Document properties
Title:	How are ratings assigned?
Date of publishing:	September 20, 2011
Hits:	1507
Category:	Other content
Language:	English
Also available in the following languages:	Dutch, French

How are ratings assigned?

The investigation leads to a total score and a rating based on the performance for individual criteria. That score always expresses how a company performs compared to other companies in the same industry. Not only the actual performance is assessed, in some cases the will and the potential to change can also be taken into account.

The result does not say anything final about the sustainable or ethical status of the company in itself.It does indicate to what extent the company fits into a socially responsible investment fund.

There are 6 possible ratings:

A – Pioneers, exceptionally strong or innovative.An exceptional rating. This score is lacking for a number of industries.
B – Best of class.Companies with the best scores in their industry.
C – Above average in the industry
D – Below average in the industry
E – Far below average and/or not transparent (not enough information)
M – Major involvement in activities related to armament, gambling, nuclear energy and tobacco which automatically leads to exclusion

Read also:

• Which businesses will be assessed?
• The outline of the assessment process
• Collecting information for the assessment
• Origin and basis of the assessment method
• International standards and conventions which support the Ethibel assessment method
• Evaluated domains and evaluation criteria
• The positive selection criteria
• Evaluation per industry
• 3 aspects of the assessment
• How are companies quoted and classified?
• Negative or exclusion criteria
• Which activities or practices are controversial?
• The advantages of Forum ETHIBEL rating for companies
• Also government bonds