Company mission |
"As an independent rating agency, oekom research AG has for years been providing in-depth information on the environmental and social performance of companies, sectors and states. Our comprehensive service, our many years of experience and our professionalism make us a valuable and reliable partner for various actors in the asset management field. Together, we create sustainable assets that benefit investors, companies, society and the environment. "
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| Legal form |
Aktiengesellschaft (similar to PLC)
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Ownership
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40 Stockholders, 37 of which are private persons (approx. 85%) and 3 institutional investors (approx. 15%)
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Foundation
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1993 |
Executive Board
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Robert Haßler and Matthias Bönning |
Number / qualification
of employees
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29 employees, multidisciplinary team with various academic qualifications and in part many years of experience in the field of sustainability rating and sustainable investment
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Advisory Board /
Council
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oekom research has a 12 member advisory board consulting the company continually on methodological questions
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Cooperations/
Memberships |
oekom research is a founding member to the registered association "Corporate Responsibility Interface Center" (CRIV)e.V., a group of investors based on the Frankfurt-Hohenheim Guidelines (FHL), as well as the forum and registered association "Nachhaltige Geldanlage e.V." (Sustainable Investment).
oekom cooperates with the project group "ethical ecological rating" of the University of Frankfurt concerning methodological questions. In the field of quality standards and sustainability ratings the company cooperates with the registered association "Rating Cert e.V." a professional organisation of independent rating analysts. Additionally they work together with numerous NGOs and academic institutions worldwide in the field of sustainability research.
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| Background |
Since 1993 oekom has been involved in the ecological evaluation of companies. In 1994 the company won an international tender marking the start for a four year project with the Austrian Öko-Invest publishing house. As part of the project oekom published 49 environmental analyses of quoted companies in the financial newspaper Börse Online, the news agencies Öko-Invest and Bloomberg. Since then oekom research has been a provider of ecological-sustainable company research to various customers. In 1999, the company was awarded the Umweltpreis (environmental award) of the city of Munich. The research of oekom research is used in numerous mutual and restricted funds. We provide
research for assets totaling more than 85 billion euros.
In regard to content and methodology oekom works together with the project group "ethical ecological rating" of the faculty catholic religious studies of the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe University of Frankfurt/Main. On the one hand the project group has developed a catalogue including more than 800 criteria for the evaluation of companies and financial investments according to sustainability aspects that puts great emphasis on social components and cultural compatibility. On the other hand the findings are used to consult mainly religious investors. Stemming from this project oekom has expanded its Environmental Rating into a so called "Corporate Responsibility Rating". The intention is to not only consider the environmental responsibility of companies but also their responsibility towards employees and the society. In 2000, the range of research was expanded to include country ratings and potentials research. The latter deals with the analysis of small and medium-sized companies whose products and services have a clear potential to change towards sustainability.
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