Updated on March 13, 2024
Higg FEM Scoring System
The Higg FEM is constantly being updated and improved, which can affect the scoring. Any changes will be posted here and in the appropriate sections.
Higg FEM offers a variety of scoring for facilities and their stakeholders to understand their performance. It includes a Total FEM Score, Section Scores and Level achievement. Cascale may continue to develop the Higg FEM scoring methodology to provide additional performance metrics in the future.
The Higg FEM scoring system is designed to drive behavior change. This means points are only assigned to “yes” or “partial yes” answers for questions that drive actions, decisions and practices that lead to better environmental sustainability outcomes. To receive points for a question, you must answer “yes” or “partial yes” to the scored question.
Not all Higg FEM 4.0 questions are scored.
You can also download the Scoring Guidance here.
Higg FEM Level Advancing Methodology
Higg FEM questions are structured in three levels (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3):
- Level 1 – Awareness and understanding of sources and basic management systems
- Level 2 – Setting baselines, targets, and tracking improvements
- Level 3 – Leading aspirational practices
If a facility has not implemented Level 1 practices (cannot answer Yes or Partial Yes in all scored questions), then they cannot proceed to level 2 and 3 practices. This ensures facilities successfully demonstrate level 1 practices (the basic requirement), before proceeding to more advanced practices.
Higg FEM 4.0 Scoring Methodology
Levels are not equally weighted. Higg FEM weighs Level 2 higher than the other levels because the questions in this level are driving key performance improvement measures such as setting targets and tracking reductions.
- Level 1 is worth 25% out of the 100 total section points. (Unless the applicability questions stop you at Level 1, then the Level 1 is worth 100% of the 100 total section points.)
- Level 2 is worth 50% out of the 100 total section points
- Level 3 is worth 25% out of the 100 total section points
Sections Are Weighted Equally
The Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) assesses seven impact areas and scores a facility on its performance across the impact areas:
Each section consists of 100 points. A total Higg FEM score is based on a possibility of 100 points, so each section score is worth an equal portion (14.3%) of the total points assigned to the total Higg FEM score.
In the case that a particular section is not applicable to a facility (i.e. Air Emissions), then each section score will be equally re-distributed to the remaining applicable sections. In this case, each section score is worth an equal portion (16.67%) of the total points assigned to the total Higg FEM score.
Calculating Points for Each Scored Question
You earn points based on your answer to each scored question:
- For each “Yes” answer, you receive full points.
- For each “Partial Yes” answer, you receive half points.
- For each “No or Unknown” answer, you receive zero points.
Question scores are equally distributed in each Level depending on the number of scored questions available in the particular level. Therefore each question score varies depending on the number of scored questions applicable to the facility.
An example as shown below:
In addition, additional scoring rules that award scores based on whether a facility is meeting their energy/water/waste target and achievement are implemented automatically.
Scenarios that could result in ZERO Total FEM Score
Higg FEM 4.0 may result in ZERO point in Total FEM Score regardless of the performance in each impact area if a facility:
- does not obtain a valid business operating license; AND/OR
- does not obtain any required environmental permits without a valid reason.
Invalid reasons include Facility simply did not have the required environmental permits at all OR Permit is not valid because the facility is no longer able to meet the requirement of obtaining the required permit.
Higg FEM 2023 Score Calculation
Self-assessed score is calculated as described in the Higg FEM 4.0 Scoring Methodology section above.
Verified-assessment score is calculated slightly modified in Higg FEM 2023 cadence due to the implementation of the Core verification. Core verification was introduced starting in Higg FEM 2023. The scope of Core verification only covers a subset of Level 1 questions, Carbon emission related quantitative matrix, and Water consumption quantitative matrix. Therefore, not all Higg FEM 2023 questions will be verified in the Core Verification. For details on the questions to be included in the Core verification, please refer to Appendix C in the Higg FEM Verification Protocol.
Verified-assessment score is now known as “Partially Verified Score” in Higg FEM 2023 cadence. It is calculated with a combination of verified score of the Core verification questions and the self-assessed score of the remaining applicable questions.
Partially Verified Score will also be calculated following the Higg FEM Level Advancing Methodology.
Example #1:
Facility achieved a 65% section score in the Water section in the Higg FEM self-assessment. After Core verification is conducted, the Partially verified section score dropped to 60%. During the Core verification, it was found that the facility did not fulfill some questions requirement, therefore the answer was changed from a Yes to Partial Yes, thus losing the relevant point. According to the Higg FEM Level Advancement methodology, the facility has fulfilled the minimum requirement in Level 1, therefore Level 2 and Level 3 questions were unlocked.
Therefore, the Partially verification section score is calculated by the sum of the Core verification questions achievement (which is in this case 20%) + the sum of the rest of the self-assessment question achievement (which is in this case the Level 2 and Level 3 self-assessed score).
| Example #1: Water | Section Score | Level 1 Score | Level 2 Score | Level 3 Score |
| Self-assessed | 65% | 25% | 30% | 10% |
| Verified-assessment | 60% | 20% | 30% | 10% |
Example #2:
Facility achieved a 65% section score in the Water section in the Higg FEM self-assessment. After Core verification is conducted, the Partially verified section score dropped to 15%. During the Core verification, it was found that the facility did not fulfill some question requirements, therefore the answer was changed from a Yes to No, thus losing the relevant point. According to the Higg FEM Level Advancement methodology, the facility has not fulfilled the minimum requirement in Level 1, therefore Level 2 and Level 3 questions were not unlocked.
Therefore, the Partially verification section score is calculated by the sum of the Core verification questions achievement (which is in this case 15%).
| Example#1: Water | Section Score | Level 1 Score | Level 2 Score | Level 3 Score |
| Self-assessed | 65% | 25% | 30% | 10% |
| Verified-assessment | 15% | 15% | 0% | 0% |
Applicabilities
The Higg FEM will include qualifier questions to ensure facilities only answer questions applicable to them. These questions are called “applicability”. Facilities will be asked with applicability questions at the start of five impact areas of the Higg FEM (Energy, Water, Wastewater, Air Emissions, and Chemicals).
Question & Applicability Pathway in Each Section
Site Info & Permits
- If you answered “No” to “Does your facility have a valid operating license, if required by law?” (sipvalidoperatinglicense) then you will receive a score of zero for the whole module.
- If you answer “Not available” to “What is your status for this permit?” (sippermitstatus) then you will receive a score of zero for the whole module.
- If you answer “Facility is no longer able to meet the requirement of obtaining the required permit” to the question “If “Available but Invalid” or “Not available due to authorization in progress” is selected, please specify reason why this permit is invalid.” (sippermitinvalidreason) then you will receive a score of zero for the whole module.
EMS
- No applicability
- All Questions are scored questions, with an exception if the facility does not have subcontractors.
- If you answer “Not Applicable” to “Q14: Does your facility monitor, evaluate, and/or engage with your subcontractors on their environmental performance using the Higg Index or other relevant environment assessment?” (emshiggindexsubcontract), this question will change to unscored question.
Energy/GHG
- Applicability ONLY applies to facilities that select BOTH “Finished Product Assembler” AND “Finished Product Processing” ONLY under the Facility Type in Site Information section.
- Ability to separately report energy consumption by each facility type
- Below questions are unscored questions; all other questions are scored questions:
- Level 1: Q1 (ensourceheader), Q2 (envehicleheader), Q3 (ensourcepurcheac), Q4 (enpurchco)
Water
- Applicability applies to all users to determine which pathway the facilities are being categorized into:
- Heavy water user/High water risk
- Light water user/Low water risk
- Facility use water for production
- Ability to separately report water consumption by each facility type (This ONLY applies to facilities that select BOTH “Finished Product Assembler” AND “Finished Product Processing” ONLY under the Facility Type in Site Information section.
- Below questions are unscored questions; all other questions are scored questions:
- Level 1: Q1 (watsource), Q4 (watsourcetrackoptrejected)
- Level 2: Q9 (watbaselinesepdomprod)
- Level 3: Q26 (watsbt)
- Facilities that fall into low water risk and low water use applicability category, and that do not use any water for production purposes, only need to answer Level 1 questions in the Water section. In this case the entire Level 1 is worth 100 points.
- Below table provides an overview of the applicable questions falling under each applicability category. Please note that facilities could fall into more than one category. In this case, facilities will answer questions from all categories that they fall under.
Wastewater
- Applicability applies to all users to determine which pathway the facilities are being categorized into:
- Onsite Industrial Wastewater Treatment (including combined industrial/domestic wastewater)
- Onsite Domestic Wastewater Treatment
- Offsite Industrial Wastewater Treatment (including combined industrial/domestic wastewater)
- Offsite Domestic Wastewater Treatment
- Zero Liquid Discharge
- Treat Domestic Wastewater using Septic system
- Below questions are unscored questions; all other questions are scored questions:
- Level 1: Q2 (wwmonitorBOD5), Q8 (wwsludgesources), Q9 (wwsludgereporting), Q10 (wwsludgedomesticreporting), Q17 (wwtestlegal), Q18 (wwstandard)
- Level 2: Q26 (wwseptictankupgrade)
- Facilities that fall into the “Treat Domestic Wastewater using Septic system” applicability category only need to answer Level 1 and 2 questions in the Wastewater section. In this case Level 1 is worth 50 points and Level 2 is worth 50 points.
- Below table provides an overview of the applicable questions falling under each applicability category. Please note that facilities could fall into more than one category. In this case, facilities will answer questions from all categories that they fall under.
Air Emission
- Applicability applies to all users to determine which pathway the facilities are being categorized into:
- Emissions from Operation
- Emissions from Production
- Emissions from Refrigerants
- MMCF
- No Emissions at all
- Facilities that fall into the “No Emissions at all” applicability category will be exempt from completing the entire Air Emissions section. The section weightage will be equally distributed between the remaining six impact areas.
- Below questions are unscored questions; all other questions are scored questions:
- Level 1: Q7 (airmonitor)
- Below table provides an overview of the applicable questions falling under each applicability category. Please note that facilities could fall into more than one category. In this case, facilities will answer questions from all categories that they fall under.
Waste
- No applicability
- Below questions are unscored questions; all other questions are scored questions:
- Level 1: Q1 (wstsourcenh), Q5 (wstsourceh)
- Level 2: Q17 (wstdisposal)
- Level 3: Q30 (wstworkoncircular)
Chemical Management
- Applicability applies to all users to determine which pathway the facilities are being categorized into:
- User chemicals in Production
- Use chemicals in Facility Operations
- Use chemicals in Tooling/Equipment
- Use Spot Cleaner
- Minimal Chemical use or Does not use Chemicals onsite
- MRSL implementation capability (This additional applicability ONLY applies to facilities that select “Outdoor Sporting Goods – Hard Goods” or “Other” or “Home Furnishing (Non Textile)” in Site Information section AND/OR facility that falls under “Minimal Chemical use or Does not use Chemicals onsite” applicability category
- All Questions are scored questions, with an exception if the facility does not have subcontractors or contractors.
- If you answer “Not Applicable” to “Q19: Does your facility engage contractor(s) or subcontractor(s) on MRSL / RSL?” (chememgagecontractors), this question will change to an unscored question.
- Below table provides an overview of the applicable questions falling under each applicability category. Please note that facilities could fall into more than one category. In this case, facilities will answer questions from all categories that they fall under.
NOTE: Questions below marked with “X” means it is exempt from the facility, that fall under that applicability category
