By Josh Knupp, Senior Manager II
This post is based on the most common questions I hear from corporate teams, especially those navigating EcoVadis for the first time or aiming to improve their score, regarding the seven EcoVadis Management Indicators:
- Policies
- Endorsements
- Measures
- Certifications
- Coverage
- Reporting
- 360° Watch
I’ll draw from the EcoVadis methodology, submission best practices, and real-world experience to highlight what matters most.
My goal is to offer advice that not only improves scoring but also strengthens your sustainability strategy.
If you’re preparing for EcoVadis, I hope this post helps you focus your efforts where they’ll have the biggest impact. As always, don’t hesitate to contact us for an EcoVadis consultation and check out our EcoVadis services page.
1: Policies
Policies are a foundational element of your submission and one of the highest-impact indicators when it comes to scoring.
1️⃣ Know Your Key Sustainability Issues
EcoVadis activates assessment topics based on your company’s size, sector, and location. To perform well, your policies should reflect the sustainability issues that are most relevant to your business.
You can find the activated topics in your Industry Profile, located at the top of the “My Performance” page in the EcoVadis portal. This is a great starting point to ensure your policies are aligned with what EcoVadis expects to see.
2️⃣ Include Formalization Elements
EcoVadis evaluates not just the existence of a policy, but how it’s structured.
Every policy should clearly show:
- Scope: Who the policy applies to (e.g., employees, suppliers, operations)
- Responsibilities: Who oversees and implements the policy
- Review Mechanism: Who reviews it and how often
- These elements demonstrate that your policies are embedded in your governance—not just statements of intent.
3️⃣ Set Quantitative Targets
To earn a top score in this indicator, your policies must include quantitative targets. These should be:
- Time-bound: Include a clear end date
- Quantitative: Use measurable metrics
- Aspirational: Represent goals that haven’t yet been achieved
For example: “Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2030” is a strong target. “Maintain current recycling rates” is not.
Strong policies don’t just improve your EcoVadis score; they help embed sustainability into your operations and signal accountability to stakeholders.
2: Endorsements
Endorsements are external commitments that can boost credibility and scoring.
1️⃣ Understand What Counts as an Endorsement
EcoVadis awards points for public endorsements of recognized sustainability initiatives. These must be verifiable—typically through online membership databases or official documentation—and must apply broadly across your company’s operations.
The EcoVadis scoring principles document includes a list of example endorsements, such as:
- UN Global Compact
- Responsible Business Alliance (RBA)
- Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)
- International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)
It’s important to note that this list is not exhaustive. There are hundreds of valid endorsements, many of which are industry-specific. The UN Global Compact and RBA are especially notable because they cover all four EcoVadis themes—Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.
You can view the scoring principles document directly on the EcoVadis website.
2️⃣ Look for Endorsements Across the Organization
Endorsements are often managed by different teams—legal, sustainability, procurement, or industry relations. I recommend checking with multiple stakeholders to identify which initiatives your company supports.
If internal outreach isn’t feasible, your company website can be a great resource. Look for mentions of partnerships, memberships, or sustainability commitments in press releases, CSR pages, or investor materials.
3️⃣ Think Beyond the Obvious
Many companies participate in industry-specific initiatives that qualify as endorsements under EcoVadis. These might not be listed in the scoring methodology examples, but they still count—if they’re credible, relevant, and publicly documented.
Don’t overlook trade associations, sector-wide sustainability programs, or regional coalitions. These can be valuable additions to your submission.
Endorsements don’t just improve your EcoVadis score—they signal alignment with global standards and strengthen stakeholder trust.
3: Measures
Measures are one of the most impactful indicators for both theme-level and overall EcoVadis scoring.
1️⃣ Understand What’s Required for a Top Score
Each theme has specific thresholds for accepted measures:
Environment and Labor and Human Rights
- To achieve a top score, your company should have four or more accepted measures for over 66% of the activated sustainability issues.
Ethics
- In addition to meeting the above threshold, EcoVadis expects evidence of both a corruption risk assessment and an information security risk assessment.
Sustainable Procurement
- A top score typically requires six or more accepted measures across the theme.
2️⃣ Cover Every Activated Issue
For Environment and Labor and Human Rights, it’s essential to have at least one accepted measure for each activated issue. This is a common reason companies fall short of a perfect score.
Start by reviewing your Industry Profile in the EcoVadis portal to identify which issues are activated for your business. Then ensure you have documented measures such as programs, trainings, audits, or controls for each one.
3️⃣ Use Your Sustainability Report Strategically
If your company publishes a sustainability or ESG report, use it to your advantage. These reports are especially helpful for outlining programs that may not have standalone documentation.
EcoVadis accepts external-facing reports as evidence for measures, and they are a great way to demonstrate breadth and depth, particularly for initiatives that span multiple themes or departments.
Commonly Accepted Documentation Types
- To support your measures, EcoVadis typically accepts the following types of documentation:
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Training Materials and Attendance Records
- Audit Reports and Risk Assessments
- Sustainability Reports and ESG Disclosures
- Program Descriptions and Implementation Evidence
Make sure documents are clearly labeled, dated, and linked to the relevant sustainability issue. If documentation is limited, your sustainability report can help fill gaps and provide context.
The Measures indicator is where you show that your policies are being implemented. Strong documentation here not only boosts your score but also reinforces your company’s commitment to action.
4: Certifications
Certifications are a medium-impact indicator that provides third-party validation of your sustainability efforts.
1️⃣ Always Include the Full Certificate
EcoVadis requires the complete certificate to award credit. Submitting only a summary, reference, or audit report is not sufficient. Ensure the certificate is:
- Clearly legible
- Includes the scope, validity dates, and certifying body
- Uploaded in full
Without the actual certificate, it’s unlikely your company will receive credit.
If your company has multiple facilities certified under the same standard (e.g. ISO 14001), it’s acceptable, and often helpful, to combine them into a single document. This streamlines your submission and makes it easier for reviewers to assess coverage.
Just be sure each certificate is complete and clearly labeled.
2️⃣ Use External Sustainability Audits
EcoVadis recognizes external sustainability audits as part of the certifications indicator. If your audit reports show few or no non-conformities, you may be eligible for a bonus score. This can strengthen your overall performance in this indicator even if the company doesn’t have any certifications.
3️⃣ Compensation Bonus in Ethics and Sustainable Procurement
In the Ethics and Sustainable Procurement themes, companies may be eligible for a compensation bonus of up to 50 points if they perform well on the Policies and Measures indicators, even if they don’t have certifications in those areas.
This is a great opportunity to strengthen your score through strong internal governance and implementation.
Certifications help validate your sustainability efforts and demonstrate accountability to external standards. They’re a powerful way to build trust and improve your EcoVadis score.
Have you submitted certifications for your EcoVadis assessment? What challenges or questions have come up? Drop a comment below
Next week, I’ll cover Coverage and how to show the reach and consistency of your sustainability programs.
5: Coverage
Coverage refers to how widely sustainability actions are deployed across your workforce and operational sites. This indicator only applies to large companies with more than 1,000 employees. It is one of the most influential indicators in the EcoVadis methodology because it acts as a multiplier for your Measures and Certifications scores.
1️⃣ Focus on High-Tier Proxies
EcoVadis evaluates coverage using proxy data. ISO certifications are considered high-tier proxies. If your company has broad facility coverage under standards like ISO 14001 or ISO 45001, you may be eligible for a score of 100 in this indicator.
Medium-tier proxies include audit and risk assessment data. Lower-tier proxies relate to actions like employee training. Prioritize submitting high-tier proxies first, especially those that demonstrate coverage across multiple sites or business units.
2️⃣ Use Third-Party Assurance
If your coverage data is verified by a third party, EcoVadis lowers the threshold required to achieve higher scores. This adds credibility and can help unlock scoring potential that might otherwise be difficult to reach. Examples include verified audit summaries, certification databases, or externally assured sustainability disclosures.
3️⃣ Submit Multiple Proxies to Unlock Bonus Points
EcoVadis awards a 25-point bonus if you submit two or more proxies that each cover at least 50 percent of your workforce or operations. Including a variety of coverage data points strengthens your submission and signals consistency across your operations.
6: Reporting
Reporting shows what sustainability data a company is tracking and how transparent it is with that data. It reflects your commitment to measuring progress and sharing results, internally and externally.
1️⃣ Aim for Public, Standard-Aligned Reporting
To achieve a top score, companies should publish a public-facing sustainability report aligned with a global standard such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Reports that include third-party assurance are especially valuable and signal credibility.
Even if your company doesn’t publish a formal report, you can still meet some requirements by sharing internal presentations that show sustainability performance and data.
2️⃣ Submit Documents That Contain the Data
A common mistake I see is companies submitting non-quantitative documents and manually writing the data point into the comment box. This will not earn credit.
To be accepted, the document itself must contain the data. For example, if the question asks for greenhouse gas emissions, the file must show the actual emissions figures—not just a description of your tracking process.
3️⃣ Be Cautious with Workbook Submissions
While spreadsheets and workbooks may seem like a convenient way to present data, EcoVadis does not consistently accept them. If possible, avoid relying on workbooks and instead use PDFs or presentation files that clearly display the requested data points.
7: 360° Watch Findings
360° Watch is EcoVadis’ way of integrating external stakeholder inputs into your rating. Analysts scan over 100,000 credible sources—NGOs, trade unions, government lists, specialized press, and more—to identify relevant findings about your company from the past five to ten years. Both positive and negative findings are considered, reflecting the effectiveness of your sustainability management system.
How does it impact your score?
- The default score is 75 out of 100.
- Positive findings can increase your score to 100.
- Negative findings (minor, major, or severe) can decrease your score in increments, depending on severity and repetition.
- Neutral findings do not impact your score.
- Multiple negative findings can have a cumulative effect, and positive findings cannot compensate for negatives.
Key recommendations:
- Monitor your company’s public reputation and address issues proactively.
- Understand that findings from external sources (not company PR or social media) are what count.
- If you receive a negative finding, use the comment period to provide context or evidence to EcoVadis before your scorecard is finalized.
- Remember, the 360° Watch indicator is a key component of your overall EcoVadis score and can affect eligibility for medals and badges.
Have questions about EcoVadis? Book a consultation with us.
3R is an EcoVadis Strategic Consulting Partner and maintains 20+ EcoVadis Approved Consultants on the team. The 3R team brings value to organizations by guiding them through a holistic discovery process and supporting them through the EcoVadis questionnaire. Strategic Consulting Partners are uniquely positioned to help businesses assess and improve sustainability performance.