🏢Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Company Directory

NEW

Also known as: D&B Hoovers, D-U-N-S Company Directory

Commercial directory and data service providing global company and contact information linked by D‐U‐N‐S Numbers.

DESCRIPTION

The D&B Company Directory aggregates firmographic data, hierarchies, and risk insights for businesses worldwide. It leverages the D‑U‑N‑S Number as a persistent identifier to resolve entities and corporate families. Typical use cases include vendor onboarding, KYC, sales intelligence, and supply chain risk. Data can be accessed via APIs, bulk files, or applications like D&B Hoovers. Crosswalks to NAICS, SIC, and other taxonomies support analytics and compliance. It is widely integrated into ERP, CRM, and MDM platforms.

ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS

Dun & Bradstreet

The D‑U‑N‑S Number is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses.

Highlights the key identifier underpinning D&B’s company directory.

Source

Dun & Bradstreet

D&B Hoovers provides industry-leading data and analytics through the Dun & Bradstreet Data Cloud.

Emphasizes access to company data via D&B’s applications.

Source

RELATED TERMS

DUNS Number NAICS SIC Global Industry Classification Standard Company Master Data Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) KYC Third-Party Risk

COMPETING TERMS

Orbis (Bureau van Dijk) Bloomberg Company Database FactSet

RELATIONS

• Conforms to: DUNS Number Global Industry Classification Standard NAICS

KNOWLEDGE AREAS

Data Services Reference & Master Data Data Management Data Integration & Interoperability Data Quality Data Governance

TARGET AUDIENCE

Data Steward Data Architect Data Engineer Information Analyst Data Governance Manager Chief Data Officer

EXTERNAL SOURCES

• Wikipedia - Dun & Bradstreet
• Dun & Bradstreet - D&B Direct API docs
• OpenCorporates - Open company registry alternative
• GLEIF - LEI overview and governance

TOP QUESTIONS

What makes the D&B Company Directory valuable for MDM?

The D‑U‑N‑S Number enables reliable entity resolution and corporate hierarchy mapping across systems.

Category: Relevancy

How is D&B data typically integrated?

Via APIs for operational workflows, bulk files for enrichment, or connectors in CRM/ERP platforms.

Category: Management

What are common mistakes with D&B usage?

Ignoring hierarchy updates and not storing D‑U‑N‑S as a primary external identifier in master records.

Category: Mistakes

What risks exist when relying solely on D&B data?

Coverage gaps or latency can affect decisions; mitigate via multi-source matching and periodic refreshes.

Category: Risks

What are alternatives to the D&B Company Directory?

Bureau van Dijk’s Orbis, Bloomberg, and FactSet provide firmographic datasets with different strengths.

Category: Alternatives

How does D&B handle global identifiers?

It crosswalks D‑U‑N‑S with NAICS, SIC, LEI, and national registries to improve linkage.

Category: Explanation

What is the role of D&B in KYC?

It supplies verified company data, beneficial ownership, and risk indicators for onboarding and monitoring.

Category: Example

How often should D&B data be refreshed?

Refresh frequency depends on risk and change rates; monthly to quarterly is common for master records.

Category: Best Practices

Is D&B data suitable for AI models?

Yes; standardized firmographics and hierarchies improve segmentation, propensity models, and risk scoring.

Category: AI