STTI looks forward to continued collaboration to further develop the purchasing practices element in the Higg BRM, and build greater alignment with the Common Framework, fully reflective of actual business practice.

The Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI) has welcomed the launch of the revised Higg Brand Retail Module (BRM) by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), an instrument used by over 300 brands and retailers globally, which now features a revision to questions specifically focused on purchasing practices. The revision comes as a result of the engagement between the SAC and STTI and Fair Wear, representing the Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives Working Group of the Common Framework of Responsible Purchasing Practice (CFRPP), who provided input and feedback to the responsible purchasing practices section of the assessment .

STTI calls the Higg BRM a welcome “first step”, but adds that it is clear that successive improvements of the Higg BRM’s purchasing practice questions are going to be necessary. Specifically, STTI would like to see a larger proportion of BRM questions devoted to purchasing practices, better reflecting their role as a key prerequisite for real improvements in social and environmental conditions in the apparel supply chain.