It’s a self-assessment standard used in the apparel and footwear industry it is used for the assessment of environmental & social sustainability throughout the supply chain. The HIGG index was developed by a non-profit organization called Sustainable Apparel Coalition which consists of members from apparel or footwear retailers, affiliates, and trade associates, it also consists of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, institutions, and environmental non-profits organizations.

The first version of this Higg index certification was developed in the year 2012, named after the Higgs Boson search which was discovered in the same year. The second version which was released in the year 2015 included social labour and convergence project. These changes aim to establish a uniform standard for auditing labour conditions as well as social impact in the field of apparel and footwear.

Comprised of 5 tools that form its core, which together assess the social & environmental performance on the supply chain as well as the impact it leaves on the environment. These tools include the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM), Higg Facility Social & Labour Module (FSLM), Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM), Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI), and Higg Product Module (PM).