Higg, a digital platform that allows consumer products firms to measure, manage, and share the social and environmental implications of their entire value chain, released a new report showcasing how Higg technology can help brands minimize their environmental impact.

Manufacturing facilities that use the Higg platform have seen a 20% increase in their environmental assessment ratings since 2019. Brands and facilities that use Higg to contextualize their supply chain data are demonstrating that they are well-positioned to address the climate challenge as soon as possible.

In the inaugural Impact Report, Higg CEO Jason Kibbey, said that in order to achieve large-scale climate and social change, they must give accurate, trustworthy, and contextualized data to more businesses, more markets, and more shoppers as rapidly as possible.

Higg's platform has grown by 70% in the last year, with total users exceeding 45,000 in 2021, up from 10,000 in 2018. By the end of 2021, the number of Higg users is predicted to reach 50,000.

Higg's environmental assessments (Facility Environmental Module, or FEM) assess a facility's performance in terms of carbon emissions, water use, waste management, chemical management, and energy consumption. Facilities may now see year-over-year assessment data in one location, which is currently done on a yearly basis. The environmental performance dashboard can be arranged to compare to industry standards and peers, examined for insights, and used to guide sustainability investment decisions.

The Impact Report summarises Higg's sustainability progress to date. In terms of energy use, facilities that have completed the facility environmental assessment for three years in a row exhibit increases in energy efficiency, such as increased energy awareness. According to Higg data, in 2020, 12% more facilities will have implemented energy use plans than in 2018.

Companies that make consumer goods can examine the whole lifecycle of their products, from material sourcing to customer use, to see which procedures have the most impact on overall sustainability performance. Higg is the first data platform that allows consumer goods firms to gather data at the product level and then analyze it.

Keterina Chong, Williams Sonoma's Sustainability Manager, said that they're stepping up their environmental efforts and aim to help their vendors and factories improve environmentally responsible practices and management. Without having to sort through thousands of columns on a spreadsheet, the Higg analytics solution gives us instant visibility into the challenges its suppliers are facing.

Businesses are adopting Higg to incorporate a sustainability-driven point of view across the value chain, from materials and product design to production and facilities, and lastly, to the environmental effect of brand and retail operations.