Dirt Diggers No. 1
April 26, 2002
Editor: Philip Mattera
Dirt Diggers Network:
I thought I'd get the ball rolling.
In our work at the Corporate Research Project we are
frequently asked to compile background information on
a company's social responsibility record (labor,
environmental, etc.).
Often these companies are ones we haven't researched before,
so this process can be time-consuming. As a result, we're always
on the lookout for sources that can provide a head start.
I recently got a trail subscription to SOCRATES, a
database of company profiles compiled by KLD Research
and Analytics <www.kld.com>, a research outfit serving
social investment firms. The database, which covers
some 3,000 publicly traded companies, provides basic
information about a firm's record on the environment,
workforce practices, etc.
It seems like a handy thing to have but it's quite expensive
($25k a year and up), which reflects the fact that it's
sold mainly to institutional investors.
My questions are as follows:
- Has anyone on the list used SOCRATES -- and do you
have an assessment of its value?
- Does anyone have experience with any similar products
from other social investment firms or other
sources?
Phil Mattera
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Philip Mattera
Director of the Corporate Research Project
Good Jobs First