Colin Browne, Cascale CEO, delivered a recorded keynote speech at the recent Procurement Success Summit (PSS) in Shanghai, China. Founded in 2014, the Procurement Success Summit is recognized as the most influential procurement event in the Asia-Pacific region, serving the world’s leading procurement and industry innovation leaders.
Browne shared an overview of Cascale and the Higg Index suite of tools, which help more than 40,000 users measure their sustainability impact. He highlighted his background in procurement at companies such as Under Armour, VF, and Li&Fung, where he witnessed first hand the tangible impact that sourcing decisions have on the environment, which was a key factor in his decision to join Cascale.
Emphasizing that the consumer goods industry struggles with outdated sustainability approaches, Browne detailed how fragmented efforts and outdated practices have become untenable. He stressed the importance of committing to bold, unified action to achieve climate goals and overcome sustainability challenges. Browne shared that the fashion industry is not on track to meet its 45 percent emissions reduction target, and highlighted data from the Higg Index which shows it is currently producing more than 2.5 times the emissions required in order to meet the 45 percent reduction target by 2030.
Browne went on to share an overview of Cascale’s membership, highlighting that 33 percent of brands and 54 percent of manufacturers have yet to set science-based targets (SBTs). He emphasized the need for change and urged brands and suppliers to work together to transform their downstream supply base, which is the single most important source of carbon emissions. He shared insights from a recent RESET Carbon analysis that utilized Higg Index data on 14,000+ facilities to reveal that 1,500 facilities account for 80 percent of carbon emissions.
Highlighting the need for more strategic and targeted approaches, Browne encouraged facilities and brands to shift from spreading resources thinly across numerous projects to focusing on key areas of opportunity. He called for greater alignment across the industry to achieve meaningful progress, which depends on uniting brands, manufacturers, and stakeholders around shared objectives and ensuring that every voice at the table is heard and valued.
Browne emphasized Cascale’s evolution from a facilitator to a leader, with a commitment to ensuring that all stakeholders have a voice in shaping our collective future. He emphasized Cascale’s role in driving the industry towards unified action on climate and decent work conditions. Browne concluded his speech by urging delegates to step up to collaborate on accelerating collective action at scale to drive meaningful change.