The iCIRT rating system, developed by Equifax, is transforming how trust and capability are measured in Australia’s construction and property industry.
But one of the most common questions we hear is:
“What’s the difference between the colours and the stars?”
They’re not the same thing and together, they tell a complete story about a business’s transparency and capability.
Colour Ratings: How Deeply a Business Has Been Reviewed
The colour of an iCIRT rating, Gold, Silver or Bronze shows how much information has been disclosed and verified during the assessment process.
It’s all about depth of participation and data transparency.
🥇 Gold Rating – Fully Participated and Verified
A Gold Rating reflects a comprehensive assessment.
It’s awarded when a business (and its key team members) have fully participated by providing all requested disclosures and consents.
That allows iCIRT to perform an expanded review — including:
- Full business and financial disclosures
- Verification of governance and capability
- Key person background and credential checks
In short: Gold = full transparency and a detailed, end-to-end review.
🥈 Silver Rating – Standard Participation and Review
A Silver Rating indicates that the business has engaged with the process and provided a number of required disclosures, but not the full suite needed for a Gold review.
It enables a standard assessment supported by:
- Selected disclosures and key person consents
- Basic background and verification checks
In short: Silver = partial disclosure and a reliable, but not exhaustive, review.
🥉 Bronze Rating – Public Data Review Only
A Bronze Rating is based solely on available public and proprietary data.
The business has not actively participated, and no key person checks are included.
This results in a brief, surface-level profile that offers visibility, but limited validation.
In short: Bronze = independent desktop review using public data only.
⭐ Star Ratings: How the Business Performed
The stars are a separate part of the iCIRT system.
While the colour shows how much information was provided, the stars reflect how the business performed against iCIRT’s six core trust indicators (known as the 6 C’s):
Character • Capability • Conduct • Capital • Capacity • Counterparties
The more stars a business earns (up to five), the stronger and more trustworthy its performance across these areas.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five Stars – Exemplary capability and trustworthiness
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Stars – Strong and reliable performance
- ⭐⭐⭐ Three Stars – Moderate but developing confidence
- ⭐⭐ Two Stars – Limited evidence of consistency
- ⭐ One Star – Basic or unproven confidence level
Bringing It Together
Think of colour and stars as two halves of the same story:
| Aspect | Represents | Determined By |
|---|---|---|
| Colour (Gold, Silver, Bronze) | Depth of review and disclosure | How much information the business provides and allows to be verified |
| Stars (1–5) | Performance and trust level | How well the business meets the iCIRT trust framework criteria |
A Five-Star Gold Rating represents both outstanding performance and full participation.
A Three-Star Bronze Rating reflects a more limited review with modest capability evidence.
Why It Matters
Understanding both dimensions helps consumers, lenders, and government agencies make smarter, more confident choices about who they work with.
At iCIRT Advisory, we help developers, builders, and consultants move up both scales — from Bronze to Gold through full disclosure and readiness, and from three to five stars through capability improvement and evidence-based practice.
Contact iCIRT Advisory to learn how to strengthen both your rating depth and your performance score.
Let's Talk
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iCIRT Advisory
Australia’s first advisory dedicated to helping builders, developers, and consultants get iCIRT rating-ready.
We are a passionate Australian based company that aims to help increase the speed at which builders and developers get iCIRT Rated for the overall good of the Construction Industry.
