EcoVadis Methodology Updates

Hanna Carr

Associate Director

North America

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Hanna Carr

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Table of Contents

• New standardised reporting metrics
• Basline years for quantitative targets
• Medal thresholds differentiated by company size
• Other updates
• How prepared is your organisation?

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EcoVadis regularly updates its assessment methodology to improve consistency, increase transparency, and align with evolving sustainability expectations. These updates are typically communicated through quarterly methodology release notes (available via the “Help Center” when logged into an EcoVadis account) and can affect questionnaire content, scoring approaches, and recognition criteria. For organisations that rely on EcoVadis ratings to meet customer requirements or support sustainability leadership claims, staying informed about methodology developments is an important part of assessment preparation.

The latest updates, spanning Q3 2026 and Q1 2027, include several refinements to the questionnaire and scoring framework. While many are incremental, three changes stand out for their potential impact on assessment preparation and performance evaluation.

1. New standardised reporting metrics reflect a growing focus on measurable performance

From 14 October, EcoVadis will introduce 11 new standardised reporting metrics across key sustainability topics. The update aims to improve consistency and comparability of reported data while aligning the EcoVadis assessment with leading sustainability reporting frameworks, including GRI, ESRS, and ISSB.

The change reflects a broader trend in sustainability reporting: investors, customers, and regulators increasingly expect companies to substantiate commitments with quantitative performance data.

The new metrics are aligned to specific Key Sustainability Issues, which are based on  materiality, and span a range of environmental and social topics, including:

Many of these metrics will already be familiar to organisations reporting against established sustainability frameworks. However, companies that have focused primarily on policies and management systems should expect greater emphasis on measurable outcomes and performance data within the EcoVadis assessment.

What this means for you

Organisations should assess whether these data points are currently tracked, governed, and readily available for reporting. The update may also require closer coordination across sustainability, EHS, HR, procurement, legal, and compliance teams, particularly where ownership sits outside the sustainability function.

As with existing reporting metrics, the new metrics will be evaluated against the Scoring Principles for the Reporting indicator, including three years of data, housing reporting within an Annual or Sustainability Report, alignment with materiality assessments, reporting in accordance with recognised frameworks, and third-party assurance.

More broadly, organisations should view this update as a signal of where sustainability assessments are heading. As reporting frameworks continue to converge around standardised metrics and performance-based disclosures, strong data management and reporting processes will become increasingly important for both EcoVadis assessments and broader sustainability reporting requirements.

How Anthesis can help

Anthesis can help organisations assess readiness for the new metrics, identify data gaps, and strengthen the processes needed to collect, manage, and report sustainability data. Through EcoVadis gap assessments and submission reviews, we help align reporting with both EcoVadis requirements and broader sustainability reporting expectations.

2. Baseline years will be required for quantitative targets

Beginning 14 October, organisations reporting quantitative targets within the Policies indicator will be required to disclose a baseline year. Previously, only a target year and value were required, so this change may come as a surprise to companies used to reporting the same targets and having them accepted by EcoVadis each year.

While this may seem like a relatively minor adjustment, this change could have significant implications for how sustainability targets are documented and evaluated. Targets without clearly defined baselines can be difficult to assess, and EcoVadis is increasing its focus on the credibility and transparency of sustainability commitments.

As many companies retire older targets and rethink future targets, EcoVadis is doubling down on the expectation that companies set credible and robust targets on material issues.

What this means for you

If your organisation has targets related to climate, energy, water, waste, diversity, health and safety, or other sustainability topics, now is a good time to ensure baseline years are clearly documented and consistently referenced across supporting materials.

Organisations should also review policies, reports, and internal documentation to ensure that targets, baseline years, and reported progress are documented. New management system documents may help ensure documentation includes all required content.

How Anthesis can help

Anthesis can help organisations review target disclosures, strengthen supporting documentation, and identify potential scoring risks before submission.

3. Medal thresholds will be differentiated by company size

Effective 12 January, EcoVadis will introduce new medal thresholds that vary by company size.

This is one of the most significant strategic changes in the update because it directly affects medal eligibility. Historically, organisations of different sizes have effectively competed against the same recognition thresholds. Going forward, EcoVadis will introduce a more segmented approach.

What this means for you

For smaller organisations, the change may make medal recognition more attainable.

For larger organisations, maintaining Gold or Platinum status may become more challenging. Organisations should not assume that maintaining the same score will result in maintaining the same medal.

Larger organisations frequently face tougher expectations from customers due to assumptions that larger companies have more robust sustainability management systems. But with the new score thresholds, fewer large companies will be able to maintain the highest medals. Companies that place significant value on EcoVadis recognition should review how these revised thresholds may affect future assessment outcomes and, where relevant, proactively discuss changes with key customers.

How Anthesis can help

Anthesis can help organisations evaluate potential medal implications, benchmark current performance, and identify the most impactful opportunities to improve scores.

Other updates

In addition to the three headline changes, EcoVadis has introduced several other methodology refinements including:

• More flexible reporting indicator scoring for small and medium-sized companies. Eligible SMEs will only need to satisfy two out of three reporting requirements to achieve full credit, reducing the reliance on external verification.
• Updates to biodiversity-related measures.
• Revisions to questionnaire terminology and guidance.
• Additional scorecard granularity through new strengths and improvement areas.
• Removal of Reporting questions associated with non-activated sustainability issues.
• Sector-specific questionnaire updates in certain industries.

While these changes are unlikely to have the same strategic impact as the updates outlined above, they continue a broader trend toward greater transparency, more tailored assessments, and clearer expectations for sustainability performance.

How prepared is your organisation?

Taken together, these updates reinforce several themes shaping sustainability assessments: greater emphasis on quantitative reporting, increased scrutiny of sustainability targets, and more tailored approaches to scoring and recognition.

If you have an EcoVadis assessment planned in the coming months, now is the time to evaluate your readiness. Waiting until your questionnaire is launched may leave limited time to address data gaps, strengthen documentation, or adapt to new requirements.

Anthesis can help your organisation:

• Assess the impact of methodology changes on your specific questionnaire.
• Identify scoring risks and improvement opportunities before submission.
• Review policies, targets, and supporting documentation.
• Evaluate readiness for the new reporting metrics.
• Benchmark current performance against EcoVadis expectations.
• Develop an action plan to improve scores and strengthen medal performance.