How to Rate an Impact Note

Rating an Impact Note

The impact notes produced on our platform are written by our diverse community of members, rating these impacts notes is an integral part of our model.

These ratings feed into our algorithm that produces the company impact score and with this score we hold companies accountable for their impact on the planet. It is an indicator, that lets you and others recognise whether a company is positively or negatively impacting the sustainability of the world.

Rating an impact note is easy. We use 3 simple measures.

Quality

Rate the quality of the impact note that you’ve just read by indicating how many stars you’d give the note, 1 being the lowest quality and 5 being the highest.

How relevant is the Impact Note?

Ask yourself:

Is the impact note related to the company and SDG chosen by the writer?

How much of the note refers to environmental or social issues?

Is the headline a good indication of the contents?

How objective is the Impact Note?

Ask yourself:

Is the analysis fact-based?

Did the writer give sources? How many and how objective are they?

Is the analyst staying away from company bashing and is it a balanced?

How insightful is the Impact Note?

Ask yourself:

How much has your understanding of the company’s impact improved since reading the note?

Did the writer bring a particularly smart or original angle, that adds value?

Is the analysis well structured and easy to follow?

Would you recommend others to read this impact note?


Value

Now you must consider how positive or negative the impact of the company is based on what is described in the impact note.

Rate the value of the impact described, from very negative (-5) to very positive (+5).

You should think about the following ways a company can impact the planet and society:
  • Through its processes and practices (for example, industrial pollution or decent job creation.)
  • Through its products and services (for example, health issues or increased mobility.)
  • Through its influence on society (for example, disruptive technology or market transformation.)

The same issue can have a very different impact on distinct groups of people:
  • Some people might benefit while others will not.
  • Some groups are more sensitive to impact than others (children, refugees, etc.)
And can have a very different impact depending on the time horizon:
  • Some issues might bring short-term positive impacts but create more problems in the long run.
  • Some issues might seem negative today but are in fact very positive for the future.



Scale

The final measure is scale, you must now consider how small or large the impact is, 1 being very small and 5 being very large.


Take into account the breadth of the impact:
  • Is the impact local, national, or global?
  • How many people are concerned? Thousands? Millions? Billions?

Take into account the depth of the impact:
  • Is the life of people concerned deeply affected, or are they just marginally impacted by the issue?
  • Are the changes brought by the issue profoundly changing society or the planet?

Take into account the persistence of the impact:
  • How long would the impact described last for? Months? Years? Decades?
  • How reversible is the impact described in the Impact Note? Can it be easily stopped/extended?

And that’s it! Remember, after you consider each of the ratings, make sure to click ‘submit’ for them to be counted toward the overall impact score of the company.

Your ratings count.

Don’t forget, every rating you submit earns you points; these points are turned into donations to charities. This means your contribution truly makes an impact, not only by helping the world understand the impact of companies better but by giving back to causes that drive positive movements forwards. Learn more about donations here.

Get Certified.

If you want to improve your knowledge on how companies impact the environment and society, why not sign up to one of our free Certified Impact Analyst webinars and get your certification?
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