A/HRC/37/39 1. Standard of proof 10. OHCHR has determined that where there are reasonable grounds to believe based on the totality of the information reviewed by it that a business enterprise is engaged in one or more of the listed activities, such business enterprise will be included in the database. This standard is consistent with the practice of United Nations fact-finding bodies and is lower than a criminal standard. There are “reasonable grounds to believe” that a business enterprise is engaged in one or more of the listed activities where OHCHR has reviewed a reliable body of information, consistent with other material, based on which a reasonable and ordinarily prudent person would have reason to believe that the business enterprise is involved in such activities. 11. The same standard will be used to make determinations as to whether business enterprises are no longer engaged in one or more of the listed activities; thus, if subsequently, based on the totality of information reviewed by OHCHR, there are reasonable grounds to believe that a business enterprise is no longer engaged in the listed activities, the business enterprise will be removed from the database. 2. (a) Information-gathering process Initial steps taken to collect information 12. OHCHR examined information relevant to the mandate that was available to it, initially gathered through the following methods: (b)  A desk review of publicly-available information, including reports by the United Nations, civil society organizations (Israeli, Palestinian and international), media reports, academic writings  Information received in response to notes verbales sent on 11 October 2016 to all Member States inviting them to provide inputs relevant to the implementation of resolution 31/36  Information received in response to an open invitation to all interested persons, entities and organizations to submit relevant information and documentation Screening exercise 13. OHCHR reviewed information pertaining to 307 companies that were named in the notes verbales or in the responses received through the open call for submissions. OHCHR excluded those that met the following criteria: (a) Business enterprises that were not, on the face of the submissions, covered by the mandate; these included companies that were alleged to have engaged in human rights abuses or supported the occupation through their corporate activity, but were not alleged to have engaged in any of the listed activities; (b) Business enterprises about which there were insufficient facts in the submissions or in the public domain to support allegations of involvement in the listed activities; (c) Business enterprises that were no longer engaged in the alleged activities because of corporate restructuring (for example, if a part of the business had been sold), dissolution or other corporate action; (d) activities. Business enterprises with a minimal or remote connection to the listed 14. Of the 307 companies reviewed, 115 companies were excluded on the basis of the criteria set out in paragraph 13 above. The 192 remaining companies formed the initial group of “screened” companies that were subject to further research and consideration. The majority of these 192 companies are domiciled in Israel or the settlements, followed by the United States of America, Germany, the Netherlands and France. 4