Appendix I – Scoring Methodology

The scoring methodology is divided into three categories totaling 100 points: Policy Commitment (38 points), Monitoring & Verification of Compliance (44 points), and Public Disclosure & Reporting (18 points). It assesses whether companies have specific policies to eliminate deforestation and conversion in beef production, implement rigorous supplier monitoring systems, and provide transparent public reporting on supply chain traceability and risk assessments. The framework heavily references the Accountability Framework Initiative's operational guidance for defining environmental protections, human rights, and monitoring standards.

• The 'Policy Commitment' category (38 points) evaluates the content, scope, and industry transformation efforts of a company's beef supply chain policy. This includes commitments to 'deforestation and conversion-free production', the protection of degraded landscapes, and the upholding of human rights for workers and Indigenous Peoples, including the requirement for 'Free, Prior, & Informed Consent'.
• The methodology sets specific requirements for the scope of commitments, including a global extension across all cattle-producing regions and a target implementation date for deforestation-free sourcing no later than 2025. It also defines strict cut-off dates for deforestation: 2009 for direct and 2019 for indirect suppliers in the Amazon biome, and 2021 or earlier for all other biomes.
• The 'Monitoring & Verification of Compliance' category (44 points) focuses on internal procedures and supplier requirements. Companies are scored on conducting risk assessments, implementing a 'engagement, retention, suspension, and then exclusion' protocol for non-compliance, and requiring suppliers to disclose the 'Farm-level point of origin' and the percentage of properties with traceability to the farm level.
• The 'Public Disclosure & Reporting' category (18 points) requires annual reporting on progress using standardized metrics. This includes disclosing the volumes of conversion-free products, the degree of traceability (including country of origin and volumes traceable to slaughterhouses and farms in high-risk regions), and the public disclosure of all 'tier 1 beef suppliers' in high-risk sourcing regions.

APA

Mighty Earth (n.d.). Appendix I – Scoring Methodology. https://www.mightyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/Appendix-I.pdf

Chicago

Mighty Earth. Appendix I – Scoring Methodology. n.d. https://www.mightyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/Appendix-I.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Mighty Earth |title=Appendix I – Scoring Methodology |url=https://www.mightyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/Appendix-I.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mightyearthndappendix, author = {{Mighty Earth}}, title = {{Appendix I – Scoring Methodology}}, institution = {Mighty Earth}, url = {https://www.mightyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/Appendix-I.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }