SOMO has extensive experience with screening companies in terms of their performance and impact on sustainable development. Civil society organisations, semi-public and public bodies and international organisations make use of SOMO’s services. These organisations use the company information provided by SOMO to support their partnerships, campaigns, multi-stakeholder initiatives, dialogues, negotiations, investments, fundraising and other forms of relations with corporations. In addition to generating and disseminating knowledge about corporations, SOMO advises organisations on how to use and operationalise CSR codes and guidelines and corporate accountability regulations.

Services provided by SOMO include:

• Quick Scan: Brief research into the policies and practices of a specific company.
• Company profiles: Deeper research into corporate structures, ownership relationships and CSR policies and practices of a company.
• Benchmark research: Comparative research on multiple companies in a specific sector.
• Value chain analysis: Research into the value chain of a specific product or service, often originating in a specific region or country.
• Research into controversial investments by corporations and private financial institutions.
• Expert input in the form of lectures, workshops and seminars.
• Training courses focusing on research skills and methods, campaign strategies and knowledge of CSR guidelines and instruments.
• Advice on setting up sustainability screening for companies in the area of CSR; the operationalisation of CSR codes and guidelines,including on a sectoral basis; the evaluation of CSR initiatives and certification systems; and sustainable procurement by national and local governments and other public sector bodies.