Methodology & Disclosure

ESG Rating Methodology

An ESG assessment is only as reliable as the methodology on which it is based.

raestimo takes a structured, documented, and transparent approach to assessing environmental, social, and governance factors. The goal is to make ESG performance comparable, transparent, and useful for companies, investors, banks, and other stakeholders.



raestimo is currently preparing to register as an ESG rating provider in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2024/3005.

Objective of the Rating

The raestimo ESG rating assesses a company's sustainability performance based on environmental, social, and governance criteria. The focus is on the structured evaluation of ESG-related performance indicators and their comparative classification within the respective industry peer group. The rating serves informational and transparency purposes and does not constitute an investment recommendation, legal advice, or financial advice.

Rating Structure

The raestimo ESG rating comprises an overall ESG rating as well as individual assessments for the Environmental (E), Social (S), and Governance (G) dimensions. Depending on data availability and industry context, topics such as emissions, energy, resource consumption, working conditions, diversity, human rights, transparency, and corporate governance are considered, among others.

Assessment Approach

The overall ESG rating is derived from a consolidation of individual assessments for Environmental, Social, and Governance factors, adhering to a documented methodology. Weighting is applied on a sector-specific basis, accounting for the salience of particular ESG topics within the industry peer group. Comprehensive methodological explanations are provided in the ESG Whitepaper.

Methodology & Data

ESG Rating Product

The raestimo ESG Rating is a standardized ESG rating product designed to provide a structured assessment of companies' sustainability performance.

The rating includes an overall ESG score, a rating category, and individual ratings for Environment (E), Social (S), and Governance (G).

The ESG rating can be offered as a public rating, private rating, portfolio rating, data feed, or API-based service.

These deployment models do not fundamentally change the underlying methodology.

Valuation Objective and Materiality

The ESG rating assesses a company's sustainability performance based on environmental, social, and governance performance indicators.

ESG-related risks and the impacts of business operations are taken into account to the extent that they can be identified based on the available information and the methodology used.

The ESG rating does not constitute a complete dual materiality analysis in accordance with ESRS.

Methodology and Governance

The ESG rating methodology is reviewed at least once a year and as needed.

Changes are documented, reviewed by subject matter experts, and approved.

Significant changes are documented and published with version numbers.

In particular, regulatory requirements, data quality, methodological consistency, and the impact on existing ratings are taken into account.

Weighting Methodology

The overall ESG rating is derived from a consolidation of individual assessments for Environmental, Social, and Governance factors, adhering to a documented methodology. Weighting is applied on a sector-specific basis, accounting for the salience of particular ESG topics within the industry peer group. Comprehensive methodological explanations are provided in the ESG Whitepaper.

Conflicts of Interest

raestimo has implemented organizational measures to identify, avoid, and manage actual and potential conflicts of interest. Significant conflict of interest risks can arise particularly from client relationships and remuneration structures. These risks are mitigated through functional segregation, internal controls, and documented processes. raestimo focuses exclusively on providing ESG ratings and does not offer consulting services.

Limits and restrictions

The ratings are subject to, among other things:
- limitations regarding data availability and timeliness
- reliance on external sources
- potential uncertainties related to estimates or proxies
- potential subsequent corrections based on ongoing data verification

Ownership Structure

ESG rating activities are conducted by raestimo FlexCo, headquartered in Vienna. Further details regarding the company and ownership structure can be found in the imprint and the Austrian Commercial Register.

Change in methodology

Significant changes to the methodology will be publicly announced before they take effect.

 

 

 

 

Independence

raestimo ensures organizational independence in its rating activities.
Rated entities do not exert influence.

Fee Model

Remuneration for ESG rating services is determined by objective criteria, specifically the scope of the rating, data availability, complexity of the assessment, and update requirements. The applicable remuneration model is structured in accordance with regulatory provisions.

Scientific Foundation

Relevant scientific and technical findings are identified and evaluated as part of the regular methodology review. Particular consideration is given to publications by recognized scientific institutions, European and international authorities, standards-setting bodies, and professionally recognized organizations.

The suitability of a source is assessed, in particular, based on its technical quality, timeliness, methodological transparency, relevance to the respective ESG topic, and applicability to the rated companies. Findings are incorporated into the methodology only if their methodological relevance has been documented and their impact on existing ratings has been evaluated.

International Standards and Agreements

To the extent that they are relevant to the respective rating, raestimo takes into account relevant international standards and frameworks. These may include, in particular, climate-, social-, and governance-related frameworks such as ISO 14001 or environmental management standards, as well as other internationally recognized standards.

Use of AI*

AI-powered processes are exclusively utilized for data extraction from publicly available documents. Currently, no AI-based content evaluation or score determination is performed.

Regulatory Information

raestimo aligns its operations with the ESG Rating Regulation, which takes effect on July 2, 2026. Reporting and authorization procedures with ESMA are carried out in accordance with legal requirements.

Inclusion of Rated Companies

Companies can provide information and supporting documentation as part of a structured data collection process.

Companies can report factual errors in the underlying information.

Participation does not influence the methodology, weighting, scoring logic, or rating decision.

*Risks of Automated and AI-Based Processes

Risks associated with automated or AI-powered data extraction may include, in particular, incorrect text recognition, incomplete document interpretation, language or formatting issues, outdated sources, or incorrect assignment of individual data points.

raestimo addresses these risks through plausibility checks, source attribution, data quality logic, validation rules, and documented correction processes. Scores and ratings are not determined autonomously by AI, but rather in accordance with the published raestimo ESG rating methodology.

Rating Methodology Change Log

Significant changes to the ESG rating methodology will be published before they take effect.

The publication must include at least the following: version number, effective date, description of the change, and information on potential impacts on existing ratings

Raestimo’s ESG rating is intended to provide a standardized assessment of ESG factors and does not constitute an investment recommendation or a credit rating. The rating is intended to support informational, analytical, and sustainability purposes.

Label Awarding Methodology

The raestimo Sustainability Label is based on an ESG rating and defined award criteria.

It is intended to enable companies to present their ESG performance in a transparent and structured manner to customers, investors, financing partners, and other stakeholders.

A label is awarded based on documented criteria, defined evaluation criteria, and established thresholds.

The underlying model is designed to ensure transparency, traceability, and verifiable ESG communication.



For more information on the labeling process and the methodology used, please download our labeling criteria.

Label criteria

Legally reviewed structure

The structure of the raestimo ESG rating and sustainability label has been legally reviewed in light of the EU ESG Rating Regulation and the EmpCo Directive.

The legal review confirms that, if implemented appropriately, the model can be structured as an ESG rating and labeling framework that takes into account transparency, governance, and documentation requirements.

The legal opinion can be made available to institutional clients and investors upon request.

raestimo FlexCo
QBC 4, Karl-Popper-Strasse 4
1100 Vienna
T. +43 664 541 36 44
E. info@raestimo.com