# EcoVadis

This policy applies to businesses that meet the following criteria.

#### Region
- Global

#### Industries
- Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing
- Agribusiness
- Construction and Real Estate
- Education and Research
- Energy and Utilities
- Financial Services
- Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Legal and Professional Services
- Manufacturing
- Public Sector and Non-Profits
- Retail and Consumer Goods
- Technology and Telecommunications
- Transportation and Logistics

#### Revenue
- Under €/$/£10 million
- €/$/£10 million - 50 million
- €/$/£50 million - 150 million
- €/$/£150 million - 1 billion
- Over €/$/£1 billion

#### Size  
- 0-250  
- 250-500  
- 500+

#### Status
- Public
- Private

#### Required
- No

**Is EcoVadis right for your organization?**  
Take our quick assessment to find out how your company measures up—and what documents and policies you’ll need to earn a strong rating.

[Get started](/content/regulations/regulation-radar/index.html)

### Overview
**Introduced:** 2007  
**Effective from:** Ongoing  
**Region(s):** Global

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### About
[EcoVadis](https://ecovadis.com/) provides sustainability ratings and performance improvement tools for global supply chains. Their methodology evaluates companies’ CSR management systems based on policies, actions, and results [across 21 sustainability criteria](https://support.ecovadis.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002531507-What-is-the-EcoVadis-methodology). These criteria cover environmental, labor and human rights, ethical, and sustainable procurement practices, aligning with international standards like the [UN Global Compact](/content/regulation/united-nations-global-compact-ungc/index.html), [ISO 26000](https://www.iso.org/iso-26000-social-responsibility.html), and the [Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)](/content/regulation/global-reporting-initiative-gri/index.html).

Used by over 125,000 companies worldwide—including many global brands and procurement teams—EcoVadis ratings help organizations monitor supplier ESG performance, reduce risk, and strengthen transparency across the value chain.

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### Criteria for compliance
EcoVadis is a voluntary program but widely adopted by:
- Companies participating in global procurement and supply chains
- Organizations with large enterprise buyers requesting assessments
- Suppliers seeking to differentiate themselves with credible ESG performance

Assessments are tailored to company size, industry, and geographic risk exposure, making it applicable to companies of all types.

#### Assessment structure
EcoVadis evaluates sustainability management systems using 21 criteria across four pillars:
- **Environment:** Emissions, energy, water, circularity, certifications (e.g., ISO 14001)
- **Labor & human rights:** Workplace conditions, training, DEI, labor practices
- **Ethics:** Corruption prevention, whistleblower protection, information security
- **Sustainable procurement:** Supplier audits, responsible sourcing, human rights in the value chain

Each theme is rated across three performance dimensions:
- **Policies** – Corporate-level commitments and public-facing ESG policies
- **Actions** – Certifications, trainings, procedures, and system implementation
- **Results** – Metrics, reporting outcomes, stakeholder engagement, and third-party feedback

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### Evaluation process & timeline
- Initial assessment includes a self-report with supporting documentation
- Scorecard issued within ~6 weeks, valid for 12 months
- Annual renewal is encouraged for continuous improvement
- Medal eligibility (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) reflects top-tier ESG performance

Companies can respond to feedback and submit new documentation at any time to improve scores.

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### Disclosure requirements
Companies must provide documentation such as:
- CSR policies and internal controls
- GHG inventories and certifications
- Employee training logs, DEI initiatives
- Supplier code of conduct and audits
- ESG reports, corrective actions, or KPIs

Scorecards are confidential by default, but many companies share their scores with customers and partners as part of supplier onboarding or sustainability disclosures.

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### Third-party validation
While EcoVadis does not conduct onsite audits, its methodology is:
- **Evidence-based** – Each score must be supported by documentation
- **Externally sourced** – Scores may be adjusted using data from [CDP](/content/regulation/cdp/index.html), NGO reports, and sanction/watchlists
- **Audit-friendly** – Companies can include independent audit findings in their evidence packages

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### Penalties for non-compliance
There are no formal penalties, but:
- A low or expired score may prevent you from working with ESG-focused buyers
- A poor assessment may damage brand reputation or trigger supply chain reviews
- Many buyers use EcoVadis as a vendor prequalification tool, tying performance to ongoing business

##### Streamline Your EcoVadis Submission with Greenplaces
EcoVadis assessments demand structure, documentation, and a clear sustainability strategy. Greenplaces helps you build a central ESG repository, manage evidence, and prepare your team for a successful scorecard submission—year after year.

### Similar regulations
- Global

### IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB)
- Global

### Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
- Global

### Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)