Global expansion is exciting, but, like any big business move, it can come with increased risk. New markets mean new partners, unfamiliar regulations, and less visibility into who you’re really doing business with. Factors like AI make it easier than ever to become a victim of fraud, which means you need to be sure that the international companies you work with are who they say they are.
If you rely on outdated data, you’re immediately exposed to too much risk.
Our latest guidebook, Optimizing Creditsafe’s International Business Reports, gives you everything you need to know to find the data that helps you make smart business decisions. Let’s take a look at some of the key points.
Doing business across borders introduces risks you don’t face domestically:
Creditsafe’s International Business Reports give you a standardized, easy-to-read view of a company’s financial health. It doesn’t matter where they’re based, or how much information is publicly available: 99% of the time, a full international credit report can be delivered instantly.
We have a goal: make global risk assessment as simple as domestic decision-making
When you pull a report, you’ll see a familiar dashboard with:
Everything is designed to help you answer one question quickly: Should I do business with this company?
The interface uses a stoplight system:
Instead of country-specific scoring confusion, Creditsafe uses a universal international score (A–E):
Think about it this way: a credit score of 100 would be considered bad in a 1000-point scale like the US, but 100 is a good score in Germany. If you’re comparing completely different scales, you’ll never be able to properly weigh up different companies. But an “A” rating means strong creditworthiness, no matter where you are: that way, you’re always comparing like for like.
1. Payment behavior indicator (PBI)
2. Payment expectation indicator (PEI)
3. Active vs non-active status
4. OFAC & sanctions flags
If a company is flagged as sanctioned, treat it as a major red flag.
Often, when you can’t find a business, it’s not because we don’t have the data. You might just have to search a bit more strategically. Here’s how to find companies faster and more accurately:
Be Specific
Use:
Simplify names when needed
Remove legal suffixes:
Don’t worry about including variations or accents; the system handles that intelligently.
Before giving up, run this checklist:
If the company still isn’t found, request a Fresh Investigation.
Our global network can build a report from scratch, even for thin or hard-to-find profiles.
When instant data isn’t available, Creditsafe:
You get a detailed report in as little as 2–10 working days.
To get the most out of international reports:
Always review:
International growth shouldn’t feel like a gamble.
With the right data, you can:
Creditsafe’s International Business Reports turn complex global data into clear, actionable insights. That way, you can move forward with confidence.
Lina Chindamo, Director, Enterprise Accounts, Creditsafe
Lina Chindamo is currently Director, Enterprise Accounts at Creditsafe Canada, and a Certified Credit Professional (CCP) with over 25 years of experience in credit risk management. She has held senior leadership roles with leading companies in multiple industries in the Canadian market such as Sony Electronics, Maple Leaf Foods, and Mondelez Canada. Her expertise as a credit professional along with her current role as Director, Enterprise Accounts who works closely with c-suite partners and credit teams across all industries makes her a well-rounded credit professional who is well respected in our industry.