Frequently Asked Questions

Our data comes from three complementary layers, ensuring quality, relevance, and actionability:

1. Publicly available data
   We aggregate, organise, clean, and verify public data from reliable sources. Each data point goes through systematic quality checks. We aim to reach a 1% error rate, far above market standards ensuring our users can trust what they see.
2. Trusted data partners
   We collaborate with 10+ leading data partners, each individually selected for being the best in the market in their given field, like AlliedOffsets for carbon credits, Nature Alpha for nature risk, GIST Impact for Biodiversity Impact. Together, they provide the highest quality datasets across the sustainability landscape, enriching our platform's depth and breadth.
3. Proprietary insights
   We add exclusive proprietary data, including:
   • The company's intent to buy sustainability solutions
   • Sustainability maturity scores
   • Controversy analysis based on our exclusive media dataset covering thousands of publications
   • And many more KPIs

These are unique to illuminem and help you identify the right prospects at the right moment. Learn more about Intent and Maturity scores.

We also structure data by industry, geography, ESG focus, and company characteristics—allowing you to filter and prioritize what matters most for your go-to-market campaigns and strategic decisions.

Credits allow you to unlock valuable sustainability data specific to your needs.

Check your balance
– Your available and renewing credits appear at the top-right of the screen.

Browse to your companies or KPIs
– On Data Hub™, any data point that costs credits displays a small icon showing its price before you reveal it.

Note the three price tiers
– 🟢 1 credit
– 🟣 3 credit
– 🟡 5 credit

Reveal data
– Click the icon for the KPI you want; a pop-up shows the exact cost.
– Confirm to deduct the credits and instantly display or export that data point.

For a full walkthrough see our Credit Guide.

Please click on your credit count at the top right of your page, where you will find the option to recharge your credits.

Also, when your balance runs low and you click to redeem data, you will be shown a pop-up asking if you wish to replenish your credits.

For more on credit rates, see the Credit Guide.

Yes, Data Hub™ is GDPR compliant.

We have ensured GDPR compliance across all key areas of our data handling practices.
– Our data processing methods follow strict controls aligned with GDPR requirements.
– User data is displayed only with explicit user consent.
– All contact data is sourced exclusively through GDPR-compliant providers, such as RocketReach, which have confirmed their compliance in response to our direct inquiries.

Further, to verify our work, we partnered with iReina, a top GDPR advisor, who reviewed our practices and confirmed illuminem's full respect of GDPR standards.

Finally, our legal framework has been validated in collaboration with Osborne Clarke. You can read our full Privacy Policy here.

Yes, Data Hub™gives you the possibility to export and download data in bulk, using credits where data is to be revealed.

Please follow the step by step process below:

1. Access the main Data Hub™, by clicking on ‘Companies’ at the top of the Navigation Bar.
   
2. From the Companies view, select the specific companies you want to export data for
   
3. Click on ‘Export data’ at the top of companies list, and then select the format of the output file you want to download (.xls or .csv)
   
4. You'll have downloaded a file encompassing all the revealed data for the companies you decided to export, structured along the different labels.
   

Currently, when you apply filters and then navigate away (e.g. clicking into a company profile), your filter settings are not automatically saved when you return to the Companies view. This is because the platform does not store filter states in the browser session.

To keep track of your filters, we recommend opening new pages, like company profiles, in a new tab (right-click or use Ctrl+Click / Cmd+Click) so your filters stay intact on the original tab.

We're actively working to improve this experience by introducing saved filters and session memory—stay tuned!

Data Hub™ has become the industry's leading choice by providing free, high-quality sustainability data on thousands of public and private companies. This open-access approach drives regular usage by analysts, investors, NGOs and corporate teams worldwide, and illuminem boasts a community of hundreds of thousands of sustainability professionals across the globe.

With over 240 distinct KPIs — ranging from carbon and renewables metrics to gender diversity — Data Hub™ delivers one of the most comprehensive datasets available. This dataset is available for thousands of companies, allowing users to find information most relevant for them, whatever they are looking for.

Our broad coverage and pinpoint accuracy stem from:

• Proprietary metrics powered by from direct company input and and signals
• First party data collection straight from company disclosures and regulatory filings
• Exclusive partnerships with Companies, NGOs, auditors and research institutes that enhance our data universe

Data Hub™ maintains an industry-leading accuracy, with an average error rate of below 1% across all KPIs. Quality is upheld through:

• Automated validation checks that flag unusual data points in real time
• Regular refreshes to ensure up to date data
• A Community Corrections program that rewards users with 5 credits whenever they report and validate a discrepancy

All users gain instant, no-cost access to a core suite of sustainability metrics:

• Sustainability Maturity™ score: evaluates how advanced a company is in its sustainability journey. For more information, see the methodology page here
• SDG impact alignment: shows how a company's products, services, and operations contribute, both positively and negatively, to achieving the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals
• Key reports: shows which reports are available for a given company (e.g. ESG disclosures, TCFD summaries, and more)
• Sustainability intensity ratios: evaluates a company's sustainability efficiency by looking at the ratio of their emissions relative to a revenue
• Gender balance statistics: shows the representation of different genders across a company's workforce, broken down by further cuts where available (e.g. seniority level)
• Sustainability employees headcount and percentages: see the number and proportion of staff in dedicated sustainability roles for a given company
• Controversy exposure alerts: signals a company's involvement in or connection to negative events related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, such as environmental damage, labor disputes, or corruption scandals
• Climate risk assessments: evaluates a company's exposure and resilience to the financial impacts of climate change
• Exposures to protected areas: evaluates a company's exposure and resilience to the financial impacts of climate change
• Carbon emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3): shows a company's CO2 equivalent emissions on an annual basis
• Renewable electricity usage: shows the share of electricity consumption that came from renewables on an annual basis
• Digital emissions footprint: shows the greenhouse gas emissions generated from a company's digital infrastructure and online activities, such as its websites, data centers, and cloud services

The list of companies on Data Hub™ and our company rankings grow with the community. We invite professionals and companies to nominate firms to be included on Data Hub™.

Please consult our glossary for more information.

Publishing with illuminem means sharing your work in a trusted community built for reach and lasting impact.

• A highly engaged, global audience - illuminem serves policymakers, investors, corporate leaders, and researchers who rely on credible analysis to inform real decisions. With hundreds of thousands of sustainability professionals across the globe and a network of 2,000+ Thought Leaders, your work reaches an audience that is both influential and engaged.
• Visibility that endures - Articles are distributed through illuminem's SEO-optimised platform, weekly newsletters, and curated social channels. With more than 60% of readers in C-suite and ESG decision-making roles, the focus is on extending impact well beyond initial publication and building a durable professional presence.
• Editorial collaboration, not control - Contributors retain their own voice and perspective, while benefitting from thoughtful editorial input designed to strengthen clarity and maximise impact

Publishing with illuminem is an invitation to shape the conversations defining the sustainable transition — and to push ideas to the forefront of sustainability decision-making.

Publishing exclusively on illuminem is the most effective way to maximise the reach and impact of your work. Only exclusive articles benefit from illuminem's SEO strength and fast Google indexing, ensuring your stand out in a sea of search results. Exclusive pieces also receive priority visibility across illuminem's platform, LinkedIn channels, and newsletters to maximise reach. In a saturated sustainability media landscape, exclusivity ensures your ideas are seen by decision-makers who matter.

• Share on LinkedIn at high-engagement times (typically late mornings or lunchtimes, mid-week)
• Add a short personal insight alongside the article link to spark discussion
• Tag relevant themes, organisations, or policymakers to broaden visibility
• Engage in the comments to sustain momentum and extend reach

We also support you by:

• Featured billboard placements
• Newsletter highlights
• Curated content on our social channels

Yes - illuminem is fully independent.

illuminem's editorial agenda is not shaped by political actors or large media conglomerates. Our shareholding structure is transparent and consists of numerous investors, each holding less than 5% of voting rights. Our contributors are encouraged to present rigorous, evidence-based perspectives, even when they challenge prevailing narratives. Diversity of thought is a strength, and illuminem is committed to creating an environment where transparent, integrity-driven debate can thrive.

Click here for the detailed guide

Click here for step-by-step instructions

Yes - we create a dedicated profile page for all of our illuminem Thought Leaders.

Yes - All illuminem Thought Leaders are automatically considered for illuminem's annual end-of-year rankings.

Click here to see the Top 10 most-read Thought Leaders of 2024.

Yes, we welcome all Thought Leaders in the illuminem Club, where they can connect both online and in physical events. Please register here.

The overwhelming majority of content on illuminem (over 99%) is non-commercial, community-driven, and independent.

At the same time, to support our operations, we selectively offer value-creating promotional opportunities, which you can explore through our promotional packages.

All publications (non-commercial and commercial) strictly adhere to illuminem’s editorial guidelines to ensure the highest standards of quality and thought leadership.