What AGR measures
AGR assesses governance effectiveness across 10 dimensions using The Alpha Standard methodology. The rating reflects:- Governance structures at the board and executive level
- Policy frameworks and their application to real decisions
- Evidence of outcomes, not just artifacts
- Stress response under competitive or regulatory pressure
- Trajectory of governance improvement or deterioration
Scale
AGR uses the Alpha Governance Scale: AAA (best-in-category) to D (disqualified), with trajectory overlay (Advancing / Stable / Declining) and watch status (Positive / Negative / None).Who uses AGR
| Buyer | Use case |
|---|---|
| Board Risk Committees | Evaluate AI vendor governance before procurement decisions |
| Institutional investors | Assess AI governance risk alongside traditional credit ratings |
| Companies seeking validation | Demonstrate governance quality to stakeholders, regulators, and partners |
| General counsel | Map governance posture against regulatory requirements via Standards Crosswalk |
Public score cap
Ratings based solely on publicly available evidence are capped at BB+. Companies seeking Leader-tier ratings (A, AA, AAA) must provide internal evidence through the Alpha Governance Audit process. This ensures the highest ratings reflect verified governance practices.
Rating output
Every AGR report includes:- Letter grade with score and tier
- Trajectory (Advancing / Stable / Declining)
- Watch status (Positive / Negative / None)
- Profile (Developer / Deployer / Hybrid)
- Materiality score from Phase 1
- All 10 dimension scores with specific evidence citations
- Committee zone scores showing structural coherence
- Integrity Screen findings
- Peer comparison against rated universe
- Confidence level (High / Medium / Low based on evidence quality)