Join us for an interactive session exploring the latest enhancements to the Higg BRM Benchmark. We’ll dive into how members can leverage the Benchmark as a strategic tool to drive performance, identify opportunities, and support sustainability goals.
Cascale’s new refinements maintain the module’s credibility while supporting benchmarking and long-term strategy development.
Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Oakland (CA) – March 4, 2026: Cascale today announced the 2025 cadence of the Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM), reaffirming the commitment to continuous improvement and member-driven evolution. The Higg BRM 2025 cadence will run from March 3 through June 30, 2026.
The Higg BRM supports brands and retailers in measuring environmental, social, and governance performance across their operations and value chains. For the 2025 cadence, key updates include:
Cascale will support members throughout the cadence, including through a member-only webinar on April 7 – members can click here to register!
“The Higg BRM remains a strategic module for sustainable and responsible business operations,” said Adrián Branco, Sr. Manager, Higg BRM at Cascale. “Each year, we refine the module to reflect member feedback, the latest trends in our industry, and evolving regulatory landscapes. Our goal is to support brands and retailers in assessing impacts, benchmarking performance, strengthening governance, and moving from measurement to meaningful action.”
The Higg BRM is a core component of the Higg Index framework and methodologies stewarded and governed by Cascale, and is delivered globally through Worldly’s technology platform. Collectively, the Higg Index is the leading sustainability measurement framework for the consumer goods industry. Through aligned governance, consistent methodology, and global collaboration, Cascale continues to strengthen the foundation for credible industry transformation.
Media Contact: Forster Communications, cascaleforster@forster.co.uk
A member-only webinar focused on the Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM) 2024 update and its transformative potential for sustainable change.
On November 6, 2024, we co-hosted a webinar with SLCP and Worldly, exploring the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM) and SLCP CAF in supporting social compliance.
With reporting compliance around the corner, Cascale published a white paper showcasing how the Higg Brand and Retail Module (Higg BRM) is answering the call.
In the face of today’s challenging and ever-changing legislative landscape, brands and retailers require reliable tools to support them in meeting compliance requirements. In short, The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandates the development of detailed reporting standards, known as the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). In 2025, companies subject to reporting will be required to comply with CSRD by reporting 2024 data. The CSRD amends and strengthens the existing Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). Compared to NFRD the CSRD reporting process will be more complex, comprehensive, and stringent.
The Cascale team has been readying for regulation with its Higg Index toolset.
Although not designed to be a comprehensive compliance sweep, the Higg Brand and Retail Module answers many of the ESRS reporting requirements while providing companies detailed mapping against ESRS topical standards. Each topical standard includes disclosure requirements that organizations must follow to report on their sustainability impacts, risks, opportunities, and performance related to the specific topic.
Regarding Cascale’s recently published Higg BRM x CSRD white paper, Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco, senior director, Higg Index strategy and operations at Cascale said, “We are dedicated to ensuring the latest version of Higg BRM is fit for purpose in supporting our members in their compliance journeys, especially as the white paper has shown for the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). As it exists today, we know the tool is a valuable asset for users that have to report following ESRS. The Higg BRM will continue to play a pivotal role in the regulatory compliance process. With the Higg BRM, consumer goods companies can not only meet relevant regulatory requirements but elevate their sustainability performance.”
In their compliance journey, companies will need to undertake a double materiality assessment, per EU law.
The double materiality assessment means a company has to conduct an impact materiality assessment and a financial materiality assessment, showcasing clear consideration to people and the planet.
The Higg BRM specifically supports users with its impact materiality assessment The ESRS also acknowledges the importance of “entity-specific disclosures.” Uniquely, the Higg BRM presents an opportunity to assist users in disclosing industry-specific material topics with the necessary depth and granularity. These are nuanced topics that the agnostic ESRS may not cover adequately.
In the future, the Higg BRM team will further enhance tool alignment with the CSRD and other relevant regulations. By identifying and bridging gaps, the Higg BRM will further support stakeholders in achieving a more structured and transparent approach to sustainability reporting.
In an era where sustainability reporting is more critical than ever, Cascale’s Higg BRM is leading the charge to help brands meet new EU standards.
In an era where sustainability reporting is more critical than ever, Cascale’s Higg BRM is leading the charge to help brands meet new EU standards
Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Oakland (CA) — August 14, 2024: Cascale, formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, has published a white paper that details how the organization’s Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM) can help companies meet their regulatory reporting obligations under European Union (EU) law. The paper, titled “How the Higg BRM Supports CSRD Reporting Obligations,” speaks specifically to how the tool is continually evolving to support companies in meeting their regulatory reporting requirements under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
In the face of today’s challenging and ever-changing legislative landscape, brands and retailers require reliable tools to support them in meeting compliance requirements. The Higg BRM is the leading framework specific to the textile, apparel, and footwear industry designed for brands and retailers to evaluate, assess, and improve Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. The tool assesses 11 critical impact areas along global value chains to foster a holistic approach to sustainability, and is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform.
“Through continuous evolution and updates, the Higg BRM empowers organizations to not only meet relevant regulatory requirements, but to forge ahead with impactful, data-driven sustainability strategies,” said Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco, senior director, Higg Index strategy & operations at Cascale. “The Higg BRM plays a pivotal role for companies who are navigating this complex regulatory landscape.”
The Higg BRM has evolved to assist brands and retailers in fulfilling reporting obligations, while also supporting companies in the development of consistent corporate sustainability strategies to streamline efforts and reduce redundancy across sustainability initiatives. Beginning in 2024, Cascale conducted a thorough analysis of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which provides specific guidance on how companies should report on sustainability. Cascale mapped how the standards align with the Higg BRM, offering a clear pathway for organizations aiming to comply with ESRS. As detailed in the white paper, there is a 65 percent content overlap between the ESRS and the Higg BRM.
While the Higg BRM aligns broadly with ESRS on sustainability topics, it also delves deeper into issues that are specific to the textile, apparel, and footwear sector. This focus on sector-specific material issues ensures Higg BRM users can expect a comprehensive tool that not only meets general reporting requirements but also emphasizes the nuances and priorities unique to the industry.
Cascale is currently hosting an ongoing webinar series titled “Navigating Legislation & the Higg Index,” which highlights how the Higg Index tools serve as a valuable resource and can offer specific guidance on reporting requirements. The most recent webinar, co-hosted by Cascale and Worldly, provided an in-depth discussion on how the Higg BRM intersects with key pieces of legislation at the EU level, such as the CSRD.
Cascale is committed to continuously evolving, updating, and refining the Higg Index to meet the needs of its members, Higg Index users, and the industry. In collaboration with Worldly, the Higg BRM will be further refined to enhance alignment with the CSRD and other relevant regulations. By identifying and bridging gaps, the Higg BRM continues to support stakeholders in achieving a more structured and transparent approach to sustainability reporting.
About CSRD
The CSRD represents a significant leap forward in the corporate reporting landscape within the European Union. It is a directive that requires transposition into the national law of all 27 EU Member States, establishing its requirements as legally binding for companies within its scope. The goal of the CSRD is to enhance the scope and quality of sustainability reporting across the EU, ensuring that sustainability disclosures are more consistent, comparable, and reliable for stakeholders to make informed decisions.
To achieve this, the CSRD mandates the development of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Designed by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), the ESRS provides specific guidance on how companies should report on sustainability. These standards require companies to provide detailed disclosures encompassing qualitative and quantitative information across a range of sustainability topics, such as climate change, environmental protection, social rights, and employee matters.
About Cascale
Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.
In this paper, we articulate exactly how the Higg Brand and Retail Module (Higg BRM) can assist brands and retailers (undertakings) in fulfilling their reporting requirements under the European Union’s (EU) Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), while also helping to develop consistent corporate sustainability strategies and avoid duplication across sustainability initiatives.
Please fill out the form to download the publication
On June 12, we hosted an insightful webinar that explored the alignment between the Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM) and key regulations, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
This webinar was an introduction into the Higg BRM and a live Q&A session to answer any related questions.
