Higg Index for Pakistani Textile Factories: FEM Scoring, What Brands Check, and How to Prepare
What Is the Higg Index?
The Higg Index is a suite of sustainability measurement tools developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) — an industry alliance that includes H&M, Nike, Adidas, Patagonia, Gap, Marks & Spencer, and over 250 other brands, retailers, and manufacturers. The Higg Index allows brands and factories to measure, score, and compare environmental and social performance across the supply chain using standardised metrics. Understanding the Higg Index is now a prerequisite for working with most major EU and US fashion brands.
For Pakistani factories, the most important module is the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM). If a brand asks your factory to “complete Higg” or “submit your Higg score,” they are referring to the FEM — a self-assessment covering energy use, water use, wastewater discharge, air emissions, chemical management, and waste management. In 2024, H&M alone required Higg FEM self-assessment from over 1,400 strategic suppliers globally, including 200+ in Pakistan.
The Three Higg Modules That Affect Pakistani Factories
Self-assessment of environmental performance. 7 sections: energy, GHG, water, wastewater, air emissions, waste, chemicals. Annual self-assessment + optional third-party verification. Completed at the factory level.
Self-assessment of social and labour conditions: wages, working hours, freedom of association, workplace safety, grievance mechanisms. Increasingly required alongside FEM for complete Higg factory profile.
Environmental impact scoring for raw materials — cotton, polyester, nylon, wool, etc. Relevant for fabric mills and raw material suppliers. Brands use MSI data to compare material environmental footprints.
Higg FEM Scoring: What Each Section Covers
Further Reading
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