Link to the proposed methodology

Methodology update

The proposed update provides increased transparency and a detailed presentation of Scope’s analytical approach for assigning credit ratings to Financial Institutions. The proposed methodology update contains the following changes:

• Introduction of an enhanced framework for the assessments of an issuer’s country-specific operating environment, based on a mix of qualitative and quantitative subfactors.
   
• Introduction of two new qualitative scorecards for the assessment of parental support, for i) assessing the degree of a subsidiary’s integration into a banking group (and hence the choice of a top down vs bottom up rating approach) and ii) the parent company’s expected willingness to support the subsidiary, which is a key driver in driving downwards notching in a top down approach and upwards notching in the bottom up approach.
   
• Simplify our long-term sustainability assessments, which can now only result into three outcomes (Positive, Neutral, Negative).
   
• Streamline methodology language and structure to improve clarity, consistency, and usability.

Call for comments

Scope invites issuers, investors and other interested parties to comment on the proposed methodology by 4 September 2025, as part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to transparency and open dialogue with market participants.

Scope anticipates that the changes to the methodology will have no impact on existing ratings.

Please send your comments to consultation@scoperatings.com.

Scope will review and publish the content of any written response in accordance with regulatory requirements, unless the respondent has specifically requested confidentiality.

Download the proposed update here or on www.scoperatings.com.