Resource roundup: Digging deeper for company information
When investigating companies and executives, digging for details means going beyond Google and trying specialized databases. Google is a great start for basic information, but due diligence requires a deep dive into the workings of your target company and how they operate – including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
That’s why every serious researcher or investigator has their list of favorite specialized sources for hard-to-find company information. In a previous post, I shared one of mine, Corporate Prosecution Registry, which I use for uncovering corporate crimes that don’t show up in court records or news stories.
Here are a few more sites on my list of go-to sources for due diligence background investigations:
OpenCorporates focuses on collecting global data on companies and directors for the purpose of fighting corruption and organized crime. They’ve recently added trademark registrations to the database, which come in handy for tracking company assets. Learn more about using this resource with their detailed guide for investigators.
Investigative Dashboard, from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, offers a searchable collection of news, court cases, corporation filings, sanctions, and much more. It’s a great way to uncover little-known global sources and develop leads for further investigation on people and companies.
Corporate Research Project‘s mission is to assist with keeping companies accountable for subsidies given by state and local governments. Investigators will find some useful tools at this site, including their Violation Tracker, Corporate Rap Sheets, Guide to Strategic Corporate Research, and weekly blog on corporate misconduct.
A guide to local news sources, ABYZ News Links lists links to newspaper websites from around the world. Hometown news sources go into more depth than their national counterparts when covering companies and executives headquartered in their region, so search by country, state, city, or town to get the local perspective.
What are some of your go-to resources for company background investigations?
