Your first EcoVadis assessment is coming up. You will soon see why people say it is very thorough. This is not a simple tick-box exercise. EcoVadis checks your sustainability performance in four areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. They want proof of everything. The good news? Most companies make the same mistakes on their first try. You can learn from their errors and avoid them. Let’s look at the most common EcoVadis mistakes and how to avoid them.
Why your first EcoVadis assessment feels overwhelming
You open your EcoVadis questionnaire. The scope hits you right away. This assessment covers four big themes, each with multiple indicators that dig into how sustainability works in your operations.
EcoVadis evaluates seven key areas across each theme:
- Policy: Written commitments that formally establish your sustainability approach
- Actions: Concrete initiatives and programs you have implemented
- Monitoring and measures: Systems and metrics you use to track progress
- Results: Quantifiable outcomes and performance data that show tangible impact
- Training and communication: Evidence that employees understand your sustainability objectives
- Verification: Third-party audits, certifications, or external validation
- Responsibility and accountability: Clear assignment of sustainability roles within your organization
This framework requires you to collect documents from HR, procurement, operations, environmental health and safety, and often legal departments too. The cross-functional nature means you cannot tackle it in isolation—successful preparation demands coordination across your entire organization.
The learning curve is steep. EcoVadis does not want statements about what you plan to do. They want concrete evidence of what you are already doing. The assessment is tailored to your industry, company size, and location, so there is no universal template you can borrow from another company.
The documentation mistakes that hurt your EcoVadis score
Here is where most first-time assessors trip up: the documentation. You might have excellent sustainability practices, but if you cannot prove them with the right evidence, your EcoVadis score will not show that.
Understanding the most common documentation pitfalls can save you significant frustration:
- Generic policies instead of specific evidence: Uploading your general procurement policy when EcoVadis asks for supplier audit reports will not satisfy the requirement
- Failing to demonstrate implementation: A well-written environmental policy proves intent, but without training records, monitoring reports, or compliance data, you cannot show actual practice
- Poor document quality: Missing date stamps, unsigned policies, unclear file names, or documents in unsupported languages create obstacles for analysts
- Language barriers: EcoVadis accepts documents in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian only—evidence in other languages requires professional translation
- Mismatched evidence: Submitting the same generic sustainability report for multiple questions rarely addresses specific requirements
- Lack of quantifiable results: Stating that you have sustainability initiatives without providing performance metrics weakens your evidence significantly
These documentation challenges stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of the EcoVadis methodology. The assessment is built on international sustainability standards that demand rigorous proof, not aspirational statements. Treat documentation preparation as seriously as the policies themselves—the quality and relevance of your evidence directly determines how accurately your score reflects your actual sustainability performance.
Supply chain transparency requirements
If there is one area that surprises first-time EcoVadis participants, it is the sustainable procurement theme. Many companies focus on environmental management and labour practices, discovering too late that supply chain transparency carries significant weight in their overall score.
The sustainable procurement pillar examines how you manage sustainability risks in your supply chain. EcoVadis wants to see evidence that you actively engage suppliers on sustainability topics. Do you have a supplier code of conduct that addresses environmental and social expectations? Have you sent sustainability questionnaires to your key suppliers? Can you show evidence of supplier assessments or audits?
Most companies lack documented supplier assessment processes during their first EcoVadis audit. They might have informal conversations with suppliers about sustainability, but without formal documentation, those efforts do not count. EcoVadis expects systematic approaches supported by concrete evidence:
- Written supplier evaluation procedures: Documented processes that outline how you assess supplier sustainability performance
- Supplier audit records: Formal reports from on-site visits or remote assessments
- Corrective action plans: Structured improvement plans with timelines and accountability measures
- Ongoing monitoring systems: Evidence of continuous oversight, such as periodic reassessments or performance tracking
- Supplier code of conduct: A formal document that communicates your expectations to all suppliers
- Supplier engagement records: Documentation of training sessions, workshops, or collaborative initiatives
Supply chain transparency receives heavy weighting because your sustainability impact extends far beyond your own operations. For many industries, the majority of environmental and social impacts occur upstream in the supply chain. Building robust supplier engagement takes time—you cannot create years of supplier audit history overnight. This is why many companies see significant score improvements between their first and second assessments.
Getting expert help for your EcoVadis assessment
The EcoVadis assessment process is complex. You need to understand what evidence satisfies each question, coordinate across multiple departments, and ensure your documentation meets EcoVadis standards.
This is where specialized sustainability reporting experts can help. At Dazzle, we connect organizations with pre-screened sustainability professionals who have guided companies through successful EcoVadis assessments. They also bring deep expertise in frameworks like CSRD, CDP, EU Taxonomy, SBTI, and B Corp. Whether you need someone to lead your entire EcoVadis preparation or provide targeted support on specific themes, our network includes experts who know exactly what EcoVadis analysts are looking for.
We offer flexibility. You can bring in expert help for the duration you actually need—from a few weeks of intensive preparation to ongoing support. Experts are available within 48 hours, making even tight EcoVadis deadlines manageable. If you are facing your first EcoVadis assessment and want to avoid these common pitfalls, reach out to our team. We will match you with the right sustainability expert to ensure your EcoVadis score reflects the genuine sustainability work you are doing.
