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Student research FAQs

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a metric?

A metric is a tool for measuring. On Wikirate, metrics are used to measure company performance.

A Wikirate metric asks the same question of many companies. Depending on what’s asked, the answer will be either quantitative or qualitative.

For example, the question “What percentage of workers have access to health services paid for by the company?” will yield quantitative answers that are comparable across companies. Data like this is easy to work with and helps generate deeper insights into sustainability performance.

Wikirate focuses on making qualitative information quantifiable and comparable, because questions that result in qualitative answers, for example “What types of health services does the company offer?” are less useful for comparison and drawing insights across companies

What are metrics for?

Metrics help address one of the main problems with sustainability reporting today, which is that information tends to be published in PDFs or buried in unwieldy webpages. This traps valuable data.

To be useful, data needs to be put into a format people can use for analysis and comparisons. Metrics provide that format.

For example, a number of companies report on the indicators specified in the Global Reporting Initiative’s G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. This is valuable information, but if it exists only in a PDF, it’s not useful to many people. Metrics provide a way for researchers to extract and structure the data.

Once that happens, each piece of data can start contributing to the greater picture of how corporations affect people and the planet. The more data, the more analysis can be done and the more detailed that picture becomes.

What can I learn from data research?

Foundational data research—extracting data—may reward you in surprising ways. In addition to becoming much more informed about the companies you research, you'll get a unique window into the world of sustainability reporting itself.

Your interest may be piqued by the complexities of how data can be presented, by the differences among companies in terms of what and how they report, or by where the gaps in disclosure tend to be. You may even come up with ideas about how those gaps might be filled.

What do I do if a company I’m researching doesn’t provide the information I need?

When you are trying to answer a Wikirate metric question but you cannot find the right information in a company’s report or website, answer the question with Unknown.

This may be frustrating at first. But you should actually feel good about adding Unknown because you’re shining a light on a gap in that company’s reporting. Unknown values also highlight where certain sectors or operating contexts may not apply to certain metrics (in these cases, it’s always helpful to add a comment).

Finally, entering Unknown ensures that the work you did is not duplicated. It shows you’ve looked for the answer but didn’t find it in the expected places.

See the next question for guidance on finding additional and relevant metrics.

Where can I find other metrics?

There are over 1000 metrics on Wikirate, but the search bar above is still under development, which can make it difficult to find what you’re looking for. Browse metrics and add filters to find metrics you’re interested in, if it’s something that could be found in a company sustainability report, it may be aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards.

Here are the top metric designers on Wikirate, and the metrics associated with them:

*Universities and all other intangible legal entities are considered Companies on Wikirate.

A company I’m researching controls a few subsidiary companies. Do I need to do research each subsidiary?

If you are doing research for a class, the answer probably depends on the assignment. Check with your syllabus or instructor. If you are determining the scope of your research, the answer is up to you.

What is a Communication on Progress (COP) report?

Communication on Progress reports, or COPs, are reports that companies participating in the UN Global Compact must submit annually to the organization.

The reports show how much progress companies have made in 10 sustainability categories that cover a range of environmental, social and governance indicators.

A COP can be flexible in format but must contain three components:

  1. A statement by the chief executive expressing continued support for the UN Global Compact and renewing the participant’s ongoing commitment to the initiative.

  2. A description of practical actions the company has taken or plans to take to implement the Ten Principles in each of the four areas (human rights, labour, environment, anti-corruption).

  3. A measurement of outcomes.

What is a Research Group?

Research groups bring Wikirate users together to organize projects, design metrics, have conversations and track progress. For students, they are a place to compare activity with peers. For professors, they are a way to gauge student research activity.

How can I get help with a problem on the site?

Entered a wrong value? Click on the value, then click the edit icon at top right. Change your value, and click Submit.

Error message or Wagn Hitch? Submit a ticket and our development team will do their best to resolve the issue in a timely manner. Some errors are temporary, so you may want to just attempt the action a second or third time.

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