Company Assessment

Each year, the largest 2,500 global companies (based on free-float market capitalization) are invited to participate in the annual SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, which serves as the basis for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). In addition, SAM offers companies that are not eligible for inclusion in the DJSI or would like to be evaluated outside the usual evaluation period a fee-based Company Assessment.

Company Assessment with Scorecard
Companies requesting this service are asked to complete SAM's online questionnaire and to provide additional documents to account for the answers provided. The analysis is conducted based on industry-specific questionnaires (more than 50 different questionnaires are available) and the results are benchmarked against companies in the same sector. The sector classification is based on Dow Jones’ Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB).

Following SAM’s evaluation of the industry-specific questionnaire and a Media & Stakeholder Analysis, the company receives feedback in the form of a one-page scorecard with a score for each sustainability criterion assessed. Companies can benchmark their results against the average and the top scores in their respective sector as well as against the lowest scores in the DJSI.

The Company Assessment also includes a one-hour conference call to explain key findings.

Distinctions
Companies that opt for a Company Assessment and meet all requirements can receive the "SAM Gold Class," "SAM Silver Class" or "SAM Bronze Class" distinctions. Companies can use the award logo in their internal and external communication. If desired, companies may also be included in the SAM Sustainability Yearbook.*

More information on the SAM distinctions can be found on the SAM Sustainability Yearbook website.

Collaboration
In 2011, SAM entered a non-exclusive strategic alliance with KPMG. The cooperation leverages the sustainability benchmarking capability of SAM and KPMG’s Climate Change and Sustainability consulting services. The goal is to provide companies that are not eligible for inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) with the opportunity to profit from a fee-based Company Assessment as well as a variety of Benchmarking Services and subsequent advisory services provided by KPMG.

For more information on the Company Assessment, please contact SAM Sustainability Services: services@sam-group.com.

*Eligibility for inclusion in the Yearbook is tied to the general rules as defined in the SAM Sustainability Yearbook.
In addition, companies that are not eligible for inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and are assessed outside the timeframe of the annual SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment must submit their questionnaire early enough to allow SAM to conduct a comprehensive appraisal of the companies’ responses while leaving enough time for Yearbook production, including editing and layout. Companies are responsible for expressing their wish to be included in the Yearbook.