Sustainable Apparel Coalition Launches Technology Venture Higg Co.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sustainable Apparel Coalition today announced the launch of Higg Co., a public benefit company that will develop the technology that delivers the Higg Index. The Higg Index is a suite of sustainability assessment tools used globally by brands, retailers and manufacturers to measure the environmental and social performance of a company or product.

The SAC, which was founded in 2009, will continue to focus on the multi-stakeholder collaboration that drives social and environmental sustainability measurement and improvements in the apparel, footwear and textile industry.

"The SAC's vision of an industry that produces no unnecessary environmental harm and has a positive social impact remains as vital as when we started," said SAC Interim Executive Director Amina Razvi. "Spinning out the technology capability enables both organizations to focus on accelerating progress towards that vision."

Higg Co. will be led by former SAC CEO Jason Kibbey and its headquarters are in San Francisco, CA. In addition to hosting Higg Index tools, Higg Co. will also offer custom solutions to allow companies to integrate measurable data directly into their internal systems, better enabling decisions throughout the enterprise. 

"With the spinout of Higg Co., we will provide the industry the trusted technology it needs to be able to implement the Higg Index at scale," said Jason Kibbey, CEO of Higg Co. "Our customers rely on strong technology to drive the social and environmental improvements that will reshape the apparel and footwear industry, and other industries in the future."

Higg Co. is majority-owned by the SAC and funding is provided by impact investment firms Titan Grove and Buckhill Capital, and Sanjeev Bahl of Saiburg B.V.

"As a for profit, well-capitalized company, Higg Co. will facilitate a faster and more efficient rollout of the Higg Index across global value chains to drive transformative, lasting change," said Jeff Tannenbaum, Chairman of Titan Grove.  

"You can't manage what you can't measure, and the Higg Index provides the standardization and measurement the industry needs to drive lasting change," added Henrik Jones, General Partner of Buckhill Capital.

"Patagonia and Walmart co-founded the SAC ten years ago with the proposition that standardized measurement of sector impact that was deep and transparent would unleash forces in the marketplace that would incentivize companies to reduce environmental impact and increase social justice," said Rick Ridgeway of Patagonia. "At Patagonia we're looking forward to working with Higg Co. as a customer to scale positive impact throughout the entire value chain."

About the Sustainable Apparel Coalition
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is an industry-wide group of more than 240 leading apparel, footwear, and textile, brands, retailers, suppliers, service providers, trade associations, nonprofits, NGOs and academic institutions working to reduce the environmental and social impacts of products around the world. Through multi-stakeholder engagement, the SAC seeks to lead the industry toward a shared vision of sustainability built upon a common approach for measuring and evaluating apparel, footwear and textile product sustainability performance that spotlights priorities for action and opportunities for technological innovation. The SAC was incorporated as a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization and launched the groundbreaking Higg Index suite of tools in 2011. For more information, visit www.apparelcoalition.org.

About Higg Co.
Higg Co. is a technology company that delivers, implements and supports the Higg Index for consumer goods industries.  Developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Higg Index is a suite of tools 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 that empowers businesses to make meaningful improvements that protect the well-being of factory workers, local communities and the environment. For more information visit www.higg.com

About Titan Grove Holdings
Titan Grove is a private holding company that builds and owns profitable, impact-driven businesses that transform industries and promote sustainable, healthy and just capitalism. Titan Grove achieves this mission by working with exceptional entrepreneurs, innovators and institutions.  sPower, which Titan Grove co-founded and helped build into the largest solar utility in the U.S., is indicative of Titan Grove's strategy www.titangrove.com

About Buckhill Capital
Buckhill Capital, founded by Henrik Jones, invests in companies on a mission to generate positive environmental and economic outcomes by improving the supply chain, educate for the jobs of the future and provide workforce housing. http://www.buckhillcapital.com

About Sanjeev Bahl of Saiburg B.V.
Saiburg B.V., founded by Sanjeev Bahl, has ventured into businesses across diverse industries including apparel manufacturing, healthcare, information technology and waste management. Saiburg B.V.'s mission is to constantly innovate in its quest to create positive impact and explore new ways to address global challenges.

Media Contact
Alexandra Rosas
Sustainable Apparel Coalition
[email protected]

SOURCE Sustainable Apparel Coalition

Related Links

www.apparelcoalition.org