1. Higg FEM Scoring System

The Higg FEM is continuously being updated and improved, which can affect the scoring. Any changes will be posted here and in the appropriate sections below.

Higg FEM offers a variety of scoring for facilities and their stakeholders to understand their environmental performance. It includes a Total FEM Score, Section Scores, and Level achievement. Cascale may continue to evolve 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 “positive” responses for questions that drive actions, decisions, and practices that lead to better environmental sustainability outcomes. To receive points for a question, a facility must answer in the positive to the scored question. (Positive responses could be Yes, Partial Yes, Not Applicable,or even No in certain instances*)

Some scores are calculated using the answers to multiple questions; in those cases, a positive response may only require a positive response to a single included question, or it may require that all, or some other combination of positive responses, be made.

Not all Higg FEM 4.0 questions are scored.

2. 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 (ie. cannot answer in the positive to all scored questions), then they cannot proceed to score in Level 2 and 3 practices. This ensures facilities successfully demonstrate Level 1 practices (the basic requirement), before proceeding to be recognized for more advanced practices.

Higg FEM Optional Level Progression

From FEM 2024, if your facility did not achieve Level 1 within a section of the FEM, you will have the option to complete Level 2 and 3 questions and will be asked the following question:

“Your facility has not achieved Level 1 within this section, the maximum score for this section will be limited to your answers in Level 1. You now have the option to answer Level 2 and Level 3 questions, would you like to proceed answering these additional questions?”

If you Answer Yes: Level 2 and 3 questions will be available to answer in the section.

If you Answer No: Level 2 and 3 questions will not be available in the section.

Additional points to consider:

If your facility did not achieve Level 1 in this section, answering Level 2 and 3 questions will not result in an additional score beyond what you have already achieved in Level 1.

It is recommended that facilities consult with their business partners on whether they require responses to Level 2 and Level 3 questions, even though you have not achieved Level 1 in this specific section.

Facilities are encouraged to complete Level 2 and Level 3 questions when possible, as these can provide valuable insights on a facilities’ environmental performance and opportunities for improvement with the advanced Higg FEM aspects in Level 2 and 3.

3. 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 (14.29%) 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 this specific section score will be equally re-distributed to the remaining applicable sections. In this case, each of the section scores will be 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 “positive” answer to each scored question.

For many questions, the following logic applies:

• For each “Yes” answer, you receive full points.
• For each “Partial Yes” answer you receive half points.
• For some “No” answers you will receive full points.
• For other “No or Unknown” answers, you receive zero points.
• For “Not Applicable”, these questions will be made unscored, and their contribution to the total score will be equally distributed amongst the other relevant questions within the same level in that specific section.

There are many exceptions to the general logic. Some scored questions are multiple select, some are scored together with other questions as aggregates, some are numeric and are scored based on the number entered, some get a full score for Not Applicable, and other exceptions to the general rule exist. In order to understand how an exact score is calculated it is necessary to refer to the FEM Data Dictionary and understand the individual scoring calculations of interest.

IMPORTANT: 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 is shown below:

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:

• A facility simply did not have the required environmental permits, OR
• The permit is not valid because the facility is no longer able to meet the requirement of obtaining the required permit.

4. 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 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 the 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 “Q15: Does your facility monitor, evaluate, and/or engage with your subcontractors on their environmental performance using the Higg Index or other relevant environmental assessment? (emshiggindexsubcontract), this question will change to an 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 AND/OR High water risk
  • Light water user AND 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 1: Q5 (wattrackdomprodsep)(this is unscored in Level 1 but would contribute for scoring in Level 2, this logic is specific to this question only)
  • 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.
• The 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 or pathways 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 (Industrial /Domestic)
  • 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) (this is unscored in Level 1 but would contribute for scoring in Level 2, this logic is specific to this question only)
• 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:
  • Minimal Chemical use or Does not use Chemicals onsite
  • Use chemicals in Production
  • Use chemicals in Facility Operations
  • Use chemicals in Maintenance, Tooling/Equipment
  • Use Spot Cleaner
  • 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

* DISCLAIMER:

• Questions may not always be scored based on their answers or the answers to other questions.
• Questions can consist of multiple tables scored across various columns and multiple data points.
• Some questions may be scored at different levels in the same section.