As consumers, how can we make decisions that let us be the conscious stewards we want to be?
Why do they keep making new product certification schemes instead of addressing the problems with the ones that already exist? Why are there now more than 200 eco-labels in the USA alone? How can a “commitment to diversity” or support for human rights not actually result in diverse, safe, and respectful employment? Why does Made in America not always mean Made in America, and Cruelty-Free not always mean Cruelty-Free? Why do we have to spend hours digging through review sites and blogs to find any information we can trust?
Why is it so difficult to choose products that lead to a better world?
After years working in sustainability, first in academia, then in public policy, Motive Co-Founder, Taylor Gray, Ph.D., was disappointed by the lack of political will to enact meaningful change. Turning to a new focus on Business and Society at the University of Oxford in 2006, he launched a research agenda into the impact that companies have--and could have--throughout the world.
Today, consumer spending power is the most influential force to make companies good corporate citizens...But the tools we have as consumers to drive this change are limited.
We created RealScore™️ for consumer products so that you can feel good about what you buy.
Our research team covers hundreds of public and private sources every day to collect data—actual empirical data, not empty promises or marketing claims—about everyday products and the companies behind them. We bring this knowledge to you in real-time, while you shop, to make it easy for you to make good decisions based on what you care about.
What if we could tip the balance of power towards consumers so that companies had to be accountable?
We founded Motive to do just that!
At Oxford, Taylor learned that the data we need to make good choices is out there — it’s just not easy to access. At the same time, Taylor’s brother, and Motive Co-Founder, Kai Gray, was pursuing a passion for solving problems through innovation. Jumping into technology as the internet transformed society, Kai successfully grew Operations at Carbonite, then Upthere, which was acquired by data infrastructure giant, Western Digital, in 2017.
As the brothers discussed the problem, their passion grew. What if we could make the data consumers need so easy to access that it's impossible to miss?
At Motive, we’re driven by three values that define everything we do.
Motive is defined by a commitment to scientific accuracy, and a transparent approach to our work. We ensure our methodology is applied unvaryingly across all the companies we cover; the score you see for one company is directly comparable to the score of another company. If we ever doubt the validity of any data or determine we do not have sufficient data to undertake
an impartial analysis, we will say so and continue our
research process to develop the data we need to earn and maintain your trust. With evidence and insights, we support people in making good decisions based on what they care about. Truly independent of the companies we cover, we seek to build trust through transparency.
Motive RealScore™ is a universal scoring system to align your purchasing power with what you care about most. Motive uses validated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data to create a credible and reliable analysis of thousands of companies, and evaluate how they perform across key topics like climate action, diversity, and support for local economy. We ensure our methodology is applied unvaryingly across all the companies we cover; the score you see for one company is directly comparable to the score of another company, so you can confidently compare your options. We are motivated by data, not marketing. We use a three-stage process:
Join us and use your spending power to
make the world a better place!