Sustainability Spotlight: Understanding the Value of EcoVadis Ratings
Why Sustainability and Transparency Matter More Than Ever
In today’s global business landscape, sustainability is no longer a “nice to have”. It’s a competitive imperative. Investors, regulators, partners, and customers are all demanding more visibility into how companies manage their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts. Transparency and accountability are now critical to long-term resilience, innovation, and growth.
At Brightest, we’re proud to lead by example. In 2024, we achieved an EcoVadis Platinum rating, placing us among the top 1% of all companies assessed globally. This recognition validates the hard work our teams have invested in building responsible, ethical, and sustainable business practices across our operations and supply chain.
But how does a company earn such a rating? What exactly is EcoVadis? And more importantly, how can your organization take meaningful steps toward improving its own sustainability performance?
In this issue, we take a closer look at the EcoVadis platform: what it measures, how it works, and how your company can use it to improve performance and build trust with stakeholders.
What is EcoVadis? A Global Benchmark for Corporate Sustainability
EcoVadis is a leading provider of business sustainability ratings, offering a globally recognized platform that evaluates corporate ESG performance across 175+ countries and 200+ industries. Used by over 130,000 companies, EcoVadis provides a standardized, reliable way to assess how well companies are managing sustainability risks and opportunities.
EcoVadis assessments are aligned with international sustainability standards such as the UN Global Compact, GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), ISO 26000, and the ILO Conventions. Its robust methodology enables companies to benchmark themselves against industry peers and track improvements over time.
In addition to helping companies better understand their practices, EcoVadis plays a crucial role in supply chain sustainability. Large corporations often rely on EcoVadis scores to evaluate the ESG performance of their suppliers, ensuring that procurement decisions align with their broader sustainability commitments.
How EcoVadis Works: From Submission to Score
Getting started with EcoVadis involves a structured assessment process designed to be both thorough and accessible. Here’s an overview:
1. Submission
Companies begin by completing a detailed online questionnaire tailored to their sector, size, and geographic footprint. Supporting documentation is uploaded to substantiate claims and policies.
2. Assessment
Expert analysts review the submission using a rigorous methodology that evaluates 21 sustainability criteria across four key themes:
Environment: Emissions, resource use, waste management, energy efficiency, biodiversity, etc.
Labor & Human Rights: Working conditions, health and safety, diversity and inclusion, labor rights
Ethics: Anti-corruption, data protection, responsible marketing, transparency
Sustainable Procurement: Supplier code of conduct, audits, environmental and social risk management in the supply chain
Each theme is scored individually, and the overall score is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, based on weighted averages.
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3. Scoring and Medals
EcoVadis awards medals based on the final score:
Platinum - Top 1% (99+ percentile)
Gold - Top 5% (95+ percentile)
Silver - Top 15% (85+ percentile)
Bronze - Top 35% (65+ percentile) (https://support.ecovadis.com/hc/en-us/articles/210460227-Understanding-EcoVadis-Medals-and-Badges)
Scores are contextualized by sector, size, and location, making the ratings meaningful and comparable across a diverse set of organizations.
Why EcoVadis Matters for Businesses
Whether you're a startup, mid-sized supplier, or global enterprise, EcoVadis offers tangible value beyond just certification:
Strengthens Brand Reputation: A strong EcoVadis rating signals to customers, partners, and investors that your business takes ESG seriously. It builds trust and credibility, especially in industries where ethical sourcing and environmental performance are under scrutiny.
Identifies ESG Risks in the Supply Chain: EcoVadis helps uncover blind spots and risks within your supply chain. With greater visibility into supplier practices, you can mitigate risks related to labor rights violations, environmental harm, or unethical behavior.
Supports Compliance and Reporting: With global regulations tightening (think CSRD in Europe or SEC climate disclosures in the U.S.), having a verified sustainability assessment simplifies regulatory reporting and audit processes.
Enhances Market Competitiveness: More and more procurement teams are incorporating sustainability into supplier selection. A strong EcoVadis score gives your business a competitive edge in winning contracts and maintaining long-term partnerships.
Tips for Organizations Seeking EcoVadis Certification
If you're considering your first EcoVadis assessment—or want to improve your score—here are proven strategies to make the process smoother and more successful:
Start with a Gap Analysis: Before diving into the questionnaire, assess your current ESG policies, procedures, and data. Identify areas where documentation or practices are missing or out of date. Tools like internal audits or readiness checklists can be invaluable.
Organize Documentation in Advance: EcoVadis requires clear, verifiable proof to support your claims. Ensure your documentation—such as environmental reports, codes of conduct, diversity policies, training records, or supplier audit reports—is current and well-organized.
Involve Cross-Functional Teams: Sustainability is a shared responsibility. Bring together stakeholders from procurement, HR, compliance, legal, operations, and your ESG/sustainability teams early in the process to gather accurate and comprehensive input.
Focus on Continuous Improvement: EcoVadis reviews are not a one-and-done. Scores are valid for 12 months, and improvements are encouraged between assessments. Regularly update policies, set performance targets, and track progress year over year.
Use EcoVadis Support Resources: EcoVadis offers detailed guides, webinars, and support channels to help you navigate the assessment process. Don’t hesitate to leverage these tools, they can make a big difference in the outcome.
Final Thoughts: Why EcoVadis is Worth the Investment
In a world where sustainability performance is increasingly tied to business performance, EcoVadis provides a trusted, standardized way to assess and improve. Whether you're responding to customer demands, preparing for regulations, or simply aiming to do better, EcoVadis can serve as a valuable compass.
At Brightest, the journey toward a Platinum rating helped us strengthen internal alignment, improve transparency, and create meaningful ESG progress. We believe other organizations, regardless of size or sector, can benefit in the same way.
Ready to Get Started?
If your organization is looking to begin its EcoVadis journey or improve its current rating, now is the time to take action. Whether it’s building your documentation, engaging cross-functional teams, or planning your next assessment cycle, the steps you take today can drive measurable impact tomorrow.
We’re happy to share more insights from our experience. Feel free to reach out or explore additional resources to guide your next steps.
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