The InfluenceMap Scoring System
To measure and score corporate influence on climate change policy, InfluenceMap have developed a comprehensive process of examining publicly available information through reliable data sources (e.g. legislative consultations, respected press, CDP responses). This information is then used to test a set of queries across data sources for each organization (e.g. position on a carbon tax, energy efficiency standards, etc.).
They score each data cell (data source/query intersection) on a 5-point scale, consistently providing evidence to support their scores. There are 96 such scoring cells in each matrix, and the organization’s (either a corporation or an influencer) organizational score is computed using their proprietary algorithm, which accounts for different cell weightings and irrelevant data sources/queries. The organizational score represents the degree to which the organization is directly influencing climate policy and legislation (through its political messaging and engagement with policymakers). It is expressed as a percentage, with 100% representing very supportive influence over climate policy. Organizational scores are computed for both corporations and influencers (e.g. trade bodies, chambers of commerce, advocacy groups, etc.) in exactly the same manner.
In addition, a corporation will have a relationship score, computed by aggregating the organizational scores of the influencers with which it has relationships, and weighted by both the strength of these relationships and the relative importance of their influencers in the climate change policy arena. This score is also represented as a percentage, on the same scale as the organizational scores. For each corporation, the organizational score and the relationship score are combined to compute an overall rating, placing the corporation in a performance band. There are 20 performance bands from A+ (representing a total score from 95-100%) through to E- (a score of 25-30%), with scores below 25% falling in the red "F" band. A score of 60% or more indicates that the corporation is actively supporting policies and regulations towards a low-carbon future. Conversely, scores lower than 40% indicate obstructing behavior. As different sectors face differing regulatory issues, it is most useful to compare the performance bands of corporations within the same sector.