Higg Index: Key Tools for Factory Inspection and Certification

January 27, 2026

The Higg Index is an innovative set of sustainability measurement tools designed to help the apparel, footwear, retail, and manufacturing industries conduct self-assessments of their environmental and social responsibility performance, and drive continuous improvement.

Developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)—a coalition comprising over 200 leading brands, retailers, manufacturers, governments, NGOs, and academic institutions—the Higg Index aims to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of the global textile, apparel, and footwear supply chain.

The Higg Index primarily consists of two verification frameworks:

Higg FEM (Facility Environment Module)
Higg FSLM (Facility Social & Labor Module)

What is Higg FEM?
Higg FEM is intended for manufacturers. It requires an annual self-assessment followed by third-party verification conducted by an SAC-approved verification body. This module evaluates a facility’s environmental sustainability performance and identifies opportunities for improvement in reducing environmental impact. Through supply chain inspection and assessment, it supports long-term sustainability from raw material sourcing to end-of-life cycles.

Higg FEM covers the following areas:

Environmental Management System
Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Air Emissions
Water Use
Wastewater
Waste Management
Chemicals Management

What is Higg FSLM?
SAC has integrated the industry standards of the Social and Labor Convergence Project (SLCP) into the Higg FSLM. SLCP is an apparel and footwear industry initiative aimed at reducing duplicate social compliance audits by unifying assessments of labor, health, and safety standards. Since SLCP does not operate its own IT platform, it partners with organizations such as SAC, which hosts the module under the name FSLM (Facility Social & Labor Module).

Higg FSLM is designed for manufacturers to complete an annual self-assessment and undergo third-party verification by an SAC-recognized body. It evaluates social responsibility management systems and promotes sustainable improvements in factory operations.

Higg FSLM includes the following sections:

Recruitment and Hiring
Working Hours
Wages and Benefits
Employee Treatment
Employee Involvement
Health and Safety
Termination
Management Systems
Facility workforce standards and those of value chain partners
External engagement on social and labor issues with other facilities or organizations
Community engagement

How to Apply for Higg FEM and FSLM Verification?
To begin the inspection and certification process, register and pay the fee on www.higg.org. Use the platform’s self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) tool to complete your self-assessment. Once finished, download the SAQ results and submit them to an SAC-approved third-party verification body to schedule an on-site factory audit. After verification, the results will be published on the Higg.org platform. These verified environmental and social performance reports can be used internally for continuous improvement and externally by clients (including potential buyers) for supplier evaluation and certification purposes.