In March 2024, two workshops were held in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, where 45 Higg FEM users from verifying bodies, brands, and manufacturers participated. The purpose of these workshops was to discuss the application of the Higg FEM 4.0 in the context of Vietnam. Mr. Dhawal Mane, Director, Higg Index Verification, Trainings & Insights at Cascale presented on “Higg FEM 4.0 Verification Updates”. Following discussions among the verifiers, brand, and manufacturer specialists helped calibrate the understanding of the Higg FEM 4.0 questions in the local context to improve data accuracy.

The event concluded with attendees agreeing to develop white papers on chosen topics. The concept of the Higg FEM Meet-up was born out of these workshops as a peer professional working group, and participants are scheduled to meet up again in November 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City.