The Positive Company® labelling process

A structured, documented, and independently controlled process

The Positive Company® labeling is based on the evaluation of the commitments, practices, and results of the organization, supplemented, depending on the applicable process, by consulting its stakeholders.

Each award is subject to a traceable process and a review by a competent and independent third party before the label is issued.

1. Definition of the labeling scope

The first step is to precisely determine the evaluated scope.

The labeling may specifically cover:

• a company;
• a legal entity;
• several identified entities;
• an establishment;
• a point of sale;
• a franchise or a defined network.

The chosen scope is indicated in the labeling documents and frames the communications that the organization may subsequently carry out.

The labeling scope may include certain exclusions, provided that these are clearly identified, objectively justified, and documented. Legal entities, subsidiaries, establishments, points of sale, geographical areas, franchises, or certain activities that are not included in the chosen scope may be excluded.

Exclusions should not result in presenting a misleading image of the evaluated organization or unjustifiably exclude an activity representing a significant part of its operations, workforce, or social and environmental impacts.

Any exclusion is mentioned in the file and in the labeling documents. Communications related to the label must clearly identify the covered scope and must not imply that the label applies to entities, activities, establishments, or territories that are excluded.

2. Determination of evaluation methods

The labeling process is based on:

• a "Company" note, resulting from the analysis by the experts of Positive Company of the organisation's responses to the questions of the framework, supporting documents, and comments;
• a note "Stakeholders", resulting from surveys conducted with employees, clients, suppliers, and other relevant stakeholders;
• an independent review by a competent and independent third party meeting the conditions defined by Positive Company, prior to the awarding of the label.

Modalités particulières de consultation des parties prenantes pour les entités rattachées à un réseau
Pour une petite entité rattachée à un réseau : franchisés, points de vente, si la tête de réseau est elle-même labellisée Positive Company alors la labellisation s'inscrit dans un parcours simplifié qui repose uniquement sur la note entreprise et un référentiel spécifique.
- Autosécurité, Securitest et Vérif'autos têtes de réseaux labellisées Positive COmpany jusqu'au 16/12/2027

3. Response to the framework

The organization completes the Positive Company® framework, structured around five pillars:

• Activity;
• Governance;
• Social;
• Environment;
• Societal.

Une mise à jour du référentiel entrera en application au 1er janvier 2027 pour les uniformiser avec la nomenclature choisie par l'Europe dans le cadre de la CSRD / VS (Ex. VSME) à avoir plus que trois piliers (ESG) :

• Environment;
• Social;
• Governance.

The organization answers the questions of the framework, which allow it to provide information on its policies, actions, objectives, indicators, and results.

It can also, for each question, add comments to present or explain existing processes, and submit supporting documents to substantiate the answers and allow for the allocation of corresponding points.

Learn more: click here

4. Analysis of responses and supporting documents

The responses are examined in light of the evidence and comments provided by the organization.

For these elements, the Positive Company expert examines:

• their relevance;
• their timeliness;
• their reliability;
• their consistency with the responses ;
• their coverage of the assessed scope ;
• the results actually demonstrated.

Requests for clarifications or additional documents may be addressed to the organization during the labeling process, particularly during the review meetings (scheduled halfway through the process).

When the Positive Company expert believes that a response is not sufficiently justified, the corresponding points may be adjusted or not awarded.

The Positive Company internal evaluator manual is available  : Click here 

5. Stakeholder Consultation

When the process allows, the stakeholders of the organization are consulted through dedicated surveys.

Depending on the organization's profile, the surveyed populations may include :

• employees ;
• temporary employees ;
• customers ;
• suppliers ;
• service providers ;
• franchisees ;
• other relevant stakeholders.

The surveys are designed, administered, and collected using the SurveyMonkey platform. The links to the questionnaires are distributed directly by the organization to its stakeholders. 

Positive Company® only has access to anonymized responses and no tracking of respondents' IP addresses is conducted. This system is implemented in compliance with applicable data protection principles.

During the presentation of the labeling, in order to preserve the anonymity of respondents, results broken down by a specific stakeholder profile are not communicated when the relevant subgroup has five responses or fewer. 

This rule applies, for example, to results presented according to age, type of contract, seniority, or any other characteristic that may allow for the indirect identification of a respondent.

In this case, the responses are still taken into account in the overall results of the survey, but the percentages and analyses associated with the relevant subgroup are masked. 

This measure aims to prevent the organization from attributing a response or opinion too precisely to one person or to a very limited number of people.

In the conventional pathway, the stakeholder score represents 50% of the overall score. Each category of stakeholders surveyed counts for one vote and thus has an equivalent weight in the calculation of this score.

Learn more : click here

6. Score Calculation

For the conventional pathway, the overall score is based on two balanced components :

• 50% company score, derived from the assessment of the framework ;
• 50% stakeholder score, derived from the surveys.

The formula applied is as follows :

Overall score = (company score × 50%) + (stakeholder score × 50%)

Pour le parcours simplifié, la note repose uniquement sur le référentiel complété par l'entreprise.

The calculation rules and the conditions for assigning the different levels are defined in the current methodology.

Reaching a scoring threshold alone is not sufficient to guarantee the awarding of the label. The organization must also meet the prerequisites and applicable procedural requirements.

7. Review by a competent and independent third party

Before the awarding or renewal of the label, the organisation's labelling file is subject to a review by a competent and independent third party, responsible for checking the consistency of the evaluation, the application of the methodology, and the compliance with the rules for awarding the label. This third party is legally distinct from Positive Company.

The review is conducted by sampling: one third prioritises the points of the framework that are most significant in relation to the organisation's stakes, their weight in the score, or the risk of error or inaccurate declaration. It does not constitute a comprehensive re-examination of all the criteria.

It particularly concerns:

• the scope and framework of the evaluation: workforce, sector of activity (NACE), entities covered, labelling cycle (initial labelling or renewal), version of the reference framework applied and the conduct of the peer review within Positive Company;
• compliance with the specifications and the correct application of the methodology ;
• the traceability of the evaluation, as well as the presence and consistency of supporting documents ;
• the consultation of stakeholders : volumes of shipments and returns, achievement of expected return rates and, if applicable, application of the penalty provided or referral to the ethics committee ;
• the handling of anomalies or non-conformities identified : qualification of each verified subject (compliant, non-compliant, compliant with conditions, not applicable), nature of the deviation, response provided by Positive Company, resolution status and potential impact on the rating ;
• the correct application of the label attribution criteria : overall score thresholds, disqualifying scores by category and prerequisites (fundamentals) associated with each level, including those adapted to the size of the organization.

As part of its mission, the third party may request any useful clarification from the Positive Company® expert and seek the correction or re-examination of certain elements. These exchanges are solely intended to complete the file, correct any potential errors, and resolve interpretation discrepancies regarding the applicable rules. They cannot have the effect of negotiating the rating or altering the independence of the conclusion rendered.

At the end of its verification, the third party records its findings in an independent verification report and issues a favorable or unfavorable conclusion on the compliance of the evaluation. The report is dated and signed, and mentions the validity period of the labeling.

Learn more : click here

8. Award decision

The award decision is made after the applicable process is completed and the independent review of the file.

Positive Company® ne peut attribuer le label que lorsque les conditions prévues par le référentiel sont remplies et que la vérification indépendante a donné lieu à une conclusion favorable.

Positive Company® formalise alors la décision d’attribution et autorise l’organisation à utiliser le label et le niveau correspondant. En cas de conclusion défavorable ou de désaccord non résolu, l’attribution est suspendue jusqu’à la correction du dossier et à la réalisation d’une nouvelle vérification favorable.

Le financement de l’évaluation ne garantit ni l’obtention du label ni l’attribution d’un niveau déterminé.

According to the score obtained and the compliance with the associated conditions, the organization can obtain :

• the Positive Company® 1 star label ;
• the Positive Company® 2 star label ;
• the Positive Company® 3 star label.

The decision specifies notably :

• the assigned level ;
• the labeled scope ;
• the version of the reference used ;
• the award date ;
• the validity period.

9. New application after non-award

The non-award of the label does not prevent the organization from subsequently engaging in a new labeling process. A new evaluation is then carried out according to the reference and the rules applicable to the new cycle.

10. Meetings and support during the evaluation

During the process, follow-up points can be organized to present the methodology, track the progress of information collection, and report the results of the evaluation.

This support is distinct from the independent review prior to the award of the label.

9. Restitution des résultats

At the end of the evaluation, the organization benefits from :

• D’une restitution détaillée des de ses résultats de labellisation ;
• A certification of labeling.

The detailed results presentation meeting allows the organization to be presented with :

• the overall score ;
• the number of stars obtained ;
• la note "entreprise";
• la note "parties prenantes" ;
• the results by pillar ;
• the main strengths ;
• the points of vigilance ;
• the areas for improvement ;

• the consolidated results of the surveys, namely : 

  • The verbatims (words and employee pride)
  • The solutions proposed for each pillar

Cette restitution à pour objectif de permettre à l'organisation de :

• understand in detail the structuring points of its labeling (score, reference points, responses and tone of stakeholders, etc.)
• build and prioritize its CSR improvement plan to evolve its approach and results.

The labeling certificate, issued only at the end of the debriefing meeting, contains the following information:

• the name of the labeled organization;
• the scope of labeling;
• the validity period of the labeling ;
• the version of the reference used ;
• the overall score ;
• the number of stars obtained ;
• the name of the Positive Company expert who conducted the evaluation;
• the name of the founder of Positive Company ;
• the name of the competent and independent third party;
• the serial number of the certificate.

The official up-to-date list of certified companies is accessible : https://www.positive-company.eu/les-positives-company

10. A four-year labeling cycle

Pour le parcours conventionnel, le label Positive Company® est attribué dans le cadre d’un cycle de quatre ans.

This cycle includes:

Year 0

• 1st complete audit, based on the current reference framework;
• surveys of stakeholders when the process allows it;
• independent review;
• initial awarding of the label.

Between years 0 and 2

• new consultation of stakeholders when applicable;
• monitoring the evolution of their perception.

Year 2

• nouvel 2ème audit complet, sur la base du référentiel en vigueur ;
• updating responses and supporting documents;
• surveys of stakeholders when the process allows it;
• new independent review;
• confirmation or evolution of the labeling level.

Between years 2 and 4

• new consultation of stakeholders when applicable;
• tracking of progress and preparation for renewal.

At the end of four years, a new labeling cycle must be initiated to maintain the right to use the label.

Pour le parcours simplifié, le label Positive Company® est attribué dans le cadre d’un cycle de deux ans.

Année 0

• 1st complete assessment, based on the current reference framework ;
• independent review;
• initial awarding of the label.

Year 2 

• 2ème évaluation complète, sur la base du référentiel en vigueur;
• independent review;
• initial awarding of the label.

11. Monitoring during the validity period

The labeled organization must continue to comply with:

• the assigned scope;
• the requirements of the reference framework;
• the rules for using the logo;
• the information obligations provided;
• the requests for control or updates;
• the procedures applicable to disputes and non-compliance.

Positive Company may request additional information or initiate a control when an element is likely to challenge the conditions of attribution.

Depending on the severity of the situation, the label may be maintained, accompanied by corrective actions, suspended, or withdrawn.

Learn more: click here

12. Appeal procedure

​1. Purpose of the appeal

Any organization that has been evaluated under the Positive Company® label may contest the rating or the labeling decision that has been notified to it.

The appeal procedure allows for a request for re-examination of the file when an organization believes, in particular, that:

• a rule of the reference framework or the rating methodology has been incorrectly applied;
• an information or document submitted on time has not been taken into account;
• a factual, material, or calculation error has affected the rating;
• the evaluation or compliance review procedure has not been followed;
• that the assigned rating is not sufficiently consistent with the elements in the file.

The appeal concerns exclusively the labeling file constituted at the time of the evaluation. It does not constitute a new application or a new evaluation based on actions or documents produced after the closure of the file.

​2. Presentation of the appeal and admissibility study

L’organisation dispose d’un délai de quinze jours ouvrés à compter de la notification de sa notation ou de la décision de labellisation pour présenter un recours.

The appeal must be made in writing and include:

• the identification of the organization and the relevant file;
• the contested criteria, scores, or conclusions;
• the specific grounds for the contestation;
• the provisions of the reference framework or methodology invoked;
• the elements of the file on which the organization bases its request;
• the nature of the correction or re-examination requested.

Le recours est adressé à Positive Company par adresse électronique à l'adresse contact@positive-company.eu .

Un accusé de réception est transmis à l’organisation dans un délai de cinq jours ouvrés.

Positive Company® vérifie la recevabilité du recours dans un délai de dix jours ouvrés suivant sa réception.

The appeal is admissible when it:

• is presented within the stipulated time frame;
• comes from a person authorized to represent the organization;
• concerns a rating or decision related to the labeling system;
• contains sufficiently precise grounds;
• is based on information or documents submitted before the closure of the file.

The following are not admissible:

• a contestation that does not contain any specific grounds;
• a request based solely on a general disagreement with the level obtained;
• a request based on actions taken or documents created after the closure of the evaluation;
• a request concerning elements unrelated to the application of the reference framework and the rating methodology.

The decision of inadmissibility is communicated in writing and indicates the reasons on which it is based.

When the organization wishes to present new elements after the closure of the file, these may, depending on their nature, be examined as part of a new assessment, follow-up, or renewal, but not as part of the initial appeal.

3. Handling of the appeal and review of the file

The operational teams of Positive Company® ensure the receipt and follow-up of the appeal. They verify that the request contains the necessary information for processing and forward the file to a rating expert responsible for conducting the re-examination. To ensure the impartiality and independence of the re-examination, the expert responsible for the re-evaluation has, as far as possible, not participated in the initial assessment.

The operational teams may request from the organization the necessary clarifications for a proper understanding of its appeal. They also ensure the coordination of exchanges between the organization, the expert who conducted the initial assessment, and the expert in charge of the re-examination.

The expert verifies in particular:

• the correct application of the framework and methodology;
• the consideration of the elements submitted on time;
• the consistency between the responses, the supporting documents, the analysis, and the points awarded;
• the absence of material, factual, or calculation errors;
• the compliance with the rules for awarding the label and its different levels.

At the end of his analysis, the expert in charge of the re-examination shares a reasoned conclusion with all operational teams.

This conclusion may lead to:

• confirming the initial rating and decision;
• correcting a material, factual, or calculation error;
• modifying the rating of one or more criteria;
• requesting additional analysis on certain elements;
• recommending a new partial evaluation of the file;
• modifying the overall score, the level of labeling, or the award decision when the corrections made justify it.

Based on this technical conclusion, the operational teams of Positive Company formalize the decision made at the end of the appeal and communicate it to the independent and competent third party.

The decision communicated to the organization specifies:

• the elements that were subject to re-examination;
• the reasons for the decision;
• any corrections made;
• the consequences on the scores, the level obtained, or the labeling decision.

When the re-examination results in a change in the grading, Positive Company® updates the relevant certification documents.

4. Processing time

Positive Company® strives to communicate the decision regarding the appeal within a maximum period of thirty working days from the notification of its admissibility.

When the complexity of the case requires additional analyses or exchanges, this period may be extended once, for a maximum duration of fifteen business days.

The organization is informed of this extension before the expiration of the initial deadline, as well as the reasons justifying it.

​5. Effects of the appeal

Filing an appeal does not confer any provisional right to use the label or to claim the contested level.

When a label has already been awarded and the appeal concerns only the level obtained, the organization may continue to communicate about the initially validated level until the decision on the appeal is made, unless otherwise stated due to a suspension, a controversy, or a breach of the label's usage rules.

In case of a change in the rating, Positive Company® updates the relevant labeling documents and informs the organization of the rules applicable to its communications.

​6. Independence and absence of adverse consequences

L’exercice d’un recours n’entraîne aucune conséquence défavorable pour l’organisation dans le cadre de ses relations avec Positive Company® ou de ses futures démarches de labellisation.

The decision is made exclusively based on the reference framework, the applicable methodology, and the elements of the case. Commercial, contractual, or financial considerations cannot intervene in its processing.

The appeal procedure is free for the organization, except when a new evaluation is requested based on new elements not covered by the initial appeal.

Version of this page: v2026.1.1

Publication date: July 2026

Last updated: July 2026

Contact:  scoring@positive-company.eu