How do I start?

There are a number of ways you can participate in the Zumer Database Project.

Start with adding a news article. Maybe make a grammar or spelling correction. Update your user profile. Review existing research and make a rating on a company. Take small steps and use the tutorials to aid you.

After you’ve become familiar with the system, begin doing research on an issue that interests you. Lead paint in Mattel Toys? Poisoned Pet Food? Sweat shop sneakers? An oil spill?

Who enters articles?

Simply put, Zumer data comes from YOU .

The database is made up of user contributions, based on referenced third party sources. All data must be referenced or else it will be removed by moderators.

If you see unreferenced material, please do your part to increase the accuracy of the database and flag it!

What counts as a reliable source?

All data input into the “Details” section must be come from a reliable third party source. Reliable sources include academic peer reviewed journals, books from reputable publishing houses, research completed by well recognized NGO ’s, or from the companies themselves. Be weary of extremist literature, or self-published sources.

Remember that alternative media and weblogs can be included in the “News” section of Zumer. Again, use your discretion as to a reputable weblog/journalist publication.

How do I start researching a company?

Pick a company or issue that interests you. For example, Shell and Green House Gas emissions. In the “View/Edit Details” section of the Shell page, there is a information box that tells you what type of information to include. For example, GRI indicator EN16 Direct GHG Emissions.

Quite often the best place to start is the Company CSR report. Start with the company, then look to other sources. What does Greenpeace say about Shell’s emissions. Are there any media articles that can point you to issues surround their emissions? What government research is there? EPA or Environment Canada? Other NGO ’s?

See indicator help for more detailed explanations.

Can I include negative company information?

Yes. Just as you can include positive company information, you can also include negative information (provided it comes from a reputable source). However, keep in mind that the idea of Zumer is not to attack or promote a company. Rather, it is to cut through the marketing spin, and work together to raise transparency and accountability.

What differentiates "news" from "details"?

The “News” section of Zumer is for media reports and company press releases, whereas “Details” are for facts about company performance or initiatives.

The key question to ask yourself when deciding whether data is more suitable for “News” or “Details” is to look at the point of view from which the information is written. Typically media reports are written in the form of a story and have a bias, whereas “Details” information are facts about the company.

How do I reference multiple sources in one detail entry

You can only reference one source per detail entry. If you have multiple sources, make multiple entries, each entry relating directly to that source material.

Can we trust an "open database"?

There are several examples of open-source models of production being more successful than traditional models. Mozilla Firefox and Wikipedia are examples of such projects. There will always be instances of inaccuracies in an open model (when you see one, correct it!), but overall, they have proven to provide very reliable products or information, and have many advantages in the fact that they provide comprehensive functionality and foster collaboration.

Zumer is not the end all and be all of corporate information, but it will be a resource that will provide quick answers about your purchasing decisions with a reasonable level of confidence.

By opening Zumer up to user contributions it will be able to be everywhere and cover every issue, everywhere. Do you have a problem in your community? Are the practices of a specific corporation bothering you? Tell Zumer about it. Participate.

What does a company score of 3.83 mean?

The company score is a normalized average of the company’s overall performance which takes into account your personal weighting of environment, society, product responsibility, and corporate citizenship. Because it is personalized, each person visiting the site will have a different rating for each company. It is based on a 9 point scale, however it would be very difficult to gain a 9 on the overall average because that would mean that the company would have receive a 9 (exceptional performance) on over 45 aspects of company performance covered. An overall company score of 3.83 is actually quite good, and the best companies in the system have about a 5. The number is not as important as the rank, which ultimately shows which company is the best in a product category or sector.

Why can’t I change analyst or company details?

You can only change the details of other “users” and not analysts or companies.

The details of Analysts and Companies cannot be changed because they are professional users, and are held to a separate terms of use agreement. This agreement holds them to a higher level of accountability to provide accurate information.

If you disagree (and have evidence) that disputes a company or analyst claim please include it, beside the analyst or company contributions and ask the company to respond.

Think of Zumer as a round table discussion. On one side you have the companies, on another side you have the professional analysts, and on another you have the Zumer community of users. Each one of these groups has a valid opinion and can present their side of the story. Ultimately it is up to you to weigh the evidence and decide what you think.

What does “Not Enough Data” mean?

If a company is not reporting, and there is no information available we cannot give it a rating. In these situation the company will be ranked at the bottom of the list, and be grayed out.

The company will move up in its ranking once it has details and ratings.

How do I rate a company?

• Ratings are made at the indicator level. (eg. Greenhouse Gases, Water Use, etc)
• To begin your evaluations, pick an indicator (i.e. GHG ) and compare performance to the other companies in the sector. (you should try to compare with at least 4 to 5 companies to make a solid evaluation).
• Once you have analyzed the companies across the sector, try to establish the industry average or status quo. This will help to benchmark performance as the industry average equates to a “5” on the rating scale. From there, you can begin to rate the other companies “1” being worst performer in sector and “9” being best performer.

Doesn’t your rating system unfairly favor large multinational corporations?

One of the challenges we face in rating and ranking small companies is that there is a lack of environmental and social data available. We cannot give a company a score on GHG emissions when this information is not available. While we don’t want to put the small guys at a disadvantage, as accountants say: “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.” If a company is not tracking their impact, they are not very likely to improve it.

Thankfully things are starting to change and more small and medium sized businesses are starting to take serious steps to report on their performance and reduce their impact.

Does Zumer rate products or companies?

• Sustainability information is most readily available at the corporate level and not at the product level.
• Typically, the greatest impact in the product life cycle is from its production, which relates to the corporate operations rather that the product life.*
• Zumer’s mission is to spur shifts in corporate practices across operations as a whole. Ultimately we want to see change across an entire organization, rather than a company tailoring a single product to a green segment.

* With certain durable products such as washing machines and dishwashers, the lifetime product-use can be substantial. However, we urge users to take this into account along with the overall corporate performance of the manufacturers.

Does Zumer support languages other than English?

Currently the Zumer site and support materials are available in English only. We have plans to expand to other languages in the future. However, we welcome you contribute research and comments in the language of your choice. We have been working with university students in Mexico and have several Spanish articles/details.

What is “My Ranking”?

“My Ranking” is your personalized ranking list that matches what is most important to you.

The My Ranking list, weights various indicators based on the questions you answer in your Zumer Profile. The more questions you answer, the more accurately the ranking will reflect you personal interests. Visit your profile to complete your value questionnaire.

Where do the ratings come from?

Companies are rated by university students, professional researchers, companies, and interested individuals. Each rating is rated equally and averaged. By default ranking lists average users, analysts, and companies equally but you can choose what groups of ratings you want included and which you want to ignore by adjusting the “My Rating Settings” the toolbar.

What is Zumer status?

The more you participate in Zumer, the more “status” your account gets and the greater value your ratings have and the more influence you have on the community.

• Zumer Intern: 0-99 points accumulated. An Analyst Ranking is worth 1x the value of the ranking.
• Zumer Analyst: 100-499 pointsaccumulated. A Manager Ranking is worth 2x the value of the ranking.
• Zumer Associate: 500-1,999 points accumulated. An Executive Ranking is worth 3x the value of the ranking.
• Zumer Expert: 2,000-9,999 points accumulated. An Expert Ranking is worth 4x the value of the ranking.
• Zumer Guru: 10,000+ points accumulated. A Guru Ranking is worth 5x the value of the ranking.