PARIS — Cascale, the global sustainability alliance formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, has appointed Ying McGuire its next chief executive officer, effective June 1.
McGuire will succeed interim CEO Harsh Saini and follows former CEO Colin Browne, who stepped down in July 2025 after a year focused on stabilization and renewed strategic direction of the organization.
The appointment comes as Cascale seeks to sharpen its relevance and authority at a time when the fashion industry is under mounting pressure to demonstrate credible progress on climate action, labor standards and supply chain transparency. The organization has also expanded into the furniture and home goods sectors.
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“We are delighted to welcome Ying McGuire as Cascale’s next CEO and look forward to working closely with her, our members and the broader ecosystem to strengthen collective action and advance a more sustainable and resilient global value chain,” said board chair Tamar Hoek.
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McGuire brings experience spanning global supply chains, international business development and nonprofit leadership.
Most recently she served as CEO and president of the U.S. National Minority Supplier Development Council, where she led operational modernization efforts and expanded engagement with corporate and policy stakeholders. Previously she held roles at Dell Technologies overseeing global market expansion and supply chain initiatives across multiple regions.
McGuire was appointed to lead the organization at a “pivotal moment” as it focuses on delivering clearer value for members while scaling collective action on climate, decent work and responsible sourcing, the organization said in a statement. Her priorities will include deeper engagement with members and partners, operational excellence and translating sustainability commitments into measurable outcomes.
McGuire will step into the role after a period of transition for the organization marked by reset and reputational repair following controversy surrounding its Higg Index suite of sustainability measurement tools.
Cascale counts more than 300 members, including global brands, manufacturers, governments and nonprofits, and owns the Higg Index, which is now hosted separately on the Worldly platform.
McGuire’s appointment follows a period of leadership change for Cascale. Browne revealed his departure in May 2025, describing it as a personal decision after guiding the organization through a strategic reset. During his tenure, Cascale launched a new impact strategy, deepened engagement with manufacturers, acquired the assets of Better Buying and advanced work on industry-wide decarbonization.
Prior to Browne, former CEO Amina Razvi stepped down at the end of 2023, amid criticism of the Higg Index and broader scrutiny of sustainability claims in the fashion industry. The organization then rebranded from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition to Cascale in February 2024, to emphasize a shift in direction and renewed emphasis on data and collaboration.
Saini, a longtime industry executive with experience working across brands, manufacturers and government stakeholders, will continue as interim CEO through the end of May and stay on as an adviser to support McGuire’s transition.
Cascale said the leadership change is intended to build on existing momentum rather than signal a change in course, as the organization seeks to assert its role in shaping credible, industry-wide approaches to sustainability at scale.