PARIS – Sustainable Apparel Coalition chief executive officer Amina Razvi will step down at the end of the year, the organization announced Wednesday. A replacement was not immediately named.
Tamar Hoek, chair of the SAC board, will lead a transition taskforce dedicated to appointing a successor to lead the organization best known for the Higg Index, a suite of sustainability assessment and ratings tools for the apparel, footwear and textile industry.
“There will be no changes to the organization’s mission, values, or direction, and members and partners – as well as the SAC’s global team – will be engaged at every step of the transition, reflecting the spirit of transparency that is an organizational hallmark.,” the organization said in a statement.
No staffing changes are planned, and the board will oversee day-to-day operations until the new CEO is named. Razvi’s departure will be effective Dec. 29.
“During her tenure, Amina played a pivotal role in uniting the industry and strategic partners, paving the way for a more sustainable and responsible future,” Hoek said. “With great enthusiasm, we commend her dedication and the strong foundation she has laid, which will enable the SAC to expand its influence across the consumer goods industry.”
Razvi had been head of the Amsterdam-based nonprofit association since 2019, when she stepped into the lead role after previously serving as the vice president of membership and then the interim executive director.
“Partnership and community has been at the heart of our success. I wholeheartedly believe that partnership is the new leadership, and together, we’ve demonstrated what’s possible. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said Razvi, noting the organization had doubled its membership during her tenure.
The organization has more than 300 members, ranging from sustainable brands Eileen Fisher and Reformation, designer houses including Balenciaga and Gucci parent company Kering, and fast-fashion behemoths such as Asos, Boohoo, Mango, H&M Group and Zara parent company Inditex.
The Higg Index has been under fire since 2022 when its consumer-facing transparency program was accused of greenwashing and misleading consumers by Norway’s consumer watchdog, the Norwegian Consumer Authority.
It used data from its Higg Materials Sustainability Index, measuring criteria such as water use, burning of fossil fuels and water pollution. Brands such as H&M, PVH Corp., Zalando, Amazon, Boozt, C&A, Columbia Sportswear, Helly Hansen, JustWears, Lenzing AG, Puma and Salomon all signed on for the program.
As a result of the Norwegian Consumer Authority’s action, SAC paused use of the consumer-facing tools. The methodology is undergoing an independent audit by big-five accounting firm KPMG.
Earlier this month, the SAC launched an update to its Higg Facility Environmental Module, which is used by manufacturers, brands and retailers to assess greenhouse gas emissions, water use, emissions, chemical management and waste management of their production facilities.
