Systems, Methods, and Media for Evaluating Companies Based On Social Performance

• US 20110047035A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSRHub, LLC
• Original Assignee: CSRHub, LLC
• Inventors: Filler, Stephen C., Figge, Cynthia L., Gidwani, Bahar N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Mechanisms for evaluating companies based on social performance are provided. In some embodiments, systems comprise: at least one processor that: receives data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein the data includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies; calculates category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the score values; calculates a combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on the category scores; compares at least one of the combined score and the category scores for one of the plurality of companies to a threshold; and based on results of the comparison, presents an advertisement to the user that corresponds to the one of the plurality of companies.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating companies based on social performance, comprising:

at least one processor that;

receives data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein a first portion of the data received from at least one of the plurality of data sources includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies that use a different scoring system than score values included in a second portion of the data received from at least one other of the plurality of data sources;

converts the score values included in the first portion of the data and the score values included in the second portion of the data into uniform score values in a single scoring system;

calculates category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the uniform score values;

receives a first plurality of weights selected by a user, wherein each of the first plurality of weights corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of categories;

calculates a first combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on a weighting of the category scores using the first plurality of weights;

causes a first list of the plurality of companies and the corresponding first combined score for each of the plurality of companies to be presented to the user;

receives a second plurality of weights selected by the user, wherein each of the second plurality of weights corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of categories;

calculates a second combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on a weighting of the category scores using the second plurality of weights; and

causes a second list of the plurality of companies and the corresponding second combined score for each of the plurality of companies to be presented to the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor determines that at least one of the plurality of companies corresponds to a user-selected exclusionary factor and causes the at least one of the plurality of companies to be omitted from at least one of the first list and the second list.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor calculates one of the category scores for one of the plurality of categories based on a plurality of scores for subcategories in the one of the plurality of categories.

3. The system of claim I, wherein the first list includes at least one of the category scores for each of the plurality of companies in the first list.

5. A system for evaluating companies based on social performance, comprising:

at least one processor that;

receives data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein the data includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies;

calculates category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the score values;

calculates a combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on the category scores;

compares at least one of the combined score and the category scores for one of the plurality of companies to a threshold; and

based on results of the comparison, presents an advertisement to the user that corresponds to the one of the plurality of companies.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor also rejects an advertisement for presentation to the user based on an exclusionary factor.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor also receives feedback on advertisements from the user and modifies at least one of the category scores based at least in part on the feedback.

8. A method for evaluating companies based on social performance, comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein a first portion of the data received from at least one of the plurality of data sources includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies that use a different scoring system than score values included in a second portion of the data received from at least one other of the plurality of data sources;

converting, in a computer programmed to do so, the score values included in the first portion of the data and the score values included in the second portion of the data into uniform score values in a single scoring system;

calculating category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the uniform score values;

receiving a first plurality of weights selected by a user, wherein each of the first plurality of weights corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of categories;

calculating, in a computer programmed to do so, a first combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on a weighting of the category scores using the first plurality of weights;

causing a first list of the plurality of companies and the corresponding first combined score for each of the plurality of companies to be presented to the user;

receiving a second plurality of weights selected by the user, wherein each of the second plurality of weights corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of categories;

calculating, in a computer programmed to do so, a second combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on a weighting of the category scores using the second plurality of weights; and

causing a second list of the plurality of companies and the corresponding second combined score for each of the plurality of companies to be presented to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the plurality of companies corresponds to a user-selected exclusionary factor; and

causing the at least one of the plurality of companies to be omitted from at least one of the first list and the second list.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first list includes at least one of the category scores for each of the plurality of companies in the first list.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating one of the category scores for one of the plurality of categories is based on a plurality of scores for subcategories in the one of the plurality of categories.

12. A method for evaluating companies based on social performance, comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein the data includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies;

calculating, in a computer programmed to do so, category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the score values;

calculating a combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on the category scores;

comparing, in a computer programmed to do so, at least one of the combined score and the category scores for one of the plurality of companies to a threshold; and

based on results of the comparison, presenting an advertisement to the user that corresponds to the one of the plurality of companies.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising rejecting an advertisement for presentation to the user based on an exclusionary factor.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving feedback on advertisements from the user and modifying at least one of the category scores based at least in part on the feedback.

15. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for evaluating companies based on social performance, the method comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein a first portion of the data received from at least one of the plurality of data sources includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies that use a different scoring system than score values included in a second portion of the data received from at least one other of the plurality of data sources;

converting, in a computer programmed to do so, the score values included in the first portion of the data and the score values included in the second portion of the data into uniform score values in a single scoring system;

calculating category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the uniform score values;

receiving a first plurality of weights selected by a user, wherein each of the first plurality of weights corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of categories;

calculating, in a computer programmed to do so, a first combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on a weighting of the category scores using the first plurality of weights;

causing a first list of the plurality of companies and the corresponding first combined score for each of the plurality of companies to be presented to the user;

receiving a second plurality of weights selected by the user, wherein each of the second plurality of weights corresponds to a unique one of the plurality of categories;

calculating, in a computer programmed to do so, a second combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on a weighting of the category scores using the second plurality of weights; and

causing a second list of the plurality of companies and the corresponding second combined score for each of the plurality of companies to be presented to the user.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that at least one of the plurality of companies corresponds to a user-selected exclusionary factor; and

causing the at least one of the plurality of companies to be omitted from at least one of the first list and the second list.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the first list includes at least one of the category scores for each of the plurality of companies in the first list.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein calculating one of the category scores for one of the plurality of categories is based on a plurality of scores for subcategories in the one of the plurality of categories.

19. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for evaluating companies based on social performance, the method comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of companies from a plurality of data sources, wherein the data includes score values regarding the social performance of the plurality of companies;

calculating, in a computer programmed to do so, category scores for each of the plurality of companies in each of a plurality of categories based on the score values;

calculating a combined score for each of the plurality of companies based on the category scores;

comparing, in a computer programmed to do so, at least one of the combined score and the category scores for one of the plurality of companies to a threshold; and

based on results of the comparison, presenting an advertisement to the user that corresponds to the one of the plurality of companies.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises rejecting an advertisement for presentation to the user based on an exclusionary factor.

21. The medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises receiving feedback on advertisements from the user and modifying at least one of the category scores based at least in part on the feedback.