Methodology: how every score is calculated
Published in full, applied identically, open to challenge.
A rating you cannot interrogate is just an opinion with a number attached. Any ethical ranking has to publish its criteria, its weightings and its blind spots, or it becomes exactly the kind of unverifiable claim it exists to expose.
This is the complete methodology: what is measured, how much each part counts, what evidence is accepted, and where the model is weakest.
The five pillars
Every product is scored on the same five dimensions, then combined into a single 0–100 figure.
- Animal welfare — testing policy, animal-derived ingredients, supply-chain testing exposure.
- Environmental impact — materials, deforestation risk, carbon intensity, water use.
- Packaging — recycled content, recyclability in practice, refill options, plastic intensity.
- Labour and sourcing — fair trade, living-wage commitments, factory disclosure, audit results.
- Corporate transparency — what the brand and its parent publish, and what they withhold.
Evidence rules
Independently audited certification carries the most weight. Documented, specific self-disclosure carries some. Unverifiable marketing language carries none, and vague claims never raise a score.
Documented controversies apply a weighted deduction that decays over time if the issue is credibly addressed, so a brand that fixes a problem is not punished indefinitely.
Limitations we accept openly
Certification is expensive, which biases scoring towards brands that can afford it. Supply-chain data is self-reported at some tiers. Availability and pricing vary by market. None of these are solved problems, and pretending otherwise would be its own form of greenwashing.
Where evidence is thin, the score reflects uncertainty rather than filling the gap with an assumption.
Independence
Placement and scores cannot be bought. Affiliate commissions may fund the site, but the scoring pipeline has no access to commercial data, so a higher-earning product cannot rank higher for that reason.
Frequently asked questions
Can a brand pay to improve its score?+
No. Scores are generated from published criteria and evidence, with no commercial input at any stage.
Why did a score change?+
New certification data, packaging changes, a new controversy entry or an updated brand disclosure. Scores are living figures.
How can I challenge a rating?+
Send documentation via the press and contact page. Verified corrections are applied and recorded.
Keep reading
Browse: every product, scored on the things that matter
Filter by your values, not by advertising spend.
Brand transparency: the company behind the label
Ownership, disclosure and a dated record of what each brand has been caught doing.
Label & Certification Lookup: what the logo actually proves
Every mark, what it audits — and what it quietly leaves out.
Reviewed and maintained by the EthiCompare editorial team.