How to submit external stakeholder reasoned concerns?

To uphold the integrity and quality of our services, EcoVadis provides a formal and transparent mechanism for external stakeholders to submit reasoned concerns regarding our sustainability ratings and business solutions. Our process is designed to be consistent, fair, accurate, and compliant with external commitments, such as those from the EU Regulation 2024/3005 on the transparency and integrity of ESG rating activities.

• What are external stakeholder reasoned concerns ?
• Reasoned Concern Validity

What are external stakeholder reasoned concerns?

Who is it for?

External stakeholders not rated by EcoVadis (i.e. no platform access).

What does it cover?

• Concerns about Methodology or Framework [submission form]
• Concerns about Governance, Ethics, and Integrity [submission form]
• Concerns about the Use of Ratings and Assessments [submission form]

How to raise it?

Depending on the type of the concerns, an external stakeholder can submit their concern using the dedicated submission form outlined above. To streamline the request handling process and ensure you receive a timely response, it is considered a best practice to consolidate your questions in one submission. 

Before reaching out, we recommend consulting our disclosure materials to help resolve your issue immediately. Below we hand-picked for you some key resources to start: 

• EcoVadis Ratings Methodology Overview and Principles

• EcoVadis Ratings Scoring Principles: Framework for All Company Sizes and 360° Watch Findings

• EcoVadis Document Guide 

• Understanding EcoVadis Medals and Badges

What can you expect from us?

Once a reasoned concern is submitted to us via the official channel, we will kick start our internal process as follows. The review is primarily based on publicly available information from credible sources. All reasoned concerns will be systematically checked for authenticity.

• Formal Review: A detailed analysis is conducted within 3 additional business days once admissible.

• Formal Response: Transmitted to the submitter within a target of 20 business days, with a possible 10-day extension for complex cases. A response could include revision to a rating. For example, if a published scorecard does not accurately reflect underlying facts upon investigation, we will proceed with revising the scorecard. 

Anonymity assurance 

External stakeholder identities are required for authentication purposes only and will remain strictly anonymous.

Reasoned Concern Validity

We value all feedback. To maintain a productive and respectful dialogue, a valid concern should meet the following criteria: 

• Comes from an identifiable person and/or organization

• Is a clear statement of concern, not just a subjective comment

• Is based on factual elements and includes an expected action (e.g., review, explanation, scorecard revision, etc.)

We also require all communications to adhere to the Third-Party Professional Conduct. It is important to note the following:

• Be Specific: EcoVadis only investigates a reasoned concern that is material, credible, and specific. General dissatisfaction without factual details is considered an incomplete submission and may be redirected, resulting in a delayed resolution. 

• Professionalism: Disrespectful or abusive communication is not tolerated. Additionally, all complainants must adhere to the official Complaint Policy. 

• Official Channels Only: It is prohibited to directly contact senior executives or unauthorized personnel regarding these matters.