Monitoring and use of the Positive Company® label

Our Manifesto

Businesses and organizations are all interdependent and we are convinced that solutions to social and environmental challenges are collective and must go through stakeholder dialogue.

Our community continuously progresses thanks to our standards based on European regulations that are the most demanding in the world.

Our mission is to unite as many actors as possible of all sizes and activities to positively transform economic models and make them compatible with planetary boundaries. 

Ensure the credibility of the label throughout its validity period

The granting of the Positive Company® label does not constitute a definitive and uncontrolled recognition.

Throughout its validity period, the labeled organization must continue to comply with:

• the scope on which it was evaluated;
• the requirements of the applicable framework;
• the conditions that allowed the granting of the label;
• the rules for using the name, level, and Positive Company® logo;
• the follow-up or control requests provided for by the system.

Positive Company may examine any information that could call into question the validity of the label or the compliance of its use.

Consumers also have access to a page of simplified explanations of the Positive Company label via QR codes displayed on the communication materials presented by the labeled organization (link to the consumer page: Click here).

A label granted for a specific scope

The Positive Company® label exclusively pertains to the scope defined at the beginning of the process and indicated in the labeling documents.

This scope may correspond to:

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

The labeled organization must not extend its communication to activities, products, brands, subsidiaries, or establishments that were not included in the evaluation.

In case of a significant change in its organization or scope, it must inform Positive Company to determine if an update or a new assessment is necessary.

A defined validity period

The Positive Company® label is part of a four-year cycle.

Ce cycle comprend deux évaluation complètes :

• an initial assessment in year 0;
• a new complete assessment in year 2.

Lorsque le parcours le prévoit, des enquêtes auprès des parties prenantes sont également réalisées entre les audits afin de suivre l’évolution de leur perception.

The right to use the label remains conditional on compliance with the applicable rules throughout the entire cycle.

À l’issue de la période de validité, l’organisation doit engager un nouveau cycle de labellisation dans un délai de 3 mois maximum ultérieur à l'échéance du dernier cycle  pour continuer à communiquer sur le label en cours de validité. Au delà de cette échéance, l'organisation devra retirer toute mention de ses divers supports de communication, physiques ou digitaux dans un délai de 3 mois supplémentaire.

Monitoring during the validity period

Positive Company may request from the certified organization information to verify the maintenance of the award conditions.

The monitoring may particularly focus on:

• the evolution of the certified scope;
• the update of certain data;
• the completion of the steps planned in the cycle;
• the maintenance of prerequisites associated with the level obtained;
• the use of the logo and labeling mentions;
• the handling of a complaint or controversy;
• the implementation of any corrective actions.

Depending on the situation, Positive Company may request:

• explanations;
• updated documents;
• additional evidence;
• the correction of a communication;
• an action plan;
• an additional audit.

The handling of controversies

A controversy is information that may call into question the practices, commitments, or conditions that allowed the label to be granted.

It may notably come from :

• a report ;
• a complaint ;
• an official publication ;
• an administrative or judicial decision ;
• a public inquiry ;
• an identifiable media source ;
• a stakeholder ;
• the organization itself.

A controversy does not automatically lead to the suspension or withdrawal of the label.

It is subject to a documented analysis that notably takes into account :

• the reliability of the available information ;
• the severity of the facts ;
• their timeliness ;
• their occasional or recurring nature ;
• their link to the labeled scope ;
• the impacts on stakeholders ;
• the organization's response ;
• the corrective actions taken ;
• any potential decisions by a competent authority.

Positive Company may request the organization to provide explanations and supporting elements.

When the facts are still uncertain, the analysis may be reassessed as new reliable information becomes available.

The handling of non-conformities

A non-conformity corresponds to the failure to comply with a requirement of the reference framework, a rule of the labeling system, or a condition for using the label.

It may particularly concern :

• an inaccurate or insufficiently justified response ;
• an erroneous, incomplete, or falsified proof ;
• the failure to meet a prerequisite ;
• a non-declared change of scope ;
• an abusive use of the logo ;
• misleading communication ;
• the absence of cooperation in a control ;
• the failure to comply with a requested corrective action.

Depending on its nature and severity, a non-conformity may lead to :

1. une demande de précisions ;
2. a request for correction ;
3. a request for additional proof ;
4. a corrective action with a deadline ;
5. an additional control ;
6. a suspension of the label ;
7. a withdrawal of the label.
8. un recours en justice

Decisions are documented to ensure their consistency and traceability.

Suspension of the label

The suspension constitutes a temporary interruption of the right to use the label.

It may particularly be decided when a situation requires :

• additional verifications ;
• the correction of a non-conformity ;
• the clarification of a significant controversy ;
• the implementation of a corrective action ;
• the regularization of an abusive use.

During the suspension period, the organization must cease any new communication suggesting that it holds an active label.

It must specifically suspend the use of :

• the logo ;
• the star rating ;
• the labeling mentions ;
• the materials presenting the label as valid.

The suspension can be lifted when the requested elements have been submitted and the conditions for maintenance are once again met.

The precise terms of suspension, control, and lifting of the measure are defined in the applicable procedure.

Consult the suspension procedure : [Link to be added]

Withdrawal of the label

The withdrawal ends the right to use the Positive Company® label in the relevant scope.

It may occur in cases of :

• false declaration ;
• forgery of evidence ;
• major non-compliance ;
• uncorrected non-compliance within the set timeframe ;
• refusal to cooperate with a control ;
• repeated or serious use of the label outside the authorized scope ;
• misleading communication about the scope of the label ;
• serious controversy questioning the conditions of attribution ;
• non-compliance with obligations related to the labeling system.

In case of withdrawal, the organization must cease using :

• the Positive Company® logo ;
• the obtained star rating ;
• the certificates or materials presenting the label as active ;
• any wording suggesting that it still benefits from the label.

Positive Company may request the removal or correction of the relevant materials.

Consult the withdrawal procedure : [Link to be added]

Expiration of the label

On the expiration date, the organization can no longer present the label as being valid.

Historical communications may be retained when they :

• clearly mention the period during which the label was valid ;
• do not imply that the label is still active ;
• comply with the rules defined in the user guide.

The organization must remove or update mentions that may mislead the public, particularly regarding :

• its website ;
• its social media ;
• its business proposals ;
• its electronic signatures ;
• its reports ;
• its advertising materials ;
• its premises or points of sale.

Complaints and appeals from assessed organizations

An assessed organization may request a review of a result or decision when it considers in particular that :

• information has not been properly taken into account ;
• evidence has been misinterpreted ;
• a methodological rule has not been properly applied ;
• a decision to suspend or withdraw is not justified.

The request must be justified and accompanied by the necessary elements for its review.

The appeal procedure specifies in particular:

• the admissibility conditions;
• the transmission channel;
• the information to be communicated;
• the processing steps;
• the responsibilities of stakeholders ;
• the review procedures ;
• the communication of the final decision.

Submit an appeal: contact@positive-company.eu 

Reports by stakeholders and third parties

Anyone can report a situation that may affect the credibility or validity of the label.

The report may specifically concern :

• an abusive use of the logo ;
• an erroneous communication scope ;
• misleading environmental or social information ;
• a significant controversy ;
• an alleged false statement ;
• a situation that may constitute a conflict of interest ;
• an organization using an expired, suspended, or withdrawn label.

To allow for its examination, the report must be sufficiently precise and, when possible, accompanied by documents or verifiable sources.

Positive Company analyzes the admissibility of the information provided and may request additional clarifications.

Filing a report does not automatically lead to a sanction. Any decision is based on the examination of the available information and the application of the prescribed procedure.

Report a situation : [Link or address to add]

Who can use the label ?

Only organizations with a valid labeling decision can use the Positive Company® label.

The right to use applies exclusively to :

• the level actually obtained ;
• the assessed scope ;
• the indicated validity period;
• the authorized media;
• the formulations compliant with the user guide.

Payment for the evaluation or commitment to a labeling process does not grant the right to use the label.

An organization undergoing evaluation cannot present itself as labeled.

The communication rules

Communication must allow the public to precisely understand the scope of the label.

Depending on the media used, it may be required to specify:

• the name of the label;
• the assigned level;
• the labeled scope;
• the date or validity period;
• the link to information regarding the operation of the label.

The organization must ensure not to present the label as:

• a product certification when only the organization has been evaluated;
• a guarantee of total absence of environmental or social impact;
• a recognition covering non-evaluated entities;
• a validation of all claims made by the company;
• an automatic proof of compliance with all CSR standards or regulations.

Prohibited uses

The labeled organization must not:

• modify the logo;
• modify the assigned star level ;
• use an old level as if it were still valid ;
• extend the label to a product, brand, or unassessed subsidiary ;
• imply that the entire group is labeled when only a limited scope has been assessed ;
• use the label after its expiration, suspension, or withdrawal ;
• present an assessment or score as a labeling ;
• use the logo in a misleading context or one that could harm the credibility of the label.

The detailed graphic and editorial rules are in the user guide.

Download the label user guide : [Link to be added]

Use by networks, franchises, and points of sale

When a label pertains to a network, establishment, franchise, or point of sale, each entity can only communicate if it is included in the scope that has been actually assessed.

The communication must clearly identify :

• the covered entities ;
• the exact scope of the assessment ;
• the labeling process applied ;
• the validity period ;
• any limits of use.

A network head cannot imply that all its members are labeled when only certain points of sale have been assessed.

Similarly, a point of sale cannot present the entire network as labeled based solely on its own assessment.

Check the validity of a label

Positive Company aims to make accessible the information needed to verify the validity of a certification.

The sheet or public certificate may specify:

• the name of the organization;
• the assessed scope ;
• the assigned level;
• the version of the reference framework;
• the date of attribution;
• the expiration date;
• the status of the label.

Verify a label: click here

The different statuses of the label

To ensure clear information, the status of a certification can be presented as follows:

Active

The label is currently valid and the organization is authorized to use it within the assigned scope.

Suspended

The right to use the label is temporarily interrupted pending regularization, corrective action, or a final decision.

Withdrawn

The right to use the label has ended before the initially planned date.

Expired

The validity period has ended and no new cycle has allowed for the renewal of the label.

The statuses actually published must correspond to the procedures and tools established by Positive Company.

Responsibilities of the certified organization

During the validity period, the organization commits to:

• respect the certified scope;
• communicate accurately and non-misleadingly;
• use the authorized graphic elements;
• inform Positive Company of a significant change in the scope ;
• report any situation that may call into question the conditions of attribution ;
• respond to control requests ;
• implement the requested corrective actions ;
• cease using the label in case of expiration, suspension, or withdrawal.

Responsibilities of Positive Company

Positive Company is notably responsible for :

• monitoring the use of its brand ;
• handling complaints and reports ;
• analyzing controversies ;
• la gestion des non-conformités ;
• formalizing decisions ;
• monitoring corrective actions ;
• suspending or withdrawing the right to use ;
• providing information regarding the status of the label, according to the stipulated procedures ;
• ensuring traceability of decisions made.

Version of this page : v2026.1.1

Publication date : July 2026

Last updated : July 2026

Contact : scoring@positive-company.eu