The BIRI™ Credibility Guide
The BIRI™ index categorises the credibility of a source based on a scale from 10 (highest credibility) to 1 (least credible).
BIRI™ rankings of 5 and above are considered reliable in varying degrees based on the organizations.
BIRI™ ranking reflect what is not a likely source of greenwashing or misinformation.
An indication of what this index entails can be seen below:
International treaty organisations.
Ex. Entities responsible for setting and maintaining international environmental or scientific standards, representing the highest level of institutional reliability and accountability.
Multilateral and intergovernmental organisations.
Ex. Accredited institutions such as the United Nations and World Bank, producing globally recognised data and maintaining transparent, peer-reviewed reporting standards.
Leading universities, scientific agencies and national governments.
Ex. Global top-tier universities and verified national research bodies recognised for producing scientifically rigorous and verifiable environmental data.
Reputable universities and think tanks.
Ex. Academic institutions within the global top 250 and established policy research organisations producing peer-reviewed or evidence-based publications.
Accredited journals, listed companies and provincial governments.
Ex. Professionally managed outlets and verified journals ranked below top-tier institutions, demonstrating moderate editorial integrity and source transparency.
Professionals, associations and local government publications.
Ex. Recognised organisations producing specialised content or sector reports, often credible within specific fields but lacking global validation or peer-reviewed status.
(Not publicly ranked as reliable)
Public forums and general internet content.
Ex. Regionally focused or community-based publications, online discussions, and social platforms with limited editorial processes or fact-checking mechanisms.
(Not publicly ranked as reliable)
Personal or ideological blogs.
Ex. Individually managed sites or opinion-based platforms without peer review, editorial standards, or verifiable research methodology. Reliability depends solely on the author’s integrity.
(Not publicly ranked as reliable)
Unverified or politically motivated platforms.
Ex. Sources promoting biased narratives or partial information without evidence-based validation or institutional review. Often driven by ideological or partisan agendas.
(Not publicly ranked as reliable)
Known propaganda or misinformation outlets.
Ex. Platforms identified for consistently publishing fabricated and misleading content. These sources lack editorial oversight and transparency in data origin.
