EcoVadis Accredited Consulting Partners

In this article:

• What do EcoVadis consulting partners do?
• Who are the partners?
• Can Accredited Consulting Partners complete the assessment for me?
• How can I find an Accredited Consulting partner?
• How do I know if an organization is an Accredited EcoVadis partner?
• Do accredited consulting partners run webinars?
• Do I have to pay for support?
• Will they help me improve my score?
• Can consulting partners see my scorecard?
• What if I’m not happy with the support I have received?

As a rating agency, EcoVadis cannot provide direct consulting services. However, if you seek more ways to understand, respond to and improve your score, EcoVadis Consulting Partners are accredited partners that help support buyers and suppliers. They work to educate EcoVadis customers on the assessment process to optimize their response and improve their sustainability performance and practices. They can also work with EcoVadis customers after they receive their scorecard to help consider implementing improvements and how you might improve your broader supply chain sustainability practices. Furthermore, they can also support buyers with services such as supplier engagement, risk mapping and sustainable procurement strategies.

What do EcoVadis consulting partners do?

Consulting partners offer support to EcoVadis customers depending on their needs and requirements. The support they offer is given through consultancy services and can be split into four broad categories:

• Assessment Completion, Awareness & Compliance
  Providing EcoVadis assessment support, understanding ESG footprint, and identifying immediate improvements

• Post Assessment Review, Strategic Integration & Efficiency
  Moving beyond the scorecard to strategically integrating sustainability into operations, focusing on improvement, efficiency, and setting clear goals

• Enabling buyers with program Launch, Setup & Network engagement
  Developing initial frameworks for integrating sustainability into procurement, strategy for engaging suppliers
• Supporting buyers with advanced Value Chain Performance & Impact Driving
  Ensuring sustainability is deeply embedded, driving innovation, value creation, and continuous improvement

Who are the partners?

Our partners are typically sustainability consultants or larger organizations with dedicated sustainability departments. They undergo a rigorous recruitment and assessment process, meeting our stringent criteria, including achieving an EcoVadis scorecard of 50 or higher. Additionally, all partners are mandated to train a specified number of consultants using our online e-learning platform. These consultants must complete specialized training to earn the designation of “Accredited EcoVadis Consultant.”

Can Accredited Consulting Partners complete the assessment for me?

While Consulting Partners can assist with completing the EcoVadis assessment, your active involvement remains crucial. Our partners are experts in navigating the assessment process and uploading supporting documentation. However, they are unlikely to possess comprehensive knowledge of your organization's specific sustainability management system, policies, actions, and results. Therefore, you will need to collaborate closely with them to provide the necessary information for a successful assessment. It will also help your longer term understanding of the assessment process and particularly enable you to consider your organization's improvement areas. It is important to remember that companies must register for the assessment themselves; partners should not undertake this step on their behalf.

How can I find an Accredited Consulting partner?

Please visit our online partner directory where you can search for a partner by region, language, or service that you require. 

How do I know if an organization is an Accredited EcoVadis partner? 

All accredited consulting partners are listed on our web directory, so this is the best place to check. If you identify an organization claiming to be an Accredited partner, but they are not listed on our directory, please let us know at alliances@ecovadis.com 

Do accredited consulting partners run webinars? 

Many of our accredited consulting partners offer webinars. These sessions typically provide an introduction to EcoVadis and an overview of our methodology and assessment process. They may also delve into specific topics related to common areas of improvement that are of interest to EcoVadis customers. Information about these webinars can be found on partner websites and in our regular newsletters to all EcoVadis customers.

Do I have to pay for support?

Yes, these independent EcoVadis partners charge a fee for their services, with the cost varying based on the type and level of support provided. Webinars, however, are typically free to attend.

Will they help me improve my score?

While support from a Consulting Partner does not guarantee an improved score, it can help your organization complete the EcoVadis assessment to its full potential. This ensures your score accurately reflects your sustainability performance. Consulting Partners can also assist in directly addressing areas for improvement, thereby positively impacting your company's sustainability practices.

Can consulting partners see my scorecard? 

Your scorecard is only visible to others if you grant them access. To learn how to share your EcoVadis scorecard, please refer to this article.

What if I’m not happy with the support I have received?

Please direct any initial concerns to the organization that assisted you. Your contract with the Consulting Partner should include a complaint resolution process. We gather customer feedback and assess our partners' performance annually.

If a resolution cannot be reached directly with the organization, please contact consultingpartners@ecovadis.com.

To learn more about EcoVadis Accredited Consulting Partners, please visit our website: https://ecovadis.com/partnerships/