Sustainability Tech Spin-Out Higg Co Hires Former Nike Exec As Growth Continues

SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Higg Co, the San Francisco-based technology company founded in 2019 to unify and scale sustainability measurement, announced today it has appointed former Nike Executive, Del Hudson, as the company's new VP of Marketing & Communications. 

Higg Co develops and hosts sustainability measurement tools, allowing companies to integrate measurable data directly into internal systems, improving end-to-end decision-making. Its goal is to unify sustainability measurement practices within consumer goods industries. 

The technology company was spun out of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) last year, with additional Series A funding from impact investment firms Titan Grove Holdings, Buckhill Capital and Sanjeev Bahl of Saiburg B.V. Supporting the apparel, footwear and textile industries to scale digitalization of sustainability data across global supply chains is Higg Co's current priority.

Hudson, who has spent 20 years in communications and sustainability leadership roles in the US, UK and New Zealand will oversee brand marketing, communications and stakeholder relations for the company. Since launching a year ago, Higg Co has expanded product offerings to include brand assessments, upgraded the Higg Index user experience, enabled completion of more than 10,000 factory assessments in 80+ countries and now employs more than 50 people.  

At Nike, Hudson held various leadership roles in Global Communications then Sustainable Business Innovation, where she was responsible for external partnerships, brand integration, sustainability reporting and ESG disclosure. Under her leadership, Nike was a founding contributor to the New Textiles Economy initiative and was named Multinational category winner of The Circulars business awards at the 2017 World Economic Forum.  After Nike, Hudson headed the North American office for UK-based circular economy think-tank, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Higg Co CEO, Jason Kibbey, says, "Del's experience building purpose-led brands and supporting industries in transition will be incredibly valuable for the next phase of our growth. I first collaborated with Del around seven years ago and her understanding of both the sustainability journey and emerging opportunities within our clients' industries is a real asset. We couldn't be more thrilled to have her join Higg Co."

Hudson says the COVID-19 crisis presents a pivotal moment to accelerate sustainability. "Businesses and governments need meaningful data now, more than ever, to inform decisions and rebuild global supply chains," says Hudson. "Trust and product provenance are increasingly important and companies are seeing that digitalization of supply chain data can accelerate sustainability, circularity and transparency, just as it has accelerated all other dimensions of commerce," she adds. "I'm energized by Higg Co's opportunity to help business respond responsibly as we emerge from this crisis." 

Higg Co board member, investor and Titan Grove Chairman, Jeff Tannenbaum, says "Del's global experience in sustainability and brand communications, with companies like Nike and AstraZeneca, and her knowledge of risk management and ESG disclosure add an exciting dimension to Higg Co's executive team. The Board welcomes her expertise and insight."

Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, Hudson received her Bachelor's degree in Media Studies & Communication from Massey University. She recently began studying towards a Master of Science in Nutrition. Hudson lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.

About Higg Co. 
Higg Co is a technology company formed to deliver, implement and support unified sustainability measurement tools for consumer goods industries, beginning with the Higg Index.  The Higg Index is a suite of tools, originally developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), that enables brands, retailers and facilities of all sizes — at every stage in their sustainability journey — to accurately measure and score a company or product's sustainability performance. The Higg Index delivers a holistic overview, enabling businesses to make meaningful improvements that protect the environment, well-being of factory workers and communities. For more information visit www.higg.com 

Last week, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group and the SAC, Higg Co launched Weaving a Better Future"  Rebuilding a More Sustainable Fashion Industry After COVID-19, an industry report observing that retailers and brands that are more deeply integrating sustainability efforts within their business rather than retreating, are poised to come out of the current pandemic crisis in a position of strength.

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SOURCE Higg Co

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