Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor for businesses. Customers, investors, business partners and regulators increasingly expect organizations to demonstrate responsible business practices and provide evidence of the results achieved through their sustainability initiatives.
EcoVadis provides sustainability assessments for companies and suppliers across a wide range of industries. The assessment examines an organization’s policies, actions and results across four main themes:

1. Environment – management of environmental impacts, including energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, water, waste, materials and other relevant environmental issues.
2. Labor & Human Rights – working conditions, occupational health and safety, social dialogue, training and development, non-discrimination and other labor and human rights issues.
3. Ethics – measures to prevent corruption and conflicts of interest, responsible information management and other relevant aspects of business ethics.
4. Sustainable Procurement – integration of environmental, social and ethical considerations into relationships with suppliers and other business partners throughout the supply chain.

The EcoVadis methodology is tailored to the organization’s industry, size and location. Of the 21 sustainability criteria covered by the methodology, those relevant to the profile of the company being assessed are activated for each assessment.
The methodology is based on internationally recognized sustainability standards and frameworks, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, International Labour Organization conventions and ISO 26000.
EcoVadis assesses not only the existence of policies and documentation but also the quality of the organization’s overall sustainability management system. The analysis is structured around three core management pillars – Policies, Actions and Results – which demonstrate the extent to which an organization has made specific commitments, implemented measures and monitored its performance.
 
How Does the EcoVadis Assessment Process Work?
The EcoVadis sustainability assessment involves several main stages:
1. Registration
During registration, the organization provides the basic information required to determine its assessment profile and scope, such as its industry, size, location and organizational scope.
Based on this information, EcoVadis determines the relevant criteria and generates a questionnaire tailored to the organization’s characteristics.
2. Questionnaire and Supporting Documents
The organization completes the customized questionnaire and provides documents supporting its stated policies, actions and results.
Supporting documentation plays an essential role in the assessment. Responses to the questionnaire must be supported by relevant evidence that reflects practices actually implemented by the organization and is applicable to the assessment scope.
EcoVadis sets a limit of 55 files per assessment, regardless of company size. It is therefore important to select the most relevant and representative documents rather than simply provide the maximum possible volume of information.
3. Expert Analysis
Once the questionnaire and supporting documents have been submitted, the information is analyzed in accordance with the EcoVadis methodology.
The assessment of the sustainability management system is structured around seven management indicators:

• Policies;
• Endorsements;
• Measures;
• Certifications;
• Coverage;
• Reporting;
• 360° Watch Findings – relevant external information about the organization identified through publicly available sources.

These indicators make it possible to assess not only whether an organization has made formal commitments, but also the extent to which those commitments are supported by specific actions, the scope of their implementation and measurable results.
In 2026, EcoVadis expanded the types of external and certification audit reports that may be accepted as supporting evidence for policies, actions or reporting, provided that they meet the applicable requirements. Certificates with an “in progress” status are no longer accepted as evidence of certification.
4. Results
Once the analysis has been completed, an EcoVadis Scorecard is produced, presenting the scores for the individual themes, identified strengths and areas for improvement.
In 2026, EcoVadis also introduced a two-day Scorecard preview period before publication, during which the assessed company can report potential factual errors.
Once published, the Scorecard is available through the EcoVadis platform and, subject to the applicable conditions, can be shared with customers and other business partners.
The Scorecard is valid for 12 months from the date of publication.
 
EcoVadis medals and badges
EcoVadis may recognize eligible assessed companies with medals or badges when the applicable criteria are met.
These recognitions do not constitute certification of a company or its products. They reflect the results of the company’s sustainability management system assessment in accordance with the EcoVadis methodology and the applicable eligibility criteria.
EcoVadis Medals
Since 2024, EcoVadis medals have been awarded based on a company’s percentile rank compared with other companies assessed by EcoVadis, rather than on fixed overall score thresholds.
The medal levels are:

• Platinum – Top 1% (99th percentile or higher);
• Gold – Top 5% (95th percentile or higher);
• Silver – Top 15% (85th percentile or higher);
• Bronze – Top 35% (65th percentile or higher).

The percentile rank is determined when the Scorecard is published and compares the company’s performance with that of all companies rated by EcoVadis during the previous 12 months.
In addition to achieving the required percentile rank, companies must meet additional medal eligibility criteria, including requirements relating to scores in individual themes, 360° Watch Findings and certain restrictions associated with the company’s business activities.
Therefore, being within the relevant percentile range does not in itself guarantee that a medal will be awarded.
EcoVadis Badges
EcoVadis also awards two types of badges:

• Committed – for companies with an overall score of at least 45 that meet the applicable eligibility criteria;
• Fast Mover – for companies with a score between 34 and 44 that have improved their score by at least 6 points compared with a previous assessment within an 18-month period.

Companies that receive an EcoVadis medal cannot receive an EcoVadis badge at the same time.
The criteria for EcoVadis medals and badges are reviewed periodically.
 
What Does an EcoVadis Assessment Show?

The EcoVadis assessment provides a quantitative measure of the quality of an organization’s sustainability management system and helps identify both strengths and areas where further action is required.
The Scorecard can be used as a basis for:

• setting improvement priorities;
• developing corrective and improvement action plans;
• monitoring progress between assessments;
• providing structured sustainability information to customers and business partners;
• better integrating environmental, social and ethical considerations into the organization’s management practices.

An EcoVadis assessment can be particularly relevant for companies operating within international supply chains or whose customers require reliable and comparable information on how sustainability issues are managed.

How Can CONSEJO Support You?

The CONSEJO team can support you in preparing for an EcoVadis assessment and identifying opportunities to improve your sustainability management system.
Together with your team, we can review existing policies, procedures, records and performance indicators, identify missing or insufficiently developed elements and determine priorities for further action.
Our support may include:

• a preliminary assessment of your organization’s readiness for EcoVadis;
• analysis of applicable requirements and available supporting evidence;
• structuring and selection of supporting documentation;
• development or improvement of policies, procedures and other documentation;
• definition of sustainability objectives and performance indicators;
• preparation and structuring of information for completing the questionnaire;
• analysis of the EcoVadis Scorecard and identified areas for improvement;
• development of an action plan to improve the sustainability management system before the next assessment.