PREPARE YOUR MATERIALS EASILY
Use our guide to complete the questionnaire and gather documents yourself. We can clarify anything you need.
PROCESS
From information to a result you can explain.
NORTHON ESG Ratings™ brings together sector-relevant E, S and G topics, available evidence and expert assessment in a rating report and certificate. The process has three clear steps.
Request a proposal →Three steps to an ESG rating
At each stage, you know what to provide and what comes next.
WE ASSESS THEM
We assess environmental, social and governance topics based on how relevant they are to the sector. For each pillar, we review the available evidence, risks and results.
YOU RECEIVE AN ESG CERTIFICATE WITH A RATING
After the analysis, we issue an ESG certificate showing the rating, which is valid for one year, and a report explaining the result and E/S/G scores.
The rating covers environmental, social and governance topics across the company. We consider their relevance to the sector and both sides of materiality: how the company affects people and the environment, and how ESG topics affect its risks and business. One result brings together relevant evidence, E/S/G scores and an explanation of the assessment. Otherwise, the company would prepare these repeatedly in separate documents. Read more about our methodology and procedures on the transparency page.
ASSESSMENT RESULT
The AAA–D rating scale
We show the overall result as a score from 0 to 100% and a corresponding rating grade. A higher grade means a more favourable result under NORTHON’s methodology.
AAA
92–100%Outstanding
Within a scope appropriate to its operations, the company looks after the environment and its people, and has sound governance. Its key measures work, and it can provide evidence.
AA
80–91.99%Excellent
The company acts very responsibly. It uses resources carefully, looks after its people and has clear governance rules. Only a few minor gaps remain.
A
70–79.99%Strong
The company acts responsibly in most important areas, but has specific gaps, for example in resource use, working conditions or governance.
BBB
55–69.99%Good
The company gets many things right, but how it manages environmental issues, people and governance varies across its operations.
BB
40–54.99%Adequate
The company addresses only some important topics. It may, for example, track energy use but have weaker rules on workplace safety or suppliers.
B
20–39.99%Developing
The company has substantial gaps in how it protects the environment, looks after people or governs itself. Several claims lack evidence.
CCC
10–19.99%Weak
The company neglects several critical topics and cannot convincingly show how it reduces its impacts and risks.
D
0–9.99%Critical
The company has critical weaknesses in how it handles the environment, people or governance. Effective measures or evidence of responsible practice are missing.
More favourable resultMore critical result
- AAA
- AA
- A
- BBB
- BB
- B
- CCC
- D
These examples show how a company with each grade might be viewed. The individual report explains the actual result based on the sector, size, material topics and supporting evidence.
The report also shows separate percentage scores for the environmental (E), social (S) and governance (G) pillars. A +/− modifier may refine a grade under the methodology’s rules. A separate outlook may be Positive, Stable or Negative. The result is a rating opinion for a defined scope as of its issue date. It does not confirm compliance with every ESG standard or guarantee future performance.
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
What companies ask us
What exactly does NORTHON ESG Ratings™ assess?
We assess how the company deals with the environment, people and governance in practice: its processes, results, risks, objectives and available resources. We review key indicators and evidence in a way that reflects the organisation’s sector and size. The result is an overall ESG rating with separate views of E, S and G.
What is the difference between an ESG rating and an ESG certificate?
The ESG rating shows the company’s assessed sustainability position as a score and grade. The ESG certificate is the document confirming this result. It identifies the company, its rating, the issue date and validity. Each certificate relates to one individual assessment; it is not a generic document issued to everyone.
Why does our ESG certificate carry weight, and why should you be cautious with others?
The words “ESG certificate” alone do not prove that the company has been assessed. A business may issue such a document without being registered as an ESG rating provider or having ESMA oversight of its rating activities. Our certificate carries weight because it presents a specific NORTHON ESG Ratings™ result issued by NORTHON s.r.o., which is registered under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2024/3005, the EU legal regime specifically governing ESG ratings. The result rests on a documented methodology, reviewed evidence, checks and independence rules. Anyone selling only a “sustainability” seal should be able to show the grade, methodology, evidence and verifiable provider status. Without these, it is not an equivalent ESG rating or an equally credible certificate.
What information and documents should a company prepare?
Before the assessment begins, each company receives clear instructions on the information and documents to prepare. The scope reflects its activities, size and way of operating. The company knows in advance what we need and how the assessment will proceed.
How is the assessment adapted to the company’s sector and size?
The methodology sets the importance of each topic and the amount of evidence needed in proportion to the company’s activities and size. It recognises specific strengths as well as areas for improvement. Environmental, social and governance results are also shown separately, so the outcome reflects the organisation being assessed.
What do the overall grade and E, S and G scores mean?
The AAA–D grade is our overall view of the company being assessed. Its overall percentage places it on the rating scale and shows how close it is to the highest band within the assessment scope. The report also shows separate percentages for environment (E), people (S) and governance (G). The overall rating follows the methodology’s weights and rules; it is not a simple average of those three numbers.
How long does the assessment take and how long is the result current?
When the evidence is ready, we move quickly. A complex organisation or missing documentation may mean the assessment takes several weeks. We agree the timeframe before starting. An issued rating is valid for 12 months from the issue date unless it is corrected, suspended, withdrawn or replaced sooner.
How can a partner verify the rating and certificate?
First, check NORTHON s.r.o. in the official ESMA list of ESG rating providers. Then send us the certificate identifier. We confirm its authenticity, the rated company, issue date, validity and current status against our own register.
How can a company object to or seek a review of its result?
Email compliance@esgratings.eu with the company name, rating identifier and specific reasons for your request. We review the submission through a controlled procedure. A rating does not change to suit a client’s commercial preference; it changes only after a substantiated review.
Why is the NORTHON ESG Ratings™ methodology credible?
NORTHON s.r.o. is registered under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2024/3005. ESMA, the European Securities and Markets Authority, is the EU authority responsible for registering and supervising ESG rating providers. ESMA can monitor compliance with the applicable obligations, including how rating activities are organised and what information is disclosed, and request relevant information. We document our methodology, how we handle evidence, our independence and our controls for conflicts of interest. You can check our status in the official ESMA register.
Want to know what your company will need?
Tell us your sector and why you need the rating. We will prepare a specific process and proposal.