Your Ridge Credit Score (also called Investment Readiness Score) is a comprehensive assessment of how prepared your project is for investment. This guide explains how the score is calculated, what each component means, and actionable steps to improve your rating.
What is the Credit Score?
The Ridge Credit Score is a 0-100 rating that indicates how investment-ready your natural asset project is. Unlike traditional credit scores that focus solely on financial history, our score evaluates multiple dimensions relevant to natural capital investments: data completeness, operational health, impact potential, and documentation quality.
Score Components
Your credit score is calculated from five key components:
- Data Completeness (25%): How thoroughly you have filled out project information across all categories - general info, operations, finance, legal, and impact
- Documentation Quality (20%): The availability and quality of supporting documents such as ownership proof, financial statements, and certifications
- Operational Metrics (20%): Evidence of active management through production data, operational plans, and historical performance
- Financial Health (20%): Clarity of financial information including revenue, costs, and financial projections
- Impact Verification (15%): Verified environmental and social impact metrics such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity measures, and certifications
Score Ranges Explained
Credit scores fall into four categories:
- Excellent (80-100): Project is highly investment-ready with comprehensive documentation and verified metrics
- Good (60-79): Project has solid fundamentals with room for improvement in specific areas
- Fair (40-59): Project needs additional information and documentation before investor listing
- Needs Work (0-39): Project requires significant data entry and documentation to become investment-ready
How to View Your Score
Your credit score is displayed on your project dashboard and updated in real-time as you add information. Click on the score to see a detailed breakdown by component and specific recommendations for improvement.
Improving Your Score
The most effective ways to improve your credit score:
- Complete all required fields in your project profile
- Upload ownership documentation and legal permits
- Add financial statements or management accounts (even if unaudited)
- Enter operational data such as production volumes and costs
- Upload sustainability certifications (FSC, organic, regenerative)
- Provide impact metrics like carbon sequestration estimates
- Keep information current - outdated data reduces your score
Score Updates
Your score recalculates automatically when you add or update project information. Major changes (document uploads, financial data) have the biggest impact. Ridge also performs periodic re-assessments using our AI analysis system to ensure scores reflect current project status.
Score vs. Investor Decision
While a higher credit score improves your visibility to investors, it is one factor among many. Investors also consider asset type, location, return projections, and impact alignment with their portfolio goals. Think of the score as your first impression - it opens doors for deeper conversations.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions about credit scores:
- Can my score decrease? Yes, if information becomes outdated or documents expire
- How often should I update? Review and update quarterly, or whenever significant changes occur
- What minimum score do I need? There is no minimum, but projects scoring 60+ receive significantly more investor attention
- Is the score visible to investors? Yes, investors can see your score and breakdown when browsing projects
Summary
Your credit score is designed to help you understand what investors look for and guide you toward investment readiness. Focus on steady improvement rather than perfection - every piece of information you add brings you closer to connecting with the right investors.