In the Good On You methodology there is embedded conditionality that ensures certain retailers are assessed only on the issues that are relevant to the products they offer and the practices they engage in.
That means an answer establishing a retailer’s practice in one issue can impact the score weighting of other sections of the methodology. Or it could render other questions or question groups irrelevant, in which case they are disabled in the assessment and their score weighting becomes zero.
This does not impact the scoring potential of any retailer because there are routes to score points for positive sustainability practices that are suitable and achievable, regardless of business type, product mix, and production inputs.
Key cases for conditionality in the retailer methodology
Some key cases for the retailer methodology are summarised below, where a retailer’s product range, product category mix and use of animal-derived materials increase or remove the baseline weighting of an issue while calculating the pillar score.
Product category-specific environmental issues
The weighting of several environmental resources and waste issues depends on the product categories a retailer sells, and whether those categories are core or supporting parts of its retail offering. These category-specific issues include food and beverage, cosmetics and personal care, fashion, homeware, electrical and electronic products, and other consumer goods.
If the retailer sells one of these categories as a core or supporting product category, the relevant environmental issue is assessed. The weighting is higher where the category is a core part of the retailer’s product range, and lower where it is a supporting category. If the retailer does not sell that category, or it is only a minor or non-material category, the relevant issue is disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie it has no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all retailers
Product category-specific labour sourcing issues
The weighting of several labour sourcing policy issues depends on the product categories a retailer sells, and whether those categories are core or supporting parts of its retail offering. These category-specific issues include fashion, homeware, cosmetics and personal care, food and beverage, electrical and electronic products, and other consumer goods.
If the retailer sells one of these categories as a core or supporting product category, the relevant labour issue is assessed. The weighting is higher where the category is a core part of the retailer’s product range, and lower where it is a supporting category. If the retailer does not sell that category, or it is only a minor or non-material category, the relevant issue is disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie it has no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all retailers
Animals product range and materials
The animals pillar only applies to retailers that sell product categories where animal-derived materials or ingredients may be relevant. The section is enabled when a retailer sells at least one relevant animal-related vertical, including food and beverage, fashion, homeware, cosmetics and personal care, or other consumer goods. If the retailer only sells electrical or electronic products, the animals section is disabled, and the score and weighting for animal-related issues are zero (ie they have no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Some animal-derived materials issues are enabled only for the specific product categories the retailer sells. For example, food and beverage, fashion, homeware, cosmetics and personal care, and other consumer goods each have category-specific animal-derived materials questions. These questions assess issues such as animal welfare certification, vegan products or labelling, cruelty-free certification where relevant, and whether the retailer sells high or extreme-risk animal-derived materials.
Large retailers that use animal-derived materials or ingredients are also assessed on whether they have made a public commitment to eliminate products containing animal-derived inputs.
Applies to: all retailers