Implementation walkthrough
How to get an EcoVadis rating: video walkthrough
A walkthrough of preparing for an EcoVadis sustainability rating, from confirming who is asking to uploading the evidence analysts will score.
Key takeaways
- EcoVadis rates the sustainability management system, not products.
- The questionnaire is tailored to industry, size and countries of operation.
- Four themes: Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, Sustainable Procurement.
- Every answer needs documentary evidence of policies, actions and results.
- Scorecards are valid for twelve months; medals are not certifications.
A rating of your sustainability management system
EcoVadis is a business sustainability ratings platform. A company registers, answers a questionnaire customised to its size, industry and the countries it operates in, uploads the documents that prove its answers, and receives a scorecard: an overall score from 0 to 100, a score for each of four themes, a percentile rank and a list of strengths and improvement areas. The rating measures the quality of the sustainability management system, through its policies, actions and results, not the sustainability of any product.
Its main use is in supplier decisions: customers, sector initiatives and tenders ask suppliers for a rating. There is no certification body and no audit visit; a medal or badge, where earned, is a recognition valid for 12 months, which EcoVadis states is not a certification. This short film walks through how a company prepares.
Evidence, not assertion
Confirm the scope, the plan and the deadline first: which entity, group or site is rated, who is asking and by when, and which plan the customer expects. A gap analysis against the criteria that will be active for the company's industry, size and locations then shows where policies, actions or results are missing or undocumented.
The four themes are Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. For each active criterion, the evidence has to show policies, actions and reported results, for example an environmental policy with quantified objectives, energy and emissions data with a target, waste and chemical controls, and certificates such as ISO 14001 or ISO 50001 where held. The work closes the gaps that can be closed before submission, organises the documents so each answer is supported, and then uploads them with the questionnaire. EcoVadis analysts score the response, and the scorecard is valid for twelve months before the cycle repeats, so the improvement areas become next year's plan.
Sterling's expert and experienced consultants prepare the organisation and the evidence with you under Sterling OS™. The answers are yours, and the score is EcoVadis's.
EcoVadis at a glance
- Purpose
- An independent, evidence-based rating of how well your organisation manages sustainability across Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement, as a score out of 100 that customers use in supplier decisions
- Relevant to
- Suppliers asked for a rating by a customer, a sector initiative or a tender, and any organisation that wants a recognised sustainability benchmark without a full reporting obligation
- Edition
- Sustainability Rating Methodology V10.0, applicable from January 2026, with a Medals methodology (V2.0) and a Badges methodology (V1.0) from the same date; medals awarded on percentile rank since 2024
- Certification
- None. EcoVadis publishes a scorecard, and a medal or badge where earned: recognitions of management-system performance, valid for 12 months, which EcoVadis states are not certifications or product labels
- Sterling's role
- Gap review of the questionnaire against your evidence, policies, actions and KPIs closed to the standard analysts credit, submission support, the next-cycle improvement plan, then Sustain™
- Cost and timing
- Total investment for an EcoVadis rating programme depends on the current maturity of your processes, the scope, locations and number of employees. The process typically takes 3 to 5 months
EcoVadis: questions people ask
Is an EcoVadis rating a certification?
No. EcoVadis rates the quality of your sustainability management system on a 0 to 100 scale from the evidence you submit, and awards medals and badges to companies in the top percentiles. EcoVadis states that medals and badges are not certifications or product labels, do not mean that a company's products or services are sustainable and are not an endorsement by EcoVadis. A certificate is an accredited certification body's decision that a system conforms to a standard; it counts as evidence in the rating, but the two are different things.
How is the EcoVadis score calculated?
Your questionnaire activates the criteria material to your industry, size and locations, drawn from the 21 criteria in the four themes. Each active criterion is scored through seven management indicators with the weights EcoVadis publishes: policies 20 per cent, endorsements 5 per cent, actions 40 per cent (measures and certifications, scaled by coverage for companies of 1,000 or more employees), reporting 14 per cent and the 360° Watch 21 per cent. Theme scores are weighted from 1 to 4 for materiality to your industry, and EcoVadis labels the overall score Insufficient (0 to 24), Partial (25 to 44), Good (45 to 64), Advanced (65 to 84) or Outstanding (85 to 100).
What score do we need for a medal?
Since 2024 there is no fixed score. Medals go to the top 1 per cent (Platinum), 5 per cent (Gold), 15 per cent (Silver) and 35 per cent (Bronze) of companies rated in the previous twelve months, calculated at publication, and a company whose score in any theme is below 30 is not eligible. Below medal level, the Committed badge needs an overall score of at least 45 and the Fast Mover badge a score of 34 to 44 with at least a six-point improvement on the previous assessment within 18 months.
How long is an EcoVadis rating valid?
Twelve months from the publication date, and the same for any medal or badge. A trading partner can request a reassessment up to three months before expiry or once the scorecard has expired, and you can start one yourself if a customer's requirement was missed or new evidence exists. Each reassessment produces a new scorecard with a new publication date.
Which documents does EcoVadis accept?
Documents that show the company's name or logo and an issue or review date, sit within the validity windows (eight years for policies and actions, two years for reported indicators) and fit within the limit of 55 documents per assessment. EcoVadis states it will not credit documents created solely for the questionnaire, material copied from another organisation, informal or undated files, or evidence behind an embedded link.
Keep exploring
Related to this video
The complete guide
Everything on EcoVadis
Start with the EcoVadis page, or go straight to the guide you need.
On the EcoVadis page
Often combined with EcoVadis
More videos: ESG and sustainability reporting
- How to report with the GRI StandardsImplementation walkthrough · 3 min 15 s
- GRI Standards requirements explainedTwo-minute brief · 2 min
- How to implement ISO 26000Implementation walkthrough · 3 min 15 s
- ISO 26000 guidance explainedTwo-minute brief · 2 min
- How to report under the ISSB Standards (IFRS S1 and S2)Implementation walkthrough · 3 min 15 s
- ISSB Standards (IFRS S1 and S2) requirements explainedTwo-minute brief · 2 min
- How to disclose through CDPImplementation walkthrough · 3 min 15 s
- The CDP questionnaire and scoring explainedTwo-minute brief · 2 min
- How to comply with the CSRD and the ESRSCompliance walkthrough · 3 min 15 s
Talk to a consultant
Plan your EcoVadis rating with confidence.
Tell us your goals, locations and target date. We’ll help you define the scope, timeline and next steps.
hello@sterling-grc.com+1 201 263 4443 (global headquarters) · your nearest office and its number are at the top of this page
What would you like to achieve?
Choose a starting point. The enquiry form takes about a minute.
Book my free discovery callContinue to the enquiry form to share your details. Please do not include passwords, sensitive personal information or confidential files. A Sterling consultant replies within one working day. Privacy notice