Latest news with #HiggIndex
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Komar Selects Inspectorio to Drive Sustainability, Compliance and Full Supply Chain Visibility Across Global Operations
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Inspectorio, the leading AI-powered supply chain platform for quality, compliance, sustainability and traceability, today announced a strategic partnership with Komar, a global leader in apparel manufacturing. Komar will implement Inspectorio's centralized, data-driven platform to gain a holistic view of its global supply chain, accelerate sustainability goals and ensure supplier and product integrity at scale. Komar, which produces over 115 million garments annually across a portfolio of 100+ owned, licensed and private label brands, is rolling out Inspectorio's full suite of solutions — including quality risk management, lab testing, responsible sourcing and compliance, production tracking and traceability — across approximately 250 tier one and key tier two suppliers. 'Komar is committed to becoming one of the most sustainable apparel companies by 2030, and Inspectorio's platform will be critical for helping us meet that goal,' said Thiwanka De Fonseka, chief sustainability officer, Komar. 'The real-time insights and performance metrics the platform provides will enable us to make faster, more informed decisions, while remaining flexible in the face of evolving regulations and business needs.' This partnership comes as Komar undergoes a major rebranding centered around sustainability, with efforts to digitize 100% of its supply chain and automate Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reporting by 2026. Inspectorio's advanced traceability capabilities will help Komar achieve full visibility down to raw materials — a key requirement for accurate, proof-based sustainability claims. 'By 2026, we want full digital traceability and automated EPR reporting,' said David Bobbitt, president of sourcing & production, Komar. 'Right now, we're scrambling between spreadsheets and partial systems. This is a big lift — and Inspectorio is the partner that can help us get there.' Inspectorio's platform seamlessly integrates with global standards such as the Higg Index, SLCP and ZDHC, enabling Komar to streamline sustainability data collection, reporting and supplier engagement efforts. The partnership also allows Komar to centralize key metrics and gain actionable insights from factory performance, audit results and traceability data — ensuring consistency across all divisions, from sleepwear and intimates to kids and layering. 'Komar is leading the charge on supply chain transparency and accountability,' said Chirag Patel, CEO, Inspectorio. 'We're proud to support their digital transformation and help unlock new levels of operational agility, risk reduction and integrity across their supply network.' At a time when fashion and apparel brands are navigating mounting regulatory pressure and shifting consumer expectations, Komar's partnership with Inspectorio demonstrates the power of investing in a unified, AI-powered platform to ensure visibility, resilience and long-term competitive advantage. To learn more about Inspectorio's platform and how it helps brands and retailers eliminate silos, reduce risk and ensure supplier and product integrity, visit About Komar Founded in 1908, Komar is a privately held global apparel company specializing in the design, marketing, sourcing, and distribution of sleepwear, loungewear, intimates, and layering products. Komar represents more than 100 lifestyle brands and licenses through its global retail partners across every price point. For more information, visit About Inspectorio Inspectorio is the leading AI-powered platform optimizing performance and building resilience across production chains for global brands, retailers, and manufacturers. Its cloud-based solutions digitize and connect supply chain processes — from quality and compliance to sustainability and traceability — giving companies the real-time visibility and intelligence they need to make better decisions, faster. Learn more at
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Cascale Talks ESPR at Innovation Forum Sustainable Apparel Event in Amsterdam
Elisabeth von Reitzenstein, senior director of policy and public affairs at Cascale, recently took to the stage at Innovation Forum's Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference in Amsterdam to discuss Eco-Design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and how brands can get ahead of implementation. Carsten Wentink, policy officer at the European Commission, joined her for a conversation moderated by Ian Welsh, publishing director at Innovation Forum. Von Reitzenstein noted the significant adaptations that ESPR will require, which will encourage manufacturers and brands to prioritize circularity, transparency, and innovation. She shared key requirements companies must fulfill to comply with ESPR, including proactively integrating eco-design principles, assessing their supply chains, and preparing for Digital Product Passports (DPPs). Von Reitzenstein highlighted the crucial challenges DPPs will present for businesses, particularly those not currently measuring their carbon impact across supply chains. Emphasizing the importance of gathering reliable information from the full scope of suppliers, von Reitzenstein acknowledged the difficulty in collecting comprehensive and accurate data throughout complex global supply chains. She highlighted Cascale's Higg Index tools, exclusively available on Worldly, and how they can support the collection, tracking, and analysis of supply chain data for regulatory compliance. She noted Cascale's continued efforts to support its members along their compliance journeys by providing resources, guidance, and collaborative platforms to navigate the new regulations. Presenting a global perspective, von Reitzenstein emphasized that companies must move beyond compliance to build genuine resilience. She underscored the critical role of education in understanding legislation, highlighting Cascale's 'Navigating Legislation & the Higg Index' webinar series, which explores how Cascale continues to evolve the Higg Index tools to support companies navigating the legislation landscape. She also shared Cascale's ongoing efforts to develop and share resources with its members and Higg Index users to ensure they are well informed and supported in their compliance journeys. Von Reitzenstein reiterated the vital role of industry input, emphasizing the EU's call for businesses to contribute ideas to shape effective eco-design rules and realistic implementation timelines. She reassured members that they are not alone in this journey, as Cascale continues to offer valuable resources and engagement channels for alignment. She also called on the need for collaboration, highlighting the crucial role of industry organizations like Policy Hub — a Cascale ecosystem partner — in uniting the industry's voice to shape the sector's future. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Cascale
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
New Location, Same Vision: Higg Index Resources Now Available at Cascale
Cascale has launched a new website that will serve as the new home for key Higg Index resources previously housed on This transition is part of a broader effort to streamline information, improve access, and enhance the user experience for Cascale members and Higg Index users. The Higg Index is a suite of five tools that assess and measure the social and environmental performance of the consumer goods value chain and the environmental impacts of products. Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the industry's leading sustainability data insights platform. has been a trusted resource for Higg Index technical materials, and the content remains available to all Higg Index users on the Cascale's website at The website update reflects Cascale's ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, user-informed resources. Feedback from members and users has played a central role in shaping the transition strategy, reinforcing the organization's dedication to providing accessible, effective information for sustainability measurement and improvement. The new website provides the same Higg Index technical guidance, methodologies, training videos, and support materials, while improving the user experience through more seamless navigation and a modernized site design. Additional platform guidance and Worldly-specific information will be found on Worldly's Training and Support site. Cascale and Worldly remain aligned in their support of Cascale members, Higg Index users, and stakeholders throughout the transition. While Cascale will host and maintain the new website, Worldly will continue to enhance the user experience on its platform. To maintain clarity and continuity, a redirect will be set up on to direct users to the appropriate new locations. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Cascale
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Cascale and Worldly Release New Policy Deep Dive on APAC Corporate Sustainability and Supply Chain Regulation
AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., May 8, 2025 /3BL/ - Cascale, the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry, and Worldly, the leading supply chain sustainability data insights platform, today released a new policy deep dive: Navigating Regulation and Building Resilience: Key Trends in Corporate Supply Chain Responsibility for APAC in 2025. This report examines the growing trend of climate- and supply chain-related regulations across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and their implications for global brands, manufacturers, and suppliers. Released ahead of the Cascale Forum: Ho Chi Minh City, taking place on May 14–15, the analysis provides key insights that can inform conversations on regulatory readiness, facility-level data, and regional leadership. The urgency of these shifts is underscored by the region's exposure to climate risk,' said Elisabeth von Reitzenstein, senior director of policy and public affairs at Cascale. 'The APAC region is home to the majority of the world's 100 most environmentally at-risk cities. Our industry has a responsibility—and an opportunity—to lead in shaping more resilient, transparent supply chains. This deep dive is designed to equip our members with the foresight to do exactly that.' In addition to spotlighting major national and international regulatory developments, the deep dive outlines clear recommendations for companies, including how to invest in localized data systems, set science-based targets, and build stronger brand-manufacturer partnerships. As part of its expanded focus on the APAC region, Cascale plans to launch a new APAC Policy Member Expert Team (MET) in 2025, which will advise on regulatory priorities and help shape the organization's advocacy efforts across the region. Cascale also continues to work closely with local industry associations such as VITAS and BGMEA to support members in navigating compliance and aligning with policy momentum. 'We're committed to amplifying local voices and building policy alignment from the ground up,' said Howard Kwong, senior manager of public affairs, APAC at Cascale. 'This deep dive is part of a broader effort to equip our members in and sourcing from the APAC region with the insight, partnerships, and tools needed to lead in a shifting global landscape.' Tools such as the Higg Index continue to play a critical role in enabling companies to meet emerging regulatory and buyer expectations, offering standardized, facility-level data on environmental and social performance. To build resilient, future-ready businesses, companies must look beyond compliance and deeply understand the policy shifts unfolding across the Asia-Pacific region,' said JR Siegel, vice president, sustainability at Worldly. 'As APAC governments move from voluntary guidance to mandatory regulation, the leading companies of tomorrow will be the ones that invest in transparency, climate adaptation, and clean energy today. This paper is a call to action for businesses to treat these policy changes as an opportunity to shape the future of responsible commerce.' This publication builds on previous Cascale and Worldly policy deep dives, including reports on the EU's CS3D and IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards. It reflects the organizations' ongoing commitment to delivering expert insight, regional engagement, and practical support to help the consumer goods industry meet its sustainability and compliance goals. Download the Full Report Today Get expert analysis, regional insights, and strategic recommendations to help your company meet evolving expectations and build resilience in the world's most dynamic manufacturing region. ABOUT CASCALE Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. LinkedIn | X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube ABOUT WORLDLY Worldly is the planet's leading sustainability data insights platform, trusted by 40,000+ major brands, retailers, and manufacturers in fashion, outdoor, home goods, toys, and more. Worldly uniquely collects high-resolution primary data specific to companies' value chains, operations, and products, providing insight into true impacts across carbon, water, chemistry, and labor. Featuring the most comprehensive source of ESG data for global manufacturers and the largest library of materials and product impacts, Worldly empowers businesses to scale responsibility into their global operations, faster and more accurately. Hosting, connecting with, and supporting the leading industry solutions and methodologies including ZDHC, Bluesign, and the Higg Index — developed and owned by the global nonprofit alliance Cascale — Worldly delivers the insights businesses need to reduce their impact, comply with emerging regulatory and financial disclosure requirements, and meet the expectations of a new generation of customers. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Cascale
Associated Press
07-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Cascale Emphasizes Role of Brand-Supplier Relationships To Achieve Sustainability Goals
At the recent Functional Fabric Fair Day 0 Sustainability Workshop in Portland, Joleen Ong, senior director of brand and retailer membership at Cascale, led a session and joined a panel of industry experts to discuss various models of how suppliers and brands can work together to achieve shared sustainability goals. The event brought together sustainability practitioners who presented a pragmatic approach to foundational topics, while providing updated guidance on recent trade developments. Ong opened the session, 'Finding (or not finding) Business Value in Sustainability'. The session continued with a panel discussion moderated by Jill Dumain, founding partner, Fractal CSOs, and included panelists Gerhard Leitner, head of business unit shirting and technics, Getzner Textil AG; Jennifer Ryan, owner, Ryan Imports; and Matthew Guenther, vice president corporate sustainability, TAL Apparel Ltd. Ong began her presentation by giving an overview of Cascale's origins and its vision to pre-competitively convene stakeholders across the industry to develop a common approach to measuring sustainability. She highlighted Cascale's growth in membership and ongoing evolution, and noted its strategic pillars — Combat Climate Change and Support Decent Work for All — as critical to the organization's vision of a global consumer goods industry that gives back more than it takes to the planet and its people. After an overview of Cascale's Higg Index suite of tools, Ong shared how they were developed, in collaboration with members, to help measure and understand sustainability performance and identify areas for improvement. She noted Cascale's ongoing commitment to evolve the tools, as science improves and industry challenges deepen, to support its members and the wider consumer goods industry. Ong delved into challenges facing the industry, including audit and assessment fatigue facing organizations as a result of overlapping and redundant audits and data requests, inconsistent audit standards, and difficulties in prioritizing remediation, among others. She shared solutions that could help address these challenges, including consolidating audits, where brands and organizations can collaborate to harmonize audit standards, and reducing the frequency and overlap of audits. Ong emphasized the need to shift from a traditional audit-driven approach to a due diligence-based strategy for managing supply chain risks. She encouraged brands to adopt smart auditing practices, including the use of predictive analytics during the pre-screening of new manufacturing partners to identify higher-risk areas or known issues. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all audit model, she advocated for a more targeted deployment of audits. Joleen also outlined the benefits of audit convergence, such as clearer corrective action guidance for suppliers, increased wages for workers, and cost savings that can be reinvested into workplace improvements. In parallel, Ong highlighted how adopting responsible purchasing practices can drive meaningful impact, emphasizing the pivotal role of the Better Buying Institute (BBI) in scaling effective solutions to support these efforts. Cascale recently acquired key assets of Better Buying Institute (BBI) to support its objective of advancing responsible purchasing practices across the consumer goods industry. Ong concluded by sharing insights from BBI's surveys and the Better Buying Partnership Index (BBPI), emphasizing their importance in advancing responsible purchasing practices and promoting fair, accountable, and socially just supply chains. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Cascale
