Sustainability nonprofit Cascale has established a new Technical Advisory Council (TAC) to provide structured guidance on the development and maintenance of the Higg Index and other sustainability measurement tools used across global supply chains.
The council will play a key advisory role in shaping technical priorities for the Higg Index framework, modules, and methodologies, while also supporting tool offerings linked to Better Buying and the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
Cascale said the initiative aims to strengthen transparency and expand participation in decision-making processes within its governance structure, following requests from members seeking greater engagement in shaping industry sustainability tools.
The Technical Advisory Council includes representatives from major organisations across the apparel and textile sector, including CIEL Textiles, Columbia Sportswear, EILEEN FISHER, Elevate Textiles, Leadership & Sustainability, MAS Holdings, Patagonia, Primark, Sapphire Textile Mills, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Also read: Apparel Alliance Launches Unified Supply Chain Taxonomy for Textile and Fashion Industry
Additional technical expertise will be provided by organisations such as 2B Policy, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
According to Cascale, the council will deliver expert recommendations that are documented and shared through established governance channels. These recommendations will be distributed to Cascale’s Executive Team, Board of Directors and member organisations to support alignment across the network.
The Higg Index, one of the apparel industry’s most widely used sustainability measurement frameworks, is deployed globally through the technology platform Worldly and is used by thousands of companies to assess environmental and social impacts across supply chains.
Industry stakeholders rely on the Higg Index tools to evaluate areas such as facility performance, product sustainability and environmental footprint across manufacturing operations.
Cascale governance director Nikki Wood said the creation of the Technical Advisory Council responds directly to member feedback calling for clearer and more transparent mechanisms to contribute technical expertise.
“This evolution reflects what we’ve heard clearly from our members: they want structured, transparent pathways to contribute their expertise,” Wood said.
“The Technical Advisory Council strengthens our foundation of governance and measurement, ensuring that the systems our industry relies on remain credible, inclusive and responsive to emerging challenges.”
While the TAC will provide advisory input, Cascale’s Board of Directors will remain the organisation’s primary decision-making body.
The board is elected equally from affiliates, manufacturers, brands and retailers, ensuring balanced representation across the industry.
The council’s structure includes open participation calls and representation from multiple membership categories to maintain diversity of perspectives in technical discussions.
Cascale said its governance model is grounded in principles including collaboration, equity, inclusion and transparency, with the TAC expected to reinforce those values through published reports and regular communication updates to members.
Todd Copeland, chair of the Technical Advisory Council and founder of Copeland Consultancy, said the council will help ensure sustainability measurement tools remain relevant and effective for the industry.
“The formation of a Technical Advisory Council is an exciting step in Cascale’s ongoing development of sustainability tools like the Higg Index,” Copeland said.
“The goal is to ensure they remain applicable, accessible, widely adopted and effective in measuring and improving sustainability performance.”
He added that the council will enable structured input from a wide range of stakeholders, helping shape the future development of sustainability measurement frameworks.
Cascale also said additional governance updates are expected throughout 2026 as the organisation continues to refine its operational structure.
Members will be able to access updates and governance documentation through the Governance section of the Cascale Connect platform.
The governance update comes shortly after Cascale announced leadership changes, including the appointment of Ying McGuire as the organisation’s new chief executive officer. McGuire is scheduled to assume the role on June 1, 2026.
Industry observers say strengthening governance and transparency around sustainability measurement tools will be critical as apparel companies face increasing scrutiny from regulators, investors and consumers over environmental and social performance.
With the Higg Index widely used across the fashion industry, Cascale’s move to formalise technical oversight through the new council is expected to play an important role in shaping the future of sustainability metrics used across global textile supply chains.
