Grey Scale

What is the Grey Scale?

The Grey Scale is a scoring mechanism developed to identify what CSR initiatives are being reported by companies, how they are reporting them and what kind of information is told. After analyzing the information, a score is revealed based on best practices developed through research about creating holistic CSR strategies and programs. The score reveals how transparent a company is when communicating CSR programs to consumers.

Why does it matter?

Research continues to show an increase in consumer demand for better, more socially integrated programs, but a gap persists between perceived and actual CSR recognition, meaning companies are not getting the credit for the programs they develop, or just the opposite, getting recognition for programs they don’t fully develop. The score helps organizations recognize where this gap lies and make the necessary changes to close it.

Who is the Grey Scale for?

The Grey Scale has a two-pronged purpose. It shows consumers how transparent companies are about their CSR initiatives and how easy-to-find the information is. It also allows corporations to see exactly where they can improve their CSR transparency.

How is this different than other corporate ranking systems? (i.e. The Civic 50)

The Grey Scale is different because it is the only mechanism that looks at external-facing communication tactics readily available. The score in not calculated by asking corporations to fill out a survey – we know they know what they’re doing. The question is, does the consumer? And how easy is the company making it for the consumer to know.

Does it really matter if the consumer knows what we’re doing for CSR? Isn’t it enough that we’re doing something?

The short answer is, no. Consumers are demanding to know what companies are doing in socially impactful ways and they want the information to be easy to find and authentic to the company. They’re making purchase decisions based on how they think corporations treat the world. Additionally, Reputation Institute found that 41% of a company’s overall reputation is based in CSR – and with CSR and positive reputation adding to the bottom, how can you not let people know what you’re doing?

How do I find out what my company’s score is?

Contact me and we can make it happen.