Blue Map Database

• What is the Blue Map Database？

The Blue Map Database is an environmental data disclosure platform developed by IPE, with both website and smartphone application versions. The database was built in 2006, and has continuously collected environmental data from government sources into one database to enable friendly access.

• What types of data are included in the Blue Map Database?

The Blue Map Database includes national air and water quality data, as well as real-time air emissions, wastewater discharge, carbon emissions, ecological protection data and waste sorting. The database also includes more than 2.3 million enterprise environmental violation records (listed under ‘Environmental Supervision Records’) issued by government departments at all levels, as well as enterprise online monitoring data (‘Automated Monitoring Data’), enterprise feedback and corrective action information (‘Enterprise Feedback’) and environmental data reported by enterprises (‘Emissions Data’). 

Blue Map Industrial Facility Data (Feb. 2021)

• What is an environmental violation record?

Environmental violation records refer to penalties issued by government environmental departments to factories that have violated environmental laws and regulations. A record includes the enterprise name, city and province, year of violation, type of violation, cause of violation, means of punishment, value of fines, and other relevant information.

• What is enterprise online monitoring?

China began to require national Key Polluting Enterprises to publish their real-time monitoring data online in 2014. Although the list of Key Polluting Enterprises changes every year, in 2018 it included approximately 8,000 enterprises with potentially high environmental impacts, all of which are required to install equipment that tracks the concentration of pollutants in their air and water emissions and collects data every hour or two hours. The Blue Map Database collects and integrates data from the online monitoring reporting platforms for every province.

An enterprise’s online air and water emissions monitoring data includes the enterprise name, emissions outlet name, monitoring timestamp, pollutant concentration, concentration standard, whether the pollutant concentration exceeded the standard, by how many times pollutants exceeded the standard, and other relevant information.

• What are the data sources of the Blue Map Database?

Major sources include but are not limited to the bureau in charge of ecology and environment, maritime safety, emergency management, water resources management, industrial development, meteorological, and forestry and grassland management.

• Do I need to pay to use the database?

No, the Blue Map Database is a public database that does not require any payment to use.
• Do I need to register to use the database?

IPE encourages users to register. After registering an account, users can access more functions, such as batch searching enterprise environmental violation records. Account registration does not require any fees.

 Corporate User Registration Guide (Updated November 2021)

• Does the Blue Map Database have both Chinese and English versions? Why are some contents only in Chinese?

The database offers both Chinese and English versions, but some enterprise names and all the enterprise violation records are only offered in Chinese. IPE will continue to translate and update contents of the website.
• Does the Blue Map Database includes all active companies in China? Why can I not find my enterprise in the database?
The Blue Map Database currently includes more than 11 million Chinese enterprises, but it does not include every active company. As the database grows, IPE will continue to expand its coverage. Close

Supplier Screening

• What is supplier screening? 

Supplier screening refers to the process by which brands and companies use the Blue Map Database to check whether their suppliers in China have supervision records.

• What is the recommended scope of a supplier screening?

The scope of a supplier screening ideally covers all affiliated companies up and down the production supply chain, including but not limited to production facilities, raw material providers, production-related service providers (such as centralized wastewater treatment facilities, solid waste treatment facilities or thermal power plants), and potential suppliers, as well as any subordinate factories and enterprises in which the brand has invested. 

• How often should a brand screen its suppliers? 

The Blue Map Database is updated in real-time and will continuously collect enterprise violation records issued by official sources. Therefore, IPE recommends that brands screen their supplier lists on at least a quarterly basis, or to register a brand account to receive automatic updates regarding their suppliers using the Blue EcoChain tool. 

• How do I conduct supplier screening? 

Single search: Register an account on the Blue Map Database for free, enter supplier names or keywords one at a time (suitable for companies with a small number of suppliers). 

Batch search: Register an account for free; then upload a supplier list using the Excel template. The system will automatically find suppliers’ violation records, and promptly provide recent online monitoring information for suppliers that publish this data. 




See this guide for detailed instructions: 

 Tracking facility environmental performance with the Blue Map Database (Updated November 2021)

• What should I do after screening through my suppliers?

After identifying which suppliers have existing violation records, brands should inform these suppliers of their records, request that they take corrective action and at least issue a public explanation regarding the reasons of violations and corrective actions taken. 

While communicating with suppliers, brands should inform suppliers of the record source and of any specific requirements they have for the supplier to address the violation record (e.g. providing enterprise feedback regarding the violation record and corrective actions, or removing its violation record from the IPE database via GCA audits, etc.). 




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Information Disclosure/ Public Explanation

• What is public explanation?

Public explanation refers to the process by which enterprises may disclose information regarding the reasons for their violations and any corrective actions they have taken in response. Enterprises can also disclose information regarding how they continue to improve their performance as well as data regarding pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. 

• Who provides public explanation? 

Any enterprises may disclose environmental information via the Blue Map website.

• Why should enterprises provide explanation? 

Public explanation not only demonstrates to multiple stakeholders including clients and investors that the enterprise recognizes the consequences of the violation and aims to proactively respond, but also helps environmental organizations, researchers, and government departments gain a deeper understanding the reasons for illegal behaviour, aiding the development of more effective policy that supports enterprises and companies as well as the public.  

Laws and regulations in China also encourage environmental information disclose, please see:  Legal and Regulatory Requirements for Corporate Environmental Information Disclosure (Chinese)

• For enterprises that have already submitted rectification statements and paid penalties to the issuing department, why is it still important to give feedback on the Blue Map Database?

The Blue Map Database is an open data platform that helps environmental organizations, the public, traders and brands, media, financial institutions, insurance companies, research institutions and other parties better understand the reasons for enterprise violations, and to be aware of companies’ subsequent corrective actions and current compliance status.

By providing explanation on this platform, enterprises signal to the parties listed above that they are aware of a violation record and have taken steps to respond and maintain environmental responsibility and accountability. 

If on the other hand, the ecological environment department publicly discloses follow-up regulatory information on relevant records via its website, the Blue Map Database will update accordingly. If companies have already made disclosures on other platforms, they can send the relevant URL links directly to Blue Map Database for synchronisation.

• How do I submit enterprise feedback to the Blue Map Database?

Step 1. Register a corporate user account on the Blue Map website or App;

Step 2. Log in, submit Explanation for Environmental Violation(s) and other supporting documents.

For detailed instructions, please see:  Guide to Enterprise Public Explanation (Chinese) (Updated January 2020)  Step-by-step Instructions for Online Public Explanation (Updated November 2021)

• Do enterprises need to pay for providing enterprise feedback?

No payment is required for providing enterprise feedback.

• Where does the feedback information appear on the website? Who can see it? 

Feedback will be displayed under “Enterprise Feedback” on the Enterprise Performance page, and everyone who visits the website may access it.

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GCA Audit/ Record Removal

• What is record removal?

The Green Choice Audit (GCA Audit) is an open and transparent mechanism for companies to verify the effectiveness of corrective actions regarding previous violations and remove records. Enterprises who wish to remove their records from the Blue Map Database need to publicly demonstrate that they have remediated the violations and commit to continuously track and improve their environmental performance. The GCA audit report is made public on the Blue Map website, except for those parts that involve commercial secrets, and is subject to continuous public supervision.

• What is the difference between enterprise feedback and record removal?

“Record removal” refers to the process of removing violation records from the Blue Map Database, whereas “enterprise feedback” means enterprise publicly disclose information via the Blue Map Database and will not necessarily suffice to remove a record.  

• How do I remove a record? Do I need to pay to do so? 

GCA audit comprises two forms: an off-site document review or an on-site GCA audit. 

1) Off-site document reviews are carried out by IPE staff, and IPE does not charge any fees for this process; 

2) GCA on-site audits are carried out by qualified third-party auditing companies. A representative from the NGO communities who launched the Green Choice Initiative will join, review and monitor the audit process. Payments are negotiated between the enterprise and auditing company; IPE does not charge any fees for this process. 

For more details, please see:  Record Removal from the Blue Map Database (Chinese) (Updated November 2021)  Step-by-step Instructions on Record Removal (Chinese) (Updated August 2022)




• For enterprises that have already submitted rectification statements and paid penalties to the issuing department, why is it still important to give feedback on the Blue Map Database?

The Blue Map Database is an open data platform that helps environmental organizations, the public, traders and brands, media, financial institutions, insurance companies, research institutions and other parties better understand the reasons for enterprise violations, and to be aware of companies’ subsequent corrective actions and current compliance status.

By providing explanation on this platform, enterprises signal to the parties listed above that they are aware of a violation record and have taken steps to respond and maintain environmental responsibility and accountability. 

If on the other hand, the ecological environment department publicly discloses follow-up regulatory information on relevant records via its website, the Blue Map Database will update accordingly. If companies have already made disclosures on other platforms, they can send the relevant URL links directly to Blue Map Database for synchronisation.




• My enterprise has several violation records on the Blue Map Database; can I remove them one at a time? 

Enterprises may remove one or all at one time through the processes described in the Guide to Addressing and Removing  Supervision Records (Chinese). 




• My enterprise has removed violation records on the Blue Map Database. Why is there new violation? What should I do now? 
  
The Blue Map Database is updated on a real time basis. For enterprises with new records, IPE recommends timely corrective measures and public explanations to the public.




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CITI (Corporate Information Transparency Index)

• What is CITI evaluation? 

The Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI) is the world’s first quantitative assessment system based on brand’s environmental management of their supply chains in China, jointly developed by IPE and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 2014. The index uses government supervision data, online monitoring data, third party environmental audits, and other public information to dynamically assess the environmental performance of brands’ supply chains. Focused strictly on supply chain impacts, where the heaviest environmental impacts and carbon hotspots lie, the CITI Evaluation makes an important complementary contribution to broader global sustainability initiatives and reporting indices developed for the private sector. It is also structured to provide a step-by-step roadmap for the private sector to improve their sourcing programs and incorporate environmental behavior and carbon footprints into the selection of manufacturers for their goods.

• What is the scope of CITI evaluation?

CITI evaluates consumer-facing companies that have a sizeable supply chain in China. In 2021, the evaluation scope covered 613 brands across 21 industries. A brand is included in the CITI evaluation scope after IPE has attempted to contact the company regarding a suspected supplier with violation record(s). 

As corporate environmental information disclosure in China continues to improve, the CITI evaluation scope will continue to expand to more industries. 

• What are the major areas that CITI evaluates? 

The evaluation examines the following five areas:

1. Responsiveness and transparency: How does the brand respond to environmental violations by suppliers? 

2. Compliance and corrective action: Does the brand screen its suppliers to ensure their environmental compliance? If there is an existing violation, does the brand require corrective action and information disclosure? 

3. Extended green supply chain practices: Does the brand promote green supply chain expansion upstream to resolve high impact pollution issues?   

4. Energy conservation and emissions reduction: Does the brand push suppliers to disclose energy conservation and emissions reduction targets, as well as pollution emissions transfer data? 

5. Performance disclosure: Does the brand push consumers to pay attention to the environmental impacts of product life-cycles?

For more details, see the full guidelines here: 

 Green Supply Chain CITI Fact Sheet (Updated May 2022)

 Green Supply Chain CITI Evaluation Guidelines 9.0 (Updated March 2022)

• What are CITI rankings? 

IPE uses publicly available information to score each brand’s environmental management of their supply chains in China out of 100, according to CITI evaluation criteria. Brands are then ranked according to score. 

• How often are CITI rankings updated?

CITI rankings and scores are updated continuously throughout the year. IPE keeps in regular communication with brands and adjusts CITI scores and rankings according to materials provided by brands (only publicly available information can influence CITI scores). 

• How often are CITI reports published? 

Since 2014, the CITI evaluation report has been published once every year. Although scores are updated throughout the year, the report compares brand scores approximately a month before publication in the fall of each year.

Read the CITI reports from 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. 

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CATI (Climate Action Transparency Index)

• What is CATI evaluation? 

Newly developed in 2021, the Corporate Climate Action Index, CATI, developed by IPE under the technical guidance of CRAES’s Center for Carbon Neutrality, is a quantitative system for assessing companies' climate performance on such matters as governance, measurement & disclosure, targets & performance, and climate action. 

• What is the scope of CATI evaluation?

The 2021 CATI rankings covered 662 Chinese domestic and global multinational companies across 30 industries, covering the major global greenhouse gas emitting industries -- including petrochemical, electric power, gas, non-ferrous, iron and steel, building materials, machinery and equipment, transportation, civil aviation, auto parts, photovoltaic industry and other industries.

• What are the major areas that CATI evaluates? 

- Policy & Governance: Commit to greenhouse gas emissions reductions and integrate climate change into business strategy and supplier management mechanism

- Measurement & Disclosure: Measure and disclose greenhouse gas emissions data (Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3)

- Target Setting: Set up and disclose emissions reduction targets for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions

- Performance against Target: Disclose the progress against emissions reduction targets for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions

- Climate Action: Implement initiatives to reduce emissions, and motivate suppliers to set up targets, implement initiatives to reduce emissions and disclose carbon data

For details, see the fact sheet and evaluation methodology below:

 CATI Factsheet (Updated March 2022)

 CATI Evaluation Guidelines 2.0 (Updated March 2022) 

• What are CATI rankings?

CATI rankings and scores are updated continuously throughout the year. At the beginning of each year, IPE updates the CATI evaluation guideline. The evaluation is conducted on a DYNAMIC basis, with primary sources of information covering: a company’s official website, annual reports, CSR reports, ESG reports, publicly accessible response to CDP Climate Change Questionnaire and its self-disclosure on the Blue Map. IPE publishes annual CATI report towards the end of the year, illustrating the  progress and gaps in company’s performance every year.

• How often are CATI reports published? 

Evaluation scores will be published annually. The 2021 CATI evaluation report is available here.

• How is CATI connected with CITI? 

CATI is dedicated to evaluate companies’ performance on climate action, whereas CITI evaluate the overall performance of companies’ supply chain management. A company’s CATI score accounts for 20% of its overall CITI score.

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Carbon and PRTR

• What is a PRTR system? 

"A Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) is an environmental database or inventory of potentially hazardous substances and/or pollutants released to air, water and soil and transferred off-site for treatment or disposal." - UNECE




In August 2013, IPE established a voluntary disclosure platform for PRTR data in China, and encourages high environmental impact enterprises to disclose their emissions and transfer data, particularly data regarding hazardous chemicals. 




For more information, please see the report:  Establishing a PRTR Disclosure System in China

• Why should enterprises publish PRTR data? 

According to Article 4 of the Management Measures for the Legal Disclosure of Enterprise Environmental Information: Enterprises are responsible for the disclosure of environmental information in accordance with the law. Enterprises should establish and improve the environmental information disclosure management system in accordance with the law, standardize the work procedures and clarify the work responsibilities. Enterprises should establish an environmental information management ledger, preserve original records, and collect environmental statistics scientifically.




By publishing annual PRTR data, enterprises actively fulfill their primary responsibility to environmental protection. Furthermore, with greater information transparency, the government and environmental organizations can better understand bottlenecks in the system that impede environmental protection and put pressure on high impact areas; brands and investors can better understand environmental risks and status of enterprises; and suppliers themselves can measure and track year-on-year progress. 

• Where is public PRTR data displayed on the Blue Map Database? Do I need permission to access it? 

Published PRTR data is displayed on the Enterprise Performance page under “Emissions Data”, and everyone who visits the website may access it.

• Which enterprises should report PRTR data? 

All enterprises can publish PRTR data on the Blue Map Database.

• How to report it?

Please see:  PRTR Online Reporting Guidance (Chinese) (Updated in Feb. 2022)

• IPE’s PRTR reporting template covers what kind of information?

The reporting template requests enterprises to fill out general information, energy use and carbon emissions, water use and wastewater pollutants, air emission volume and pollutants, and hazardous waste discharge and transfer information, among other content.   

• How often do enterprises need to report PRTR data? 

PRTR data is annual data; IPE suggests enterprises submit annual PRTR data collected over the past year.

• PRTR data reporting process
• PRTR reporting training materials 

 PRTR Online Data Submission Training Material (Chinese) (Updated in June 2022)

 Guide to GHG Emissions Accounting Platform (Chinese) (Updated in May 2022)

 PRTR Data Submission Tutorial Video (Chinese)

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Green Supply Chain Map

• What is the Green Supply Chain Map?

The Green Supply Chain Map was collaboratively developed by IPE and NRDC, and formally published on IPE’s website in January 2018. Map users can view the brands’ factories and processing plants in China, with their names and locations, air and water automated monitoring data, and other public environmental information. 

For more details, please see:  An Introductory Guide to the Green Supply Chain Map

• What are the benefits of joining the Green Supply Chain map?

The map showcases the commitment of leading brands to transparency in their supply chains, environmental management and climate governance. The map also provides a platform for brands’ suppliers to openly certify environmental compliance and their commitments to continuously improve environmental performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the map also helps consumers understand brand efforts to reduce the environmental impacts and carbon footprints of their supply chain. 

• Which brands can join the Green Supply Chain Map?

All brands interested in improving supply chain environmental transparency may join the Green Supply Chain Map. 

• Do you need to pay to join the Green Supply Chain Map?

No, joining the Green Supply Chain Map is free for all brands. 

• How do I join the map? 

Brands could join the map by providing suppliers’ Chinese and English names, addresses, longitude and latitude, and other relevant information using the  Excel template and sending it to the brand's designated contact at IPE.

•  How often is the map updated? 

IPE intends to update the map on a quarterly basis. 

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Detox

• What is the Detox campaign? 

Detox is a campaign initiated by Greenpeace advocating for zero hazardous chemical output from the global textile industry. IPE provides a public platform for enterprises to submit and disclose Detox data. 

For additional questions, please contact: detox@ipe.org.cn

• How do I submit Detox data?

Please see:  Guide to Detox Data Submission

• Where is public Detox data displayed on IPE’s website? 

Detox data is shown on the Enterprise Performance page under “Emissions Data”, and everyone who visits the website may access it.

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