We all know companies need to take sustainability seriously these days if they want to succeed.
The constant introduction of new sustainability regulations and intensifying pressure from key stakeholders makes sure of that. But the thing is, doing all the right things sustainability-wise isn’t even quite enough. Companies also need to prove that they’re doing all the right things!
This is one of the many reasons for the rising popularity of (reputable) sustainability assessments, ratings, and certifications. Among several other benefits, such assessments offer a way for companies to easily show that they’re walking the sustainability walk.
And without doubt, the EcoVadis assessment is one of the most widely recognised and trusted worldwide.
But let’s hit the brakes for a second. What are we even talking about when we say sustainability assessment? Who or what is an ‘EcoVadis’!? Who is likely to use it? And for what?
These are all very reasonable questions. In this article, we shall answer them all!
What is a sustainability assessment?
Let’s start with sustainability assessments in general. The term may seem self-explanatory, but for the sake of clarity, let’s define exactly what we’re talking about here. (There is no universal definition available by the way, but we think the words below describe what we’re talking about pretty well):
Sustainability assessment: A structured evaluation of a company’s environmental, social, and ethical performance based on defined criteria and supporting evidence. Likely to involve analyzing a company’s policies, actions, and results across key sustainability themes — such as environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement — using international standards and frameworks.
Great, now that we’re clear about that, what about all this EcoVadis business?
What is EcoVadis?
Founded in 2007, EcoVadis began as a provider of business sustainability ratings, but has since grown into a comprehensive sustainability performance management platform.
Today, EcoVadis provides sustainability solutions for every stage of a company’s journey, helping them to manage ESG risk and compliance, meet corporate sustainability goals, and drive impact at scale. Risk mapping and disclosure, Scope 3 carbon management, direct worker engagement, and sustainable finance are just some of the solutions EcoVadis currently offers.
The world-famous EcoVadis sustainability assessment however, is still the company’s most well-known and widely used service. Since 2007, it has become a globally trusted assessment with over 150,000 companies rated today.
Impressive numbers no doubt. Let’s see what all the fuss is about then shall we?
What is the EcoVadis assessment?
The EcoVadis sustainability assessment is a digital (no onsite visit), evidence-based evaluation of how well a company has integrated certain aspects of Sustainability/CSR into its business and management system. The ‘Sustainability Scorecard’ used for the assessment illustrates performance across 21 indicators within the four themes below:
- Environment.
- Labor and human rights.
- Ethics.
- Sustainable procurement.
The assessment methodology is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, and is based on the following principles:
- Assessment by international experts.
- Tailored to industry, country and company size.
- Source diversification to ensure rich stakeholder input for reliable sourcing.
- Utilize technology to ensure a secure and confidential process and accelerated cycle time.
- Traceability and transparency of documentation.
- Evidence-based.
- Excellence through continuous improvement.
Clearly this is not an assessment for the faint-hearted. It is comprehensive, and therefore inevitably requires a significant commitment and effort to complete (complete successfully at least!).
Who is it that typically chooses to make that significant commitment you say? Well, we’re glad you asked.
Typical EcoVadis assessment users
EcoVadis is used across industries and company sizes, from SMEs to global corporations. But really, there are four types of companies that choose to take the assessment:
- Companies looking to impress all stakeholders: First off, there are companies who realize that a world-renowned certification like EcoVadis is likely to go down well with all of their stakeholders. It will improve their brand reputation, and give them a clear competitive advantage, so they know it’s well worth the effort.
- Suppliers looking to impress buyers: Suppliers and service providers choose to complete the assessment to showcase their sustainability practices to existing and potential buyers. A strong score can improve their competitiveness and help them meet client requirements, so why wouldn’t they go for it!?
- Buying organizations looking to assess suppliers: On the other side of that supply coin, buying organizations, often large multinationals, use EcoVadis to assess the sustainability performance of their suppliers. This helps them manage risk, meet sustainability goals, and drive responsible procurement across their global supply chains.
- Companies taking their first steps in sustainability: For companies looking to take their first steps in sustainability, EcoVadis can offer a clear and structured starting point. The assessment helps to provide a snapshot of where they currently stand, as well as a breakdown of performance gaps and areas for improvement. With a detailed scorecard and the possibility of earning a medal rating (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum), companies receive the clarity and motivation needed to move forward towards meaningful goals. While demonstrating to stakeholders that they’re serious about making measurable progress.
So it seems that EcoVadis can be very valuable for a lot of different companies. Maybe taking the assessment could help your company stand out from the competition?
If you think that might be the case, we would recommend reaching out to EcoVadis today.
But it’s important to remember one crucial thing; scoring highly on the EcoVadis assessment is no easy feat. It requires gathering robust documentation, aligning policies and operations with global sustainability standards, and accurately completing a detailed questionnaire. All of which undoubtedly is very time-consuming and complex.
However, what if we told you there’s a way you can get a high EcoVadis score, without having to stress so much about all this complexity?
Ace your EcoVadis assessment stress-free with help from a Dazzle expert
Well here is how that’s possible: with help from one of Dazzle’s EcoVadis experts!
See Dazzle is a platform that offers the world’s best sustainability freelancers on-demand. And amongst those freelancers, we have several EcoVadis specialists available whenever you need them, to guide you through every step of the EcoVadis assessment.
Our experts have been there and done it many times before, so they can help make sure you get everything right with your assessment first time around.
And with Dazzle, you can rest assured that you’ll be working with a top-quality, certified EcoVadis expert, because all of our freelancers are extensively pre-screened. The process is also very flexible, as you can choose to work with our experts on a project-based, on-demand, or interim basis.
If you contact us today, within 48 hours we can send you several expert profiles to choose from, so you can find one that fits your exact needs.
From there, you can transform your current sustainability efforts into a globally recognized certification that resonates with all your stakeholders. And with a Dazzle expert by your side, you can do it with clarity and confidence.
