What companies do we collaborate with?

Millkywire’s vision​ is to empower and inspire everyone to make a positive impact on our world. We’re happy to cooperate with companies who share our values and ambitions regarding the environment and social responsibility. 

Our potential partners must strive to take part in creating better conditions for the planet, the climate, biodiversity, and human health. That’s why we screen companies before entering a partnership with them. We also reserve the right to refuse or return donations from third parties if we don’t consider them aligned with our partnership policy.

What’s our general partnership policy?

Milkywire does not cooperate with companies involved in illegal, unethical, corrupt, or exploitative businesses. We also have a blocklist and a greylist that guide our partnerships with corporations. These are not static and are updated and developed over time. 

Blocklist: Milkywire does not work with companies that rely on production or services involving weapons, tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, pornography, fossil fuels, palm oil, etc., as their core business.

Greylist: Each case is evaluated individually, and possible cooperation should impact the environment and the planet in a positive and transformative way.

What assessment criteria are included in our screening process?

Milkywire looks at various aspects, including environmental and social responsibility, corporate governance, and business ethics, before entering a partnership with a company.

Our screening process evaluates the overall company, not individual people within the company, with the exception of ensuring that members of the board are not involved in any criminal activity. Milkywire does not take any party-political or religious beliefs of people within a company into account. 

In our partnership screening, we evaluate the following areas: 

• The company’s annual report and any CSR/Sustainability/ESG reports available

• If the company is involved in any illegal activities, e.g., violence or terrorism

• If any of the founders or executive leaders have been involved or charged with past or recent illegal activities

• If the company has been part of any scandals that raises red flags

• If the company has a sustainability agenda

• If the company has an environmental sustainability agenda (if so, if it’s well developed and for how long has it been implemented) 

• If the company is climate compensating (if so, if they have clear and proven methods of measuring their carbon emissions and if they compensate through well-known standards such as the Gold Standard or UN Standard) 

• What direct and indirect negative impact the company has on the environment 

• If the company is actively working to decrease the negative impact on the environment of their business

• If the company itself partners or collaborates with any company on Milkywire’s blocklist

• If any other red flags can be found connected to the company

All the aspects above are taken into consideration during the screening process. A minimum assessment score across all aspects is needed for Milkywire to collaborate with a proposed partner. Each time an agreement with a partner is renewed, the screening is redone and updated.  

What if a company subsequently breaks our assessment criteria? 

If a corporate partner takes actions that negatively affect human rights, nature, or the environment, Milkywire has the right to criticize the company or terminate the partnership.

To help detect when companies don’t act in accordance with our values or our policies, Milkywire has a whistleblowing function where anyone can raise their concerns. Whistleblowers may, of course, remain anonymous if they wish. 

What is our policy on greenwashing?

Greenwashing is when deceptive marketing is used to persuade people that a company or organization’s products/policies are environmentally friendly. What does and does not qualify as greenwashing is subjective. 

Milkywire accepts donations from companies that have passed our partnership screening process. We also strive to work with companies with an authentic sustainability focus, which minimizes the risks of greenwashing.