5 tips to streamline your EcoVadis assessment process

Conducting an EcoVadis assessment of your organisation is not just about meeting requirements-it is an opportunity to enhance sustainability efforts, strengthen business relationships, and improve long-term resilience. A strong EcoVadis score can open doors to new business opportunities, increase brand credibility, and support a more sustainable future. 

1. Understand the material topics/criteria for your company. The EcoVadis assessment is conducted differently for each company as, based on the sector, certain criteria will be activated or inactivated. The activated criteria typically reflect the material topics that are most relevant for organisations in your industry. It is a good idea to review each activated criterion and assess whether you have strong policies, actions, and results in place to report on, ensuring you are well-prepared for the assessment. 
2. Have a coordinator and delegate work to decentralised counterparts. It may be difficult for one person in the organisation to collect all required documents for the EcoVadis assessment, as the topics range from environment and work force to procurement and governance. Therefore, we recommend having a coordinator who oversees the assessment process, deadlines, and submissions, while delegating document collection work to corresponding departments and team members.    
3. Review last year’s scorecard before starting. Before collecting documents for a new EcoVadis assessment, it is helpful to review last year’s scorecard. The scorecard highlights areas of strength as well as opportunities for improvement. While it is important not to create documents specifically for the assessment (and ideally, policy updates should be ongoing throughout the year), reviewing last year’s results gives you valuable insights into the areas that need attention. This allows you to focus on gathering strong supporting documents that align with this year’s improvement priorities. 
4. Consolidate documents in one place and avoid duplication. Even though you are allowed to upload a maximum of 55 documents in one EcoVadis assessment, it is recommended by EcoVadis Document Guide | EcoVadis to use consolidated documents (such as an annual report or sustainability report) to answer multiple questions.  Best performers usually have 8-22 documents attached in total.
5.   Use the optional comment function to elaborate. When attaching supporting documents, make sure to use the comments section to provide context. Explain why the document is relevant to the specific question, indicate on which page the relevant information can be found, and highlight the strengths and unique aspects of the document. This will help assessors quickly understand its significance and enhance the quality of your submission. 
    

For more insights and support in conducting your EcoVadis assessment, please reach out to  esther@2impact.nl.