Private companies are not obligated to disclose their financial information, and we understand that being asked to do so can feel unusual. This article explains why participation is worth it, how common it is among private companies, and what to do if your company has a policy against sharing financial data.
Yes — and you are not an outlier
RapidRatings rates tens of thousands of private companies every year. The FHR Exchange was built specifically for privately held firms, and participation is the norm across our member base, not the exception. If you have been asked to submit financials as part of a client's risk management program, you are being asked to do the same thing suppliers across every major industry are already doing.
The reason the ask exists is straightforward: your clients need reliable visibility into the financial health of the companies they depend on, and public financial data is not available for private firms. The FHR Exchange is how that visibility gets produced — through a standardized, independent rating rather than through direct disclosure of your financials to your client.
Why participation is worth it
Submitting your financials to the FHR Exchange produces a Financial Health Rating that is shared with the client who requested it. That rating gives you a standardized, independent third-party view of your company's financial strengths and weaknesses — actionable insight that most private companies otherwise have no way to obtain.
Beyond the immediate client request, an FHR Exchange account lets you respond to future requests from other clients without re-registering, access your own FHR, and take advantage of the benefits included with your membership tier. Members who engage with the platform get recurring value from it; members who treat it as a one-time compliance task do not.
If your company has a policy against sharing financial data
Some members work at companies with formal policies restricting the sharing of financial information with third parties. This is a legitimate constraint, and it is not something we ask members to override on their own.
If this applies to you, the right next step is usually to bring the request to whoever at your company owns that policy — often a CFO, General Counsel, or head of security. Once they have the security and confidentiality details in front of them, the review is typically straightforward. If they need supporting documentation to complete their review, contact Member Services and we will provide what they need.