This month, Cascale and Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) convened brands in Denver ahead of American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) Traceability & Sustainability Conference.
The organizations brought together members and industry stakeholders at REI’s community space, opening with a joint brands workshop. The week marked Cascale CEO Ying McGuire’s first major in-person engagement with members since stepping into the role, underscoring the organization’s continued focus on deepening relationships across the value chain.
The joint event saw 46 brand, retailer, and industry representatives attend the workshop on SLCP’s Converged Assessment Framework and the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (CAF/FSLM) and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD). Brand representatives from Cascale’s membership sparked strong peer discussion, giving attendees a practical look at how peer companies are putting the tools to work and reinforcing the value of the Cascale-SLCP integration.
The following two days, Cascale joined AAFA’s Traceability & Sustainability Conference, which drew 330 attendees representing brands, manufacturers, service providers, and industry stakeholders. Cascale’s manager of public affairs Gabriele Ballero joined Policy Hub director Marina Prados Espínola for a panel on the current state of EU due diligence. Ballero outlined Cascale’s approach to supporting members as regulation evolves, emphasizing that while legislation sets expectations, industry collaboration, common methodologies, and tools such as the Higg Index and Better Buying help companies operationalize due diligence consistently and at scale.
Across both events, Cascale and SLCP representatives held meetings identifying strategic touchpoints with members, prospects, and partners. The Denver visit also included networking events hosted by Retraced, Bureau Veritas/Oritain, AAFA, and the Human Rights Advocacy Program (HAP), further strengthening Cascale’s relationships across its wider ecosystem.
The week highlighted the value of continued collaboration across the industry and reinforced the importance of bringing stakeholders together to advance shared approaches to sustainability and social impact.