We have developed a proprietary research methodology to assess how ethical organizations are.

The Fidelis´s Ethical research Process.

• STEP 1: Data mining.
  Junior analysts look for relevant information that help us find answers to the ten screening questions in the negative criteria sheet. They consult the company´s web site, in particular annual reports and CRS reports. They look into publicly available information released by government agencies (e.g. the US Environment Protection Agency), international monitors (e.g. The Human Rights Watch), think-tanks (e.g. Acton Institute) and news agencies (e.g. Reuters). Our principle source however is Lexis Nexis On-line Service- the world´s leading source of news, legal, business information and market intelligence.
  
  
• STEP 2: Ethical assessment. 
  Junior analysts meet their respective senior analysts to review the company under scrutiny. They analyze together gathered information in order to make a prudential judgement about the morality of investing in the company. They discuss moral issues that have been discovered during data mining. If they are in dilemma regarding what should be the proper decision, they usually forward the case to other members of the Team to receive more input in order to refine the way of viewing the company. Once they take a decision, the company´s files are uploaded to the Knowledge Tree (our data base), and the outcome is communicated to the Chief Officer of the Research Team who reviews the work.
  
  
• STEP 3: Conference call. 
  Every two weeks all members of the Research Team (junior analysts, senior analysts and the Chief Officer) have a conference call to reflect further on companies that they have been working on since previous meeting. The conference call is a joint effort to re-examine the most controversial cases. The meeting serves to confirm or review moral opinions that have been taken in the Step 2.
  
  
• STEP 4: Verification by the Senior-Research Team Coordinator. 
  Before a basket of screened companies is presented to the Management Board for a final approval, the Senior-Research Team Coordinator goes over the companies once gain. He has a right to modify decisions that have been taken.
  
  
• STEP 5: Final examination by the Management Board.
  The Senior-Research Team Coordinator presents the companies at a Management Board meeting. Members of the Board go over the forwarded cases to give a final approval to the work done by analysts. If they disagree with the information and screening results that they find in the files, they reassess such cases. Otherwise, they corroborate the work of the Team.