SustainAbility Update: Uncovering ratings best practices

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A newsletter from SustainAbility

Update – February 2011

Rate the Raters, Phase 3
Today SustainAbility releases phase three in our four-part research initiative Rate the Raters.

Corporate sustainability ratings are going mainstream, but how they work in practice remains somewhat of a mystery. Our phase three research sheds light on this important area through an in-depth evaluation of 21 ratings.

The review reveals many examples of good practice, but also highlights a number of areas in need of attention. For example:
Simple is Beautiful – Ratings are becoming more complex as raters attempt to stand out from the crowd, but simplicity is more likely to engender understanding, instil trust and accelerate adoption.
Focus on the Future – Too many ratings focus on companies’ current or past performance. To stay relevant raters must look for innovative ways to identify companies best placed to deliver future sustainable value.
For further insights see today’s featured article on the Guardian Sustainable Business blog:
Read the article on guardian.co.uk

For more detail on our key findings and examples of good practice:
Watch our video briefing | Download phase three white paper
Power to the People?
To see how powerful a force collective action can be, one need look no further than events unfolding in the Middle East. Recent insights from our blog offer a variety of perspectives on how people power is contributing to advance the sustainability agenda:
The Business of Collaborative Consumption – In a video interview with SustainAbility, Rachel Botsman describes a powerful force that is re-inventing not just what we consume, but how we consume it. | Read more
Armchair Activism – Participation in an online movement may feel good, but after the warm glow subsides has our “armchair activism” had any meaningful impact? | Read more
Fortune Favours the Trusted – The Edelman Trust Barometer highlights the fragility of public trust in business and how conditional that trust is. Read more

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