Transparency, methodology and ECGT compliance of the Positive Company® label

Positive Company® is evolving its labeling system to meet the requirements of the ECGT directive regarding the use of sustainable development labels.

This evolution aims in particular to strengthen :

• the transparency of the framework and methodology ;
• the separation of responsibilities between assessment, control, and label attribution ;
• the independence of verification ;
• the traceability of decisions ;
• the management of non-conformities ;
• the conditions for use, suspension, and withdrawal of the label.

The Positive Company® label distinguishes companies that structure, deploy, and demonstrate their commitments in environmental, social, and governance matters.

The system is based on :

• a formalized and accessible CSR framework ;
• the analysis of practices, data, and evidence provided by the company ;
• the consultation of its stakeholders when the process allows ;
• a defined and traceable rating methodology ;
• a verification carried out by a competent and independent third party ;
• formalized rules for attribution, monitoring, suspension, and withdrawal of the label.

This page presents the operation of the Positive Company® label, the responsibilities of the various stakeholders, and the guarantees established in the context of its compliance with the ECGT directive.

Compliance of the Positive Company® label with the ECGT directive

The ECGT directive strengthens the framework for environmental and social communications addressed to consumers, particularly when they rely on a sustainable development label.

In this context, a private sustainable development label must be based on a certification system that meets several procedural guarantees.

The system must notably provide for:

• a formalized specification;
• requirements accessible to professionals likely to comply;
• consultation with experts and stakeholders during the development or evolution of the system;
• procedures for handling non-compliance;
• the possibility of suspending or withdrawing the label;
• verification of compliance with the specification by a competent and independent third party.

Positive Company® a donc fait évolué sur 2026 son dispositif afin d’intégrer ces exigences dans le fonctionnement du label. Cette mise en conformité a été accompagnée par SGS, leader mondial de la certification. 

This compliance relies notably on:

A separation between the label owner and the control body

Positive Company remains the owner of:

• the Positive Company® brand;
• des référentiels ;
• the labeling methodology;
• the rules for using the label.

The verification of compliance with the specification is entrusted to a legally distinct third party from Positive Company.

An independent verification before attribution

The attribution of the label does not rely solely on the company's statements or on the evaluation conducted by Positive Company.

The file is subject to an independent review intended to verify :

• compliance with the requirements of the reference framework ;
• the presence and consistency of supporting documents ;
• la traçabilité de l’évaluation ;
• the correct application of the rating methodology ;
• the correct application of the label attribution criteria — score thresholds and prerequisites associated with each level (1, 2, or 3 stars), including prerequisites adapted to the size of the organization ;
• the handling of any anomalies or non-compliance.

The absence of self-labeling

A company cannot assign itself the Positive Company® label.

Signing a charter, a self-assessment, or a declarative commitment is not sufficient to obtain the label.

A noter que la société Positive Company est aussi en charge d'évaluer en RSE des entreprises pour le compte de donneurs d'ordres. En aucun cas l'évaluation / notation attribuée dans ce contexte ne peut être confondue avec le label.

A non-compliance procedure

The labeling system provides procedures to address situations in which an organization :

• does not comply with the requirements of the reference framework ;
• communicates insufficient or inaccurate information ;
• abuses the use of the label ;
• no longer meets the conditions that allowed its award.

Depending on the nature and severity of the situation, measures may include :

• a request for clarification ;
• a request for corrective action ;
• an additional check ;
• a penalty ;
• a suspension ;
• a withdrawal of the label.

Obligations of honesty and updating of information

Enhanced transparency

Positive Company publishes the necessary information to enable companies, stakeholders, and consumers to understand :

• what the label evaluates ;
• the covered scope ;
• the way the score is calculated ;
• the conditions for awarding ;
• the role of the independent third party ;
• the validity period of the label ;
• the control and monitoring procedures ;
• the complaint, suspension, and withdrawal procedures.

ECGT compliance therefore does not rely solely on the publication of this page. It depends on the effective application of procedures, the real separation of responsibilities, and the independent control of each labeling.

Version of this page : v2026.1.1

Publication date : July 2026

Last updated : July 2026

Contact : scoring@positive-company.eu

Glossary

ECGT Compliance 1 - Our approach 2 - Labeling process 3 - Reference and rating 4 - Stakeholder surveys 5 - Governance and control 6 - Monitoring and use of the label 7 - Glossary