--As executed by IW Financial, Inc. for the 2008 Rankings
The objective of the 2008 SUPR Seal™ evaluation process is to identify companies among the Russell 1000® whose value propositions and company profiles ranked in the top 2 quartiles according to a set of broadly-respected multi-dimensional sustainability criteria. The resulting rankings are intended to provide guidance for operations-level executives (job titles include procurement, manufacturing, corporate operations, marketing, IT, engineering, distribution, transportation, facilities) whose goal is to make a first-cut in selecting business partners whose product and service value propositions embody established principles of sustainability—environment, climate change mitigation, transparency and governance. To execute the ranking, the company interviewed a significant population of well-respected companies in the sustainability-related company ranking business. After concluding the selection process, the company partnered with IW Financial, Inc., based both on the fact that its ESG (environmental, social, governance) rankings are based solely on verifiable publicly-available information and that IW holds a patent on its processes. IW’s methodology for the 2008 SUPR Seal™ ranking is based on four categories of evaluation: Disclosure, Policy and Governance, Climate Change, and Industry Specific Criteria:
Disclosure: This category evaluates the overall level of sustainability disclosure by the company, including disclosure on environmental, human rights, diversity and labor issues, within company reports specifically designed to disclose such information, as well as company websites and financial disclosure filings such as the 10-K.
Policy and Governance: This category evaluates attributes of the companies’ systems for managing sustainability issues. These include environmental management systems, human rights policies and systems, corporate governance issues, including board structural issues.
Climate Change: This category evaluates the disclosure and policy profile of companies against this very important issue. This information is based on disclosure by the company through it’s website, sustainability reports, and disclosure to the Carbon Disclosure Project.
Industry specific:
Paper: renewable energy usage, post consumer content usage, FSC certification usage, and overall environmental performance trend data
- Energy and Utilities: energy mix profile and environmental performance trend data
- Chemical: safety issues and incidence rates
- Auto and Transport: workforce training and employee safety data
- Construction and Home Builders: employee safety rates, recycling programs, energy use disclosure, climate change reduction goals
- Financial: environmental and human rights criteria in loan processing, environmental policies for internal office operations.
- Technology: Product life cycle programs, climate change programs, environmental disclosure
- Travel and Lodging: Employee relations and benefits
- Waste Management: workforce training and safety
- Textiles: Recycling and energy use
- Media: Employee relations and benefits
