Cascale Acquires Better Buying Institute’s Key Assets to Promote Fair Purchasing Practices

Rhonda Richford

February 4, 2025 at 12:55 a.m.·3 min read

PARIS — Global fashion alliance Cascale has acquired key assets from the Better Buying Institute to expand the organization’s reporting tools and scale supplier-focused data collection to improve responsible purchasing practices.

Cascale, the nonprofit formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, is a coalition of retailers, brands, manufacturers and nongovernmental organizations. It’s the parent of the Higg Index consumer-facing labeling program and suite of environmental impact assessment tools.

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It announced on Tuesday it was acquiring the BBI’s Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index and the Better Buying Partnership Index, which will be integrated into Cascale under the banner of its own new Better Buying Program.

“Incorporating Better Buying’s tools into Cascale is a pivotal step in transforming supply chain relationships,” said Cascale chief executive officer Colin Browne.

“These proven methodologies will enable us to tackle systemic challenges such as unfair purchasing practices, amplify supplier voices and advance meaningful industry-wide change…furthering our mission to foster fairer, more equitable supply chains that prioritize people and the planet,” he added.

Cascale’s member companies include Aritzia, Everlane, G-Star Raw, Gap, Guess, H&M, J.Crew, Lululemon, Mango, Uniqlo parent company Fast Retailing and Zara parent company Inditex, among several others.

“Better Buying Institute’s decision to align with Cascale is a strategic choice to ensure our mission — to improve purchasing practices — can achieve greater scale and impact,” said Better Buying Institute cofounder and president Marsha Dickson.

Five full-time team members from Better Buying have joined Cascale, to support the transition and scale the tools. Dickson will stay on as a consultant during the transition period to help integrate the organizations.

“By integrating our tools and methodologies into Cascale’s new Better Buying program and its broader efforts, we can continue driving positive change while benefiting from Cascale’s extensive networks and strategic resources to maximize industry transformation,” she added.

Browne believes that in order for brands to reduce their environmental impact, they need to partner with other brands and manufacturers. The current buyer/seller power dynamic makes structural change more challenging, he previously told WWD.

Collecting more data, making it transparent and holding brands accountable could help maufacturers get on more equal footing, the group believes.

Better Buying’s data collection system gives suppliers the ability to anonymously rate brands and report on their purchasing practices, such as delayed payments, last-minute order changes and below-cost pricing, which can destabilize manufacturers and harm workers.

Cascale will integrate BBI’s tools without changing its format or data submission anonymity and guard rails, it said. Names will remain the same for now, but could be rebranded under the Cascale banner in the future.

BBI and Cascale already share several subscribers and members, so consolidating the groups will better position Cascale to promote improved purchasing practices and hold brands accountable for suppliers down the value chain.

Cascale’s aim is to address the way brands interact with their suppliers and improve practices, such as stabilizing scheduling for manufacturers and thus improve labor conditions and wages.

“This milestone reflects Cascale’s commitment to advancing responsible purchasing practices and promoting fair, accountable, and socially just supply chains,” the group said in a statement.

Cascale is behind the embattled Higg Index, which tracks apparel companies’ environmental and social impacts, though data management is operated by the Worldly company. The consumer-facing Higg Index ratings ran into trouble in 2022 after being hit with greenwashing claims.

Sustainable Apparel Coalition rebranded as Cascale and brought on former Under Armour CEO Browne last May to right the ship and steer the organization through its next phase.

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