Your company got an invitation to complete an EcoVadis assessment. You might wonder if it’s worth the effort. The truth is simple. EcoVadis scores have become a gatekeeper in modern supply chains. Understanding what companies look for in these scores can help you win partnerships. This article explains what procurement teams check in your EcoVadis rating and what different scores mean for your business.
Why EcoVadis scores matter for supplier selection
Sustainability-driven supplier evaluation isn’t just about good intentions anymore. European regulations like CSRD and the EU Taxonomy changed how companies must report on their supply chains. When your clients need to show their Scope 3 emissions, they’re reporting on you.
This creates a ripple effect. Large corporations face strict reporting requirements. They can’t partner with suppliers who create sustainability risks or data gaps. EcoVadis has become the standard, providing a way to assess supplier sustainability across different industries without sending dozens of different questionnaires.
The business risks of partnering with low-scoring suppliers have become real. Companies face regulatory compliance issues, reputational damage and investor scrutiny. Your EcoVadis score shows whether you’re a safe bet or a liability.
The four pillars companies check in your EcoVadis score
EcoVadis assessments evaluate your company across four themes. Companies reviewing your score pay attention to all of them. Here’s what they look for:
- Environment: This covers your carbon footprint, resource use, and pollution prevention, with companies seeking evidence of environmental policies and measurement systems that demonstrate your commitment to reducing environmental impact.
- Labour & Human Rights: This examines working conditions, safety, and career management, as procurement teams recognize that labour issues in supply chains can quickly become their problem and damage their reputation.
- Ethics: This theme checks corruption, anti-competitive practices, and information management, areas where companies are particularly sensitive since a single supplier scandal can damage their entire brand.
- Sustainable Procurement: This evaluates how you manage your own suppliers’ sustainability, reflecting the expectation that sustainability requirements should cascade down the entire supply chain.
What makes companies nervous isn’t a moderate score in one area—it’s significant imbalances across the pillars. A company that scores well on environmental issues but poorly on labour rights raises red flags. Balanced performance across all pillars matters more than excellence in just one area.
What threshold scores mean for partnership opportunities
EcoVadis uses a medal system that translates numerical scores into tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. But what do these mean to potential partners?
- Bronze (45-54): This shows basic sustainability management with significant gaps remaining, serving as the minimum threshold for many companies while offering no competitive advantage.
- Silver (55-64): This demonstrates solid sustainability practices with room for improvement, representing the comfort zone for many procurement teams who view it as evidence that you take sustainability seriously.
- Gold (65-74): This positions you in the top quartile of assessed companies, opening doors with sustainability-conscious clients and influencing partnership decisions in your favour, particularly with companies pursuing ambitious sustainability targets.
- Platinum (75-100): This places you in the top 1% globally, demonstrating exceptional sustainability performance.
Threshold requirements vary significantly across industries and company types. A pharmaceutical company might require Silver minimum, while a fashion retailer facing scrutiny over labour practices might demand Gold from manufacturing partners. Your industry’s risk exposure plays a crucial role, with high-impact sectors facing stricter requirements than service-based businesses.
Getting expert help to improve your sustainability position
Once you’ve identified where your EcoVadis performance needs strengthening, bringing in experts can speed up improvements. The key is matching the right specialist to your scoring challenges:
- Environmental theme specialists: Sustainability reporting experts can document existing initiatives you might be underselling, while supply chain sustainability specialists can redesign processes to reduce your environmental footprint.
- Labour and human rights consultants: Social sustainability experts can conduct gap analyses and implement management systems that address specific weaknesses in working conditions, safety, or career management practices.
- Sustainable procurement advisors: Specialists in supplier engagement can help you develop sustainability requirements for your own supply chain, ensuring you cascade expectations effectively to your vendors.
- Integrated compliance experts: For companies facing CSRD reporting requirements alongside EcoVadis assessments, specialists can build integrated systems that serve both purposes efficiently.
The challenge many companies face isn’t knowing that help exists—it’s finding the right expertise quickly when partnership opportunities or deadlines loom. Having access to a network of pre-vetted specialists can transform your timeline from months to weeks.
Ready to strengthen your EcoVadis position?
Understanding what companies look for in an EcoVadis score is one thing. Improving your rating is another challenge. Whether you need help preparing for your initial assessment or addressing specific weaknesses, having the right expertise makes the process easier.
We connect organizations with pre-screened sustainability experts who specialize in the areas where you need support. We can match you with the right professional within 48 hours. You can work with them on a flexible, project-based arrangement. Reach out to our team. Let’s find the expertise that will turn your EcoVadis score into a competitive advantage.
