recent Global Risks Report 2025 – which put extreme weather conflicts as second only to armed conflict in the short-term outlook.
In the next session “The Business of Decarbonization,” fashion got its main stage. At the start of the conversation, Coburn played an alarming video tracing the industry’s deep environmental and social injustices across its supply chain. Cascale’s EVP Andrew Martin participated alongside Seb Henbest, group head of climate transition at HSBC; Jodie Keane, senior research fellow with the International Economic Development Group at ODI; Stientje van Veldhoven, global vice president and regional director for Europe at the World Resources Institute.
Martin chastised the “lack of action” on decarbonization but quickly followed it with a data-driven vision which Cascale calls the Industry Decarbonization Roadmap (IDR).
“We now have a really good picture. When it comes to the making of garments, [emissions] come from the raw materials –the growing, turning that into fiber, turning that into fabric, and making the garment. With the data we’ve got, we can now identify the 10 percent of facilities that account for 80 percent of emissions. The good news is that we know which factories they are, we know where they are, we know what country they’re in, what their energy mix is, we know what their facilities are like, and we know what brands are buying from them. We know all of this. The challenge is how do you bring the industry together? What we’re not doing is working fast enough – and in a collaborative way – to actually address those [facilities] with solutions.”
Martin also supplemented data from Cascale’s recent forum in Ho Chi Minh City, outlining the other obstacles manufacturers face to decarbonization.
“The number one was alignment amongst brands – at 42 percent. Finance was actually the lowest one [at 4 percent] which I was really surprised at. Technology solutions was second at 22 percent.”
Martin expanded on the global perspective needed. “We tend to have Global North solutions that we think are right. Our conversations with the manufacturing community tell us that suppliers actually have a lot of the solutions. They know their business, they know what to do, and engaging with them is important. What hinders them is the 20 or so customers who have different taxonomies, different audit systems, different decarbonization programs, and different science-based targets. They’re wondering, ‘How can I actually make anything happen?’”
Building on points throughout the session, he emphasized Cascale is doing the listening and activating work to align brands and suppliers on a collective roadmap.
After the session came to a close, Adair Turner, member of the House of Lords and chair of the Energy Transitions Commission gave a closing keynote address rife with statistics on the reality for the climate crisis. In a moment of action, he called for more green innovation, investment, and policy alignment.
Cascale was proud to join global apparel and textile leaders in London for the official launch of the manufacturer-led Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI).
Cascale was proud to join global apparel leaders in London for the official launch of the Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI) – a manufacturer-led, nationally grounded, and globally coordinated effort to accelerate environmental transformation across the apparel and textile sector.
Convened by the International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), the event drew manufacturers, brands, federations, and civil society into a unified call for bold, localized action and a rebalancing of industry systems to better support those driving production.
Opening remarks from Matthijs Crietee (IAF secretary general) and Cem Altan (IAF president) laid the foundation for a day focused on structural change, while Christian Schindler (ITMF director general) emphasized that ATTI is designed not to compete with existing initiatives but to fill a critical gap; centering manufacturers in transformation efforts that have often been brand-led or fragmented.
Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, business engagement lead for global climate action at UN Climate Change, spoke to the complexity of the current moment, urging the industry to move beyond isolated efforts and toward truly collaborative models that include policy, finance, and operational stakeholders. She emphasized that the pressure cannot fall solely on sustainability teams, and that systems change demands cross-functional and cross-sector alignment.
The core focus of the event was unpacking the ATTI model, which first prioritizes a needs assessments and collaborative solution design. From there, implementation can expand toward national chapters, which are to be decided. Speakers such as Miran Ali (ATTI global council, Bangladesh) and Selçuk Mehmet Kaya (İHKİB sustainability committee president) spoke candidly about the ongoing mismatch between brand expectations and manufacturer realities, citing rising demands with little corresponding support. Both emphasized the need for greater accountability from brands and a commitment to shared investment in decarbonization.
From the brand side, Fernando de Bunes (Inditex’s chief risk officer) and Felicity Tapsell (BESTSELLER’s head of responsible sourcing) affirmed their support for ATTI’s practical, country-focused structure. They stressed the importance of building transformation plans that respond to the national context and working directly with manufacturers to identify systemic barriers.
Later in the program, Eva von Alvensleben, executive director of The Fashion Pact, framed ATTI as a much-needed mechanism to connect initiatives, scale impact, and ensure manufacturers have a seat at the table. She highlighted the role of coalition-building to unlock industry-wide transformation, even when the path is complex and sometimes messy.
Andrew Martin, executive vice president at Cascale, highlighted the alignment between ATTI and the Industry Decarbonization Roadmap (IDR), a collaborative, industry-wide initiative to accelerate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions across the textile, apparel, and footwear value chain, aiming for a 45 percent reduction by 2030. It moves the industry from ambition to measurable action — prioritizing high-impact facilities while supporting scalable, inclusive, and commercially viable pathways to decarbonization. Initially catalyzed by Cascale and the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), the IDR is now designed as an open, evolving platform for collective industry leadership and action.
Martin described ATTI as a natural complement to the IDR’s goals of supporting national transformation pathways with global coordination: “Manufacturers know what needs to be done. What they’re asking for is alignment. Not ten different targets and twenty different timelines from brands. Brand alignment came out as the top barrier in our recent polling of manufacturers at our Cascale Forum event in Ho Chi Minh City – not finance, not tech. Alignment.”
He also emphasized the importance of avoiding duplication and building trust through meaningful support. “We’re bringing what we can — harmonized data, brand engagement, and credible partnerships. But this only works if manufacturers are the ones leading the agenda.”
Andres Bragagnini, senior manager of strategic engagement at Aii, underscored the need for coordinated action that integrates technical solutions, financing mechanisms, and manufacturer-led planning. He outlined how ATTI complements the IDR’s intent to focus action in high-impact production countries by putting solutions directly into manufacturers’ hands.
As the event concluded, speakers and participants agreed that ATTI represents a fresh opportunity to address climate targets through grounded, practical collaboration. With manufacturers leading, brands aligning, and organizations like Cascale and Aii providing trusted support, the industry has a clearer path to deliver on its 2030 climate goals.
“This is a dream come true,” Martin concluded. “For years, we’ve been trying to connect the dots – harmonizing data, aligning with brand expectations, and localizing implementation. ATTI brings all of that together, but crucially, it puts manufacturers in the driver’s seat.”
Speakers at the ATTI launch event in London.
On March 11, Apparel Impact Institute will launch the second of two reports on the low-carbon thermal energy roadmap for the textile industry, both authored by Global Efficiency Intelligence.
CEO Colin Browne reflects on his first seven months at Cascale and what needs to happen next!
As we close the book on 2024, I want to start by celebrating the progress we’ve made together.
This year, Cascale underwent a transformational rebrand that better reflects who we are and what we stand for: collective action at scale. Our Annual Meeting in Munich set a new benchmark for engagement, aligning members around the critical challenges of our time.
We’ve made strides in policy work, collaborating with partners to amplify the industry’s voice on regulations that matter. We’ve enhanced tools like the Higg Index, ensuring they’re fit for purpose and aligned with the evolving needs of our members. We’ve also begun working more strategically with key partners, and we’ve seen incredible commitment from across our community to tackle the twin crises of climate change and social inequality.
There’s so much to be proud of.
But this isn’t one of those end-of-year posts where I pat us on the back and say, “job well done.” Because, let’s be honest: it’s not enough. Not by a long shot.
Earlier this week, I spoke with a colleague in the industry who mentioned that it often takes a year for outsiders to feel comfortable within the nonprofit sector. But if “getting comfortable” means accepting the current state of affairs, then I refuse to do so. In the words of American activist and author Angela Davis, “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”
The question for me—and for all of us whose work ties back to the consumer goods value chain—is this: What can we no longer accept?
First, the endless cycle of audits. I recently met with a manufacturer whose supply chain endured 723 audits in a single year. This staggering number represents wasted time, money, and resources—resources that could be invested in improving working conditions or reducing environmental impacts.
We’ve talked for years about harmonizing audits, yet duplicative proprietary demands persist. It’s time for brands to step up and commit to meaningful, long-term partnerships with their facilities. Responsible purchasing practices can no longer be optional.
My commitment: In 2025, Cascale will double down on harmonizing frameworks and fostering equitable business practices that enable decent work. And, we hope to have some big news on the horizon.
Second, the patchwork of science-based targets (SBTs). Instead of supporting their supply chains in setting meaningful decarbonization goals, too many brands are pushing this responsibility onto manufacturers, creating conflicting and burdensome requirements.
My commitment: Cascale will leverage its convening power to drive systemic action through the Industry Decarbonization Roadmap (IDR), catalyzing progress on energy transitions, foundational environmental performance, and supply chain decarbonization.
Third, the lack of shared responsibility for critical investments. Brands and manufacturers must work together to fund the solutions we need to build a resilient, sustainable supply chain. Collaboration is a two-way street, and we need you to engage and collaborate with intent.
My commitment: Cascale will continue to lead pre-competitive collaboration, creating the conditions for impactful partnerships that drive measurable progress.
Angela Davis’s words resonate deeply: accepting the status quo is not an option. Regulation is inevitable, but so are the worsening impacts of climate change and inequality. Our industry must lead, not react.
I’m increasingly hearing that some companies are walking back their climate action plans, choosing to focus solely on compliance. They claim they can’t afford to do both. Not only is this staggeringly irresponsible, but it’s also shortsighted. Legislation will soon demand we demonstrate measurable progress—not just promises. And let’s not forget: consumers are watching. They will call out companies that fail to act, and the reputational cost of inaction will far outweigh any short-term savings.
At Cascale, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work. But this isn’t something we can do alone. Collaboration isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the only way forward. This isn’t about maintaining the status quo. It’s about reimagining what’s possible and aligning our efforts to create the impact our planet and people so desperately need.
So, as you take time to recharge over the holidays, reflect on the progress we’ve made, but also on the work that lies ahead. Come January, let’s dive deeper, push harder, and go further—together.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment and passion. Let’s make 2025 a year of bold action and tangible impact.
By embracing initiatives like MCAP, Gap Inc. helps its suppliers set science-aligned targets to significantly reduce GHG emissions and drive meaningful environmental change across the industry.
Gap Inc. has pledged to reduce its environmental footprint through innovative initiatives and collaborative efforts, such as Cascale’s Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP), which accelerates the adoption of science-aligned targets (SATs) and fosters a culture of collaborative sustainability within the consumer goods industry.
Gap Inc.’s 2023 ESG Report highlights significant progress toward its sustainability goals, demonstrating the company’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact. The report outlines two major emissions-related targets:
Additionally, Gap Inc. set a goal for 80 percent of its sourcing to be allocated to green-rated factories by 2025. This goal was surpassed in 2023, with 87 percent of business spending allocated to green-rated factories.
These milestones reflect Gap Inc.’s dedication to sustainability and its proactive approach to environmental stewardship across its operations and supply chain.
Central to Gap Inc.’s sustainability strategy is active engagement with suppliers. Recognizing that meaningful change requires collaborative efforts, Gap Inc. coordinated with three key suppliers — Hansae Co Ltd, Makalot Industrial Co Ltd, and Yakjin Trading Corp — to engage in MCAP. After participating in MCAP, the three suppliers completed setting their SATs, and their targets were validated by either TÜV Rheinland, BV, or SGS. The validated targets have been reviewed and approved by Cascale, and their MCAP status will be publicly disclosed on the MCAP Disclosure Dashboard.
MCAP is a pivotal initiative within Cascale’s Decarbonization Program, uniting manufacturers worldwide to combat climate change in the consumer goods industry. MCAP drives sustainable change through science-aligned targets (SATs), aiming for a 45 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This effort is aligned with the goal of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Gap Inc.’s engagement with its suppliers, MCAP, and the Higg Index tools underscores its commitment to sustainability and climate action. By working closely with suppliers like Hansae, Markalot, and Yakjin, Gap Inc. has achieved significant environmental improvements. These efforts highlight the spirit of collaboration and dedication within the consumer goods industry, showcasing the impactful results of strategic supplier engagement to combat climate change.
Gap Inc.’s Supplier Sustainability program focuses on social and environmental issues. It uses remediation practices and a compliance rating system to incentivize suppliers to implement proper labor, health, safety, and environmental standards. This approach aims to protect and support workers, improve air and water quality, increase energy efficiency, and minimize violations across the supply chain.
Initially, Gap Inc.’s Supplier Sustainability team focused on Tier 1 of the supply chain but is now expanding efforts to Tier 2 and 3 suppliers. They use industry tools like the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) Converged Assessment Framework and the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (FEM) to assess and collaborate with suppliers to develop capacity-building and efficiency programs.
Gap, Inc. continues to lead by example, demonstrating that meaningful change is possible when industry leaders and their partners work together toward common goals. By engaging with MCAP and its strategic suppliers and using the Higg Index tools, Gap Inc. has made significant strides in reducing its environmental footprint and fostering a sustainable supply chain. This proactive approach sets a benchmark for others in the industry, contributing to a more sustainable future for all.
Discover the possibilities of becoming a member of Cascale, formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), by downloading our membership brochure. Take the first step towards unlocking valuable benefits, industry insights, and a supportive global community.
This training course equipped sustainability professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills required to set near-term SBTs for the Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
Our reflections on driving positive progress, addressing challenges and fostering collective impact within the textile and apparel industry.
So many of us appreciate how much the natural world means to our mental and physical health. But as nature nears a tipping point, there’s now so much more at stake.
Nature loss now threatens people and the planet. To put this in perspective, our world’s wildlife populations plummeted by 69% between 1970 and 2022 due to our unsustainable use of our planet’s resources.
That’s not just a tragedy for all the incredible life-forms that run, fly, swim, grow and inhabit the world alongside us, enriching us in countless ways. It’s an alarming sign of how quickly we’re moving towards the collapse of complex, interwoven ecosystems on which all of life on earth depends – including us.
We need fertile soils, thriving oceans, plentiful forests, balanced and diverse species and clean water systems to survive. Scientists and experts warn that we need every one of these aspects of nature to help us reduce the intensity and frequency of climate-related risks.
30 x 30 is a wake-up call to use the tools and knowledge we have and unleash the creativity and innovation needed to restore nature before it’s too late.
The 30 x 30 goal is to put aside 30% of the world for nature by 2030. It was agreed at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15), and is an ambitious but vital target.
30 x 30 gives us aligned goals that we collectively need to hold ourselves accountable to, and to achieve, in order to bring nature back from the brink.
So what does that mean for our industry?
The textile and apparel industry has huge impacts on nature, due to our use of water and chemicals, and our greenhouse gas emissions. These are all key drivers of biodiversity loss.
But the way I see it, this heavy impact also offers us great opportunities in terms of reversing the trend, co-creating solutions together and positively contributing to the global communities in which we operate.
Here’s one example that proves we not only urgently need to do this, but that we absolutely can.
At the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), we continue to see companies putting competition aside to collaborate to achieve a 45% reduction in emissions by 2030.
Our Decarbonization Program is the result of work we are doing with our members and industry partners, as are many other industries, to ensure meaningful action and impact. It will take nothing less than working hand in hand across the value chain to increase education, sharing of best practices and ensuring real progress towards shared goals. While there is more to do, we’ve learned a lot from it. So let’s build on these learnings to advance progress more rapidly when it comes to nature restoration.
What’s the first thing we know we need to do? Get our framework right.
We need to use science-based targets for nature to form action plans that everyone in our sector is working towards. By aligning on achieving science-based, measurable targets and benchmarks, SAC members can make real and vital progress.
Our industry has an ability to bring people and knowledge together to collaborate and co-create solutions; catalyzing collective action to protect people and planet.
The era of working in silos is over. The future lies in harnessing the textile and apparel industry’s vast amount of talent, creativity, innovation and ingenuity, and collaborating to protect nature.
Let’s also make the most of the tools and systems we’ve created to take action against reversing biodiversity loss.
At SAC we’re already incorporating biodiversity within our Higg Index suite of tools that allow brands and retailers to assess their impacts.
For example, we recently made biodiversity a category in a major update to our Higg Brand and Retail Module (BRM), one of the five assessment tools within the Higg Index, allowing brands and retailers to assess their impacts when it comes to land use and habitat protection, including more in-depth questions on water and circularity as key levers of change.
We developed the update in collaboration with members and key partner organizations to ensure close alignment with standard assessment protocols.
We’re also exploring opportunities to utilize our Higg Facility Environmental Model (FEM) to help achieve nature-based targets – including using the vast amount of data we have gathered on chemical usage, water usage and wastewater, to identify hotspots where businesses can drive collective action for substantial impact.
Our data, insights and scale of our membership offer significant opportunities for helping to address fashion’s biodiversity cost.
Reversing the alarming rate of nature loss, and creating a thriving, resilient and just future, requires urgently transforming our systems. Based on more than a decade of collaboration, we know that if you put in place the tools, processes and policies, they do work. There are countless examples of specific actions that can yield outsized positive impacts, but more needs to be done to significantly scale these types of interventions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
From boardrooms and sourcing teams to manufacturing floors and policy makers, now’s the time for radical collaboration to restore nature. Together, we can make the changes needed to bring nature back from the edge.
