Understanding EcoVadis medals

In a context in which companies are increasingly seeking to structure their CSR approaches, labels, certifications and rating systems such as EcoVadis provide a valuable framework for communicating their CSR performance transparently.

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EcoVadis is considered one of the most reliable CSR assessment standards, used by over 100,000 companies in 175 countries.

Its rating and award system provides companies with tangible recognition of their efforts on environmental, social, human rights, ethical and responsible purchasing issues.

These medals not only recognize past achievements, but also the future commitments made by companies.

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In this article, we delve into the EcoVadis evaluation system, to understand how the medals are awarded.

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Understanding EcoVadis and its rating system

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EcoVadis plays a key role in assessing and rating the CSR performance of companies worldwide, from 0 to 100.

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Its rating methodology is based on the analysis of 4 major themes and 21 associated sub-themes:

• the environment,
• social and human rights 
• ethical practices,
• responsible purchasing.

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Using a questionnaire, EcoVadis evaluates these 21 sub-themes, the importance of which varies according to the company's size, activity and sector.

In addition to this questionnaire, EcoVadis will also take into account their "360° Watch".

EcoVadis' "360° Watch" is powered by artificial intelligence, which analyzes a company's CSR performance by taking into account positive and negative contributions from various public sources. 

The sources analyzed can be international media, government sites, NGO sites, think tanks and professional networks, depending on the relevance determined by the experts.

Using this data, EcoVadis assesses the impact of situations, such as fines or public condemnations, on the score of each theme evaluated, according to their severity.

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Taken together, these steps provide companies with a detailed analysis of their CSR performance, enabling them to identify strengths and weaknesses and aim for continuous improvement.

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Understanding how EcoVadis medals are awarded

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EcoVadis medals, ranging from Bronze to Platinum, represent different levels of CSR performance, and since 2024 they have been complemented by badges. Each medal is awarded on the basis of the results of the EcoVadis assessment, which takes into account the specific criteria of each sub-theme activated, as well as 360° monitoring.

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To earn an EcoVadis medal, you need a minimum of 30 points in each of the 4 themes.

And a company cannot be awarded a medal if it scores 0 for at least one theme or 25 or less for at least two themes in the "360° Watch" indicator.

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Please note that the awarding of the medal is based on your score compared with those of all other companies worldwide, evaluated over the last 12 months.

This is what EcoVadis calls the percentile.

It's important to keep this in mind to understand that if you have the same score two years in a row, you could still lose your EcoVadis medal.

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The different levels of EcoVadis medals

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The EcoVadis medals, ranging from Bronze to Platinum, represent different levels of CSR performance in relation to the other companies assessed.

Winning an EcoVadis medal is a fine achievement, but it shouldn't be an end in itself.

EcoVadis Platinum Medal, top 1% (percentile of 99 or more)

The EcoVadis Platinum medal is the highest, reserved for the few companies that manage to stand out from the crowd. These companies distinguish themselves not only through solid CSR policies, but also through concrete actions that support their commitment to all the themes assessed by EcoVadis.

Our company, Beavr, was awarded the EcoVadis Platinum medal in 2023. This medal reflects all the steps we have taken to make sustainability one of our top priorities.

PS: as mentioned above, the themes and sub-themes are defined according to the company being assessed. For Beavr, we are not assessed on the Responsible Purchasing theme.

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EcoVadis Gold Medal, top 5% (percentile of 95 or more)

The EcoVadis Gold Medal is awarded to companies that have excelled in most of the areas assessed. They still have some way to go before being awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal.

We're delighted to have been able to help companies like Sammode structure their CSR management system and prepare for their first EcoVadis assessment.

Working hand in hand with the Sammode teams and our EcoVadis Beavr experts, after three and a half months of effort, Sammode succeeded in winning the Gold Medal with a score of 74/100.

We're very proud to have been part of their success! 

If you would like our teams to help you prepare your EcoVadis assessment, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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EcoVadis Silver Medal, top 15% (percentile of 85 or more)

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The EcoVadis Silver Medal is awarded to companies that have begun to structure their CSR approach and have demonstrated a willingness to improve on the 4 key themes.

Charvet Digital Media, one of the companies supported by Beavr, was awarded an EcoVadis Silver medal with a score of 77/100. Well done for their performance!

More than just a medal, Charvet Digital Media is proud to see its CSR commitments recognized and, through EcoVadis, affirms its desire to make a positive contribution to a more sustainable future.

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EcoVadis Bronze Medal, top 35% (percentile of 65 or more)

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By winning the EcoVadis Bronze Medal, companies demonstrate their commitment to more sustainable and responsible practices, with plenty of room for improvement.

At Beavr, all the companies we've worked with have achieved a Silver medal or higher.

EcoVadis medals enable companies to benchmark themselves against others and identify concrete ways of improving their CSR commitments.

The most interesting thing is not the medal itself, but all the policies and actions deployed by companies to have a positive impact on their environment.

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EcoVadis badges

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EcoVadis badges are awarded to companies on the basis of specific scoring criteria.

There are two EcoVadis badges: 

• The "Committed" badge is awarded to companies achieving a minimum score of 45, which have developed an "adapted" performance according to the EcoVadis methodology.

• The "Fast Mover" badge, awarded to companies with a score between 34 and 44, with an improvement of at least 6 points on the previous assessment over an 18-month period.

Please note that companies awarded an EcoVadis medal are not eligible for an EcoVadis badge.

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5. Have an EcoVadis evaluation without a medal

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It's important to stress that failing to obtain an EcoVadis medal should not be seen as a failure. The main aim of the EcoVadis assessment is to identify opportunities for improvement and to guide companies along the path to sustainability .

The important thing is to implement concrete actions and commit to a process of continuous improvement.

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Conclusion

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EcoVadis plays a central role in assessing the CSR performance of companies worldwide. 

Based on a rigorous methodology, through its questionnaire and 360° monitoring, EcoVadis provides companies with a framework for formalizing their CSR approaches.

This framework enables companies to compare themselves on the basis of harmonized scores and medals, from EcoVadis Bronze to Platinum.

Earning an EcoVadis medal should not be seen as an end in itself, but rather as a reflection of the company's CSR commitments over the short, medium and long term. 

Beavr can help you structure your CSR approach and successfully complete your EcoVadis assessment. For more information, please contact us.