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Sign up for the next session10 expert tips to boost your EcoVadis rating: policies, actions, certifications, reporting, and charters. Tested with our clients, with concrete examples for every area.
A good EcoVadis rating doesn't come from a last-minute questionnaire. It comes from a well-prepared approach, with written policies, real actions, tracked indicators, and carefully chosen evidence. Here are the ten tips we give our clients, tested across numerous assessments. For the organizational method (project team, timeline, action plan), check out our article on how to improve your EcoVadis score.
EcoVadis publishes documents that explain its methodology and the criteria expected for each section. Take the time to read them. For policies, for example, the criteria are very specific: you must indicate who is responsible for the policy and how often it is updated—in other words, the governance and the review mechanism.
Meeting these specific criteria is what pushes a policy into the 75–100 point range. To get a perfect 100, you have to meet every single criterion without exception. That’s why we always start with the scoring grid when we support a company.
The questionnaire is tailored to your industry, size, and country. You won't be asked about the same topics as a company in a different sector. By logging into your EcoVadis account, you can see exactly which issues you'll be evaluated on.
Some companies are rated on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while others are also rated on biodiversity—even though that issue doesn't apply to every business. Start by identifying your specific issues so you don't waste energy on topics that won't earn you any points.
Once you've identified your issues, write a policy for each one. A policy expresses commitments—intentions for the future, like "the company commits to reducing its energy consumption." It must include both qualitative goals and quantitative targets, such as a specific percentage reduction.
Also, make sure to follow the EcoVadis criteria:
As of October 14, 2026, every quantitative target must also include a baseline year. We detail this change in our article on the 2026 EcoVadis updates.
Your company likely already has specific governance structures in place, such as an HR department. EcoVadis also expects comprehensive CSR governance that covers all issues and centralizes social, environmental, and other concerns.
Describe the scope you are working on, as well as everyone's roles and responsibilities. Is someone dedicated to social issues? To the environment? Depending on the size of the company, this can be more granular: one person dedicated to diversity, another to recruitment. The more detailed these roles are in your response, the better.
First, you need to identify the actions that matter for your company, as they vary depending on your sector and size. To find them, look at what your competitors are doing in the market or get professional support. Here are some examples by theme.
Social
Environment
Ethics
Sustainable Procurement
Certifications carry significant weight in the evaluation. There are thematic certifications and more general ones. Among the most common:
There are also general certifications that cover the entire CSR management system. Certification requires time and a budget: choose one based on your specific goals, not just for the score.
Reporting involves tracking your KPIs. You likely already track your financial indicators; you need to supplement them with CSR indicators. EcoVadis expects this tracking for the last three years.
To get a better score, align your reporting with a standard. This is one of the criteria in the scoring grid. Possible standards include:
The idea is to have highly structured reporting that avoids ad-hoc, unmethodical tracking.
To take your indicators further, have them verified by an independent third party: an auditor, your statutory auditor, or an independent third-party organization. EcoVadis sets specific criteria for accepting this verification, so you need to prepare for it.
Our advice: choose a few key indicators and ask a third party to verify their accuracy, just as a statutory auditor does for financial statements.
Several charters are recognized by EcoVadis: theUN Global Compact, theDiversity Charterfor social issues, the Responsible Digital Charter, or the Responsible Supplier Relations and Purchasing Charter for procurement.
A useful clarification, as the question often comes up: these are external charters. The company joins an outside organization that other companies also join. An internal charter you write yourself does not count as a membership. Ideally, cover several themes, sometimes using two charters on the same theme to reach the maximum score.
Finally, group your policies, objectives, actions, and indicators into a single summary document, such as a CSR report. It answers several questions at once and adds consistency to your file. Note: a CSR report alone is not enough, as it remains declarative. Supporting evidence is still essential.
Before you dive in, here are five common mistakes we frequently see in the files we support.
Applying these ten tips requires knowing the scoring grid, choosing the right evidence, and sticking to a schedule. That’s what our consultants do every day. If you already have a scorecard, our article on how to interpret it will help you set your priorities.
At Altopi, our EcoVadis experts support you from preparing your file all the way to submitting your questionnaire, whether you're going for your first rating or aiming for a higher medal.
👉 Check out our EcoVadis support services or head over to our page dedicated to EcoVadis ratings.
