Q1What is Narrative Value?
It is a database of an organization's value that cannot be measured in numbers (its non-financial, intangible value). It reflects the distance between the narrative an organization tells about itself and the reality verified through independent sources — as + / − effects on people, animals, nature, and future generations, shown as A–G or On hold. It does not replace, but complements, existing metric databases for ESG, intangible assets, human capital, or social impact. It is a mirror, not a ranking.
Q2What exactly is "value beyond numbers"?
It is the real effect on people, animals, nature, and future generations that rarely shows up in financial statements or share price. It overlaps with ESG (environmental, social, governance), human capital, employee engagement, corporate culture, and social impact — but rather than leaning toward financial materiality for investors, it centers on the effect on the protected stakeholders themselves. Matters that stay within money or competition (investors, shareholders, sanctions, trade secrets) are out of scope.
Q3How does it differ from ESG scores, integrated reports, or human-capital disclosures?
Those are mainly from an investor / corporate-evaluation viewpoint, and most are company self-disclosure or an aggregation of metrics. Narrative Value puts into words the distance between the narrative an organization tells and the reality confirmed through independent evidence — third-party certification, academic research, major media — from an outside viewpoint. It looks not at breadth of metrics but at the honesty of the narrative and the quality of the effect. The two are complementary, not competing.
Q4How does it differ from Glassdoor or Great Place to Work® (employee engagement)?
Databases of employee engagement or workplace culture measure an organization from the employee's viewpoint. Narrative Value widens the subject beyond employees to animals, nature, and future generations, looking at the effect an organization has on society as a whole. Rather than one cross-section such as employee satisfaction, it addresses the distance between the ideals an organization proclaims and its verified reality.
Q5How does it differ from B Corp certification or social-impact assessment?
B Corp is a certification based on a company's own application and audit. Narrative Value does not certify third parties or assign an aggregate score (a Rating). Based on public information, it only presents, as opinion and commentary, the distance between the story told and the reality. Its concern is close to social-impact assessment, but it does not score any particular entity, and it counts + effects only from independent sources.
Q6How is each reading (assessment) formed?
For each organization we first show a positive "single story (N1)" with sources, and paint the main narrative (the + reality) thickly. We then separate "questioning" and "watching" (unconfirmed matters, not counted), and let only a confirmed − (a final court ruling, a final regulatory action, and the like) set the reachable upper bound (the ceiling). + do not cancel out − (non-additive). The criteria are open source, so anyone can produce a reading by the same standard.
Q7Is this an objective "database of facts"?
No. The content is opinion and commentary generated by AI from public information, not a statement of fact (a working estimate based on public information). Where evidence is insufficient, it is shown as "On hold." That is precisely why the criteria are published and the operator does not alter individual results. This is a mirror that reflects where things stand, not a ranking. See the Disclaimer for details.
Q8How many organizations are covered, and how often is it updated?
As of 2026 it covers 367 organizations, readable in both Japanese and English. It covers organizations — for-profit, non-profit, or NGO — whose effect on people, animals, nature, and future generations is visible. Each reading shows its as-of date and is reviewed every quarter. There is also a contact form for corrections and rebuttals.