Outdoor Industry

What is Indexing?

When talking about sustainability, you'll hear a lot about indexing. What exactly does this mean? Indexes are tools that provide a way for companies to benchmark and measure their environmental footprint, identify areas for improvement, and make informed sourcing and product lifecycle decisions. They address sustainability at the product level and help you examine processes throughout your supply chain. 

What is the Higg Index for Equipment?

The Higg Index — based on the original OIA Eco Index, in conjunction with materials sustainability data from Nike — is the leading tool worldwide for measurement of the sustainability of apparel, footwear and gear. Development of the Higg Index is led by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) in close partnership with the OIA Sustainability Working Group. SAC’s membership represents over a third of the global supply chain of apparel and footwear.

The Higg Index for Equipment builds on Higg Index modules for Apparel and Footwear, led by SAC, that have already been launched to the industry. From the early days of the OIA Eco Index in 2007, the outdoor industry wanted to ensure that its sustainability indexing tool was applicable to gear products — a critical piece of our industry — as well as to apparel and footwear. The Higg Index for Equipment will fulfill this purpose, providing indicators tailored specifically to gear products while employing the same format as the other Higg Index modules.

Development of the Higg Index for Equipment has been 100 percent supported by OIA and the resources of its members, both sweat equity and financial, and will serve as a model for other sectors seeking to leverage the Higg Index model for their own sustainability indexing needs.