In the Good On You methodology there is embedded conditionality that ensures certain brands are assessed only on the issues that are relevant to the products or services they offer and the practices they engage in.
That means an answer establishing a brand'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 brand because there are routes to score points for positive sustainability practices that are suitable and achievable, regardless of business type, product or service mix, and production inputs.
Key cases for conditionality in the services methodology
Some key cases for the services methodology are summarised below, where a service brand’s business model, products used or sold, food and beverage offering, water use, or animal-related services increase or remove the baseline weighting of an issue while calculating the pillar score.
Product category-specific environmental issues
The weighting of some product-related environment and labour issues depends on whether a brand sells products to consumers or uses products to deliver its service (for example, cosmetic products used by beauty salons). This includes products used in the day-to-day delivery of the service, as well as products sold directly to consumers.
If a brand does not sell products or use products to deliver its service, the product issue is disabled in the areas of resources and waste, and supply chain risk, and the score and weighting are zero (ie they have no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all service brands
Bundled services and third-party packages
The weighting of the bundled services issue depends on whether a brand resells, arranges, or assists consumers in buying major third-party services, purchases, or packages created by another business, such as real estate purchases or travel packages.
If a brand does not provide these bundled or third-party services, the bundled services issue is disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie it has no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all service brands
Food and beverage
The weighting of some environment, labour, and animal-derived materials issues depends on whether a brand sells food or beverages to consumers, or offers food and beverages as a key part of its service.
If a brand does not sell food or beverages, and food and beverages are not a key part of its service, the food and beverage issues in environment, labour, and animals are disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie they have no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all service brands
Hazardous chemicals
The weighting of the hazardous chemicals issue depends on whether the delivery of a brand’s service involves the daily use of products or other inputs that typically contain hazardous chemicals.
If the delivery of the service does not involve the daily use of products or inputs that typically contain hazardous chemicals, then this issue is disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie it has no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all service brands
Microplastics
The weighting of the microplastics issue depends on whether a brand uses or sells products that may contain or shed microplastics, such as beauty products, cleaning products, or polyester.
If a brand does not use or sell products that may contain or shed microplastics, the microplastics issue is disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie it has no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all service brands
Animals product range and materials
Animal citizenship applies to all service brands, but other animal-related issues apply only where the brand’s service model, products, or activities create relevant animal welfare risks.
The food and beverage animal-derived materials issue applies if a brand sells food or beverages, or offers food and beverages as a key part of its service. The product animal-derived materials issue, and for large brands the commitment to eliminate animal-derived materials, apply if a brand uses or sells products that may include animal-derived materials or ingredients.
The animal testing issue applies if a brand sells or uses products, as a core part of its business, that typically contain animal-derived materials or are tested on animals. The wild animals issue applies if a brand sells products or services, such as tourism packages, that may impact wild animals.
If the relevant animal-related activity, product type, or service type does not apply, the corresponding animal issue is disabled, and the score and weighting are zero (ie it has no impact on the pillar and overall score).
Applies to: all service brands