As part of Walmart’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, it is a requirement for their Tier 2 textile production partners (including garment and fabric printing & dyeing facilities, garment laundering facilities, tanneries, and all other wet processing facilities) to complete the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) self-assessment. Those who have never reported using the Higg FEM before can complete the 2022 Facility Foundations self-assessment. Please note that verification is required every other year.

The Higg FEM (Facility Environmental Module)  is an industry-leading sustainability assessment tool that standardizes how facilities measure and evaluate their environmental sustainability performance.

Higg Facility Foundations is an introductory environmental assessment. This self-assessment contains a subset of the Higg FEM and is designed for businesses beginning to measure the environmental impact of their manufacturing. Facility Foundations does not include scoring or benchmarking, or additional results reports; however it can be verified.

Walmart has communicated each facility’s specific Higg requirements for the 2022-2023 reporting cycle.  Based on the facility’s requirements this year, each facility will need to purchase one of the below Higg Facility subscription options, plus verification (if you did not complete it last year):

• Facility Starter Subscription – this subscription includes access to the Higg Facility Foundations self-assessment, and is designed for new Higg users
  • Facilities that have NEVER completed a Higg FEM in previous years should purchase this subscription.
• Facility Environmental Subscription – this subscription includes access to the standard Higg FEM self-assessment.
  • Facilities that are required by Walmart to complete ONLY Higg FEM 2022 should choose this option.
• Facility Plus Subscription – this subscription includes access to the standard Higg FEM self-assessment and the Higg FSLM self-assessment
  • Facilities that are required to complete BOTH Higg FEM 2022 and FSLM by brand partners should choose this option.
  • If you are being asked to purchase the Plus subscription by another brand, that is okay and will meet Walmart’s requirements.

Be sure to add verification to your subscription, if you did not complete verification for the FEM 2021 cycle. Walmart requires verification of the Higg FEM self-assessment every other year. If your facility completed verification for Higg FEM 2021, they will not need to complete it again until the Higg FEM 2023 cycle next year. If your facility did not complete verification for FEM 2021, then you will need to complete verification this year for FEM 2022.

Purchase Deadline

Walmart is requesting that all their facilities purchase a 2022 facility subscription by December 31, 2022.

You must complete the purchase process on the Higg platform to access the Higg FEM 2022 self-assessment.

Walmart encourages you to take advantage of the special December Higg promotion:

• Facility Environmental – $50 off the cost of the subscription ($429 $379).
• Facility Plus – $100 off the cost of the subscription ($629 $529).

Posting Deadlines

• April 30, 2023 – all Higg FEM self-assessments must be posted and shared with Walmart
• December 31, 2023 – all verified Higg FEM self-assessments must be posted and shared with Walmart

Higg.org

• November 5, 2022 – Higg FEM 2022 self-assessment is accessible; Higg verification available to purchase
• January 1, 2023 – Higg FEM 2022 verification is accessible
• April 30, 2023 – Higg FEM 2022 self-assessment can no longer be unposted (once posted)
• October 31, 2023 – Higg FEM 2022 and verification is no longer available for purchase
• December 31, 2023 – Higg FEM 2022 reporting cycle ends; Last day to post both self and verified Higg FEM 2022

STEP 1: (IMPORTANT) Make sure to add info@higg.com to your company email’s safe email sender list, otherwise you risk not receiving the ongoing communications due to email firewalls. If you do not receive an email from Higg by December 16, 2023, please check your spam folder.

STEP 2: LOGIN OR CREATE A HIGG ACCOUNT
Facilities that already have active Higg accounts can log into Higg.org. First-time Higg users should start here to learn how to create an account on Higg.org.

STEP 3: PURCHASE A HIGG FACILITY SUBSCRIPTION
Once logged in,purchase the Higg Facility Subscription from the Higg subscriptions page to access the Higg facility modules that you need to complete and share with Walmart this year. Facilities that have been asked to complete verification this year will need to purchase verification along with the subscription.

For more information about Higg’s facility subscription model, please refer to the PDF here and the subscription details page on HowtoHigg.

STEP 4:(IMPORTANT)  SHARE HIGG FACILITY MODULE(S) WITH WALMART
Accept the module share requests sent by Walmart.

If you do not see a pending share request from Walmart in your modules page, under Modules Requested, you should click the Share Module button to initiate the module share.

Sharing Details
Account Name: Walmart
Higg ID: 17405

 STEP 5: COMPLETE AND POST HIGG SELF-ASSESSMENT(S)
Complete 100% of the applicable questions and post the module. Facilities that have completed the Higg FEM in previous years can use the roll forward feature to easily copy data to the new self-assessment.

STEP 6: VERIFY HIGG SELF-ASSESSMENTS (if required)*
Verification of the self-assessment ensures that facilities have accurately completed all parts of the Higg Facility module – giving the self-assessment data the credibility and accuracy required to share publicly.

Note: Verification of the FEM self-assessment is also required by Walmart every other year. If your facility completed verification for Higg FEM 2021, you will not need to complete it again until the Higg FEM 2023 cycle next year. If your facility did not complete verification for FEM 2021, then you will need to complete verification this year for FEM 2022.

Walmart’s Resources

• Past Walmart sustainability bulletins can be found at Retail Link > Apps > P > Product Quality and Compliance Library > a2 Supplier Communications > Sustainability Supplier Communications
• Questions related to Walmart’s Higg program can be submitted to Julia Lockhause at julia.nehring@walmart.com

Higg User Resources

Higg’s training website, HowtoHigg.org, contains all of the information and guidance facilities need to help them at every stage of the module completion process. You will find an overview of the module, how to prepare, step by step instructions for how to complete and guidance on understanding results and the verification process.

• Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM)
• Higg Facility Social and Labor Module (FSLM)
• Training Events
  • Check out the Higg Events Resources page to view past webinar recordings and register to attend upcoming training and office hour sessions through our Higg Training Events Calendar.
• Customer Support
  • Submit questions about Higg accounts, modules, and subscriptions to the Higg Support Team.

Who is Higg?

Higg is the sustainability insights platform, helping consumer goods businesses take responsibility for their entire impact – from materials to products, from factories to stores, across energy, waste, water, and working conditions.

By making both data collection and performance analysis easier, we help brands and manufacturers make better environmental, social and governance decisions – across all parts of their business.

Spun out of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition in 2019, Higg is the exclusive licensee of the Higg Index, a suite of tools for the standardized measurement of supply chain sustainability.

What is the Higg Index?

The Higg Index is a suite of tools developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), for the standardized measurement of supply chain sustainability, used by the footwear, apparel, textile, and other industries. Together, these tools are used to assess the environmental and social performance of both value chains and products. Each tool focuses on measuring a different parameter.