EcoVadis Methodology Update Q2 2026: Scope 2 Targets, End of Select Consultations, and More Granular Improvement Areas

As of July 2026

The EcoVadis Methodology Update for Q2 2026 introduces three changes, with release dates in July 2026: Scope 2 reduction targets must now be reported separately as market-based and location-based; the Select-specific consultation processes are being eliminated and replaced by a two-day factual error check; and the scorecard will feature more granular improvement areas in the environmental section. This article outlines what specifically is changing and what companies should review now.

This article is based on the official EcoVadis publication “Methodology Updates Q2 2026.” The three changes were published on July 10 and 15, 2026. This article continues the series on the EcoVadis methodology update from early 2026.

Key Points at a Glance

• Starting July 10, 2026, EcoVadis will require that absolute Scope 2 reduction targets be explicitly labeled in the questionnaire according to their methodology: market-based or location-based. This applies to the Sustainability Rating and the Carbon Rating.
• The option “We have an absolute Scope 2 reduction target” remains; what’s new is the requirement to select a calculation methodology. According to EcoVadis, this does not affect the Score, Strengths, or Improvement Areas.
• Effective July 15, 2026, the Select Check Up and the Select Score Drop Consultation will be discontinued for companies with fewer than 50,000 employees; the Score Drop Consultation for companies with 50,000 or more employees will remain in place.
• This is replaced by a factual error check: Two business days before the report is published on the network, the scorecard is visible only to the company being evaluated, which can report factual errors during this time.
• The scorecard now includes more granular improvement areas in the environmental category for the criteria of water, biodiversity, and air pollution—the third phase of this transparency update.
• Overarching trend: EcoVadis is increasing methodological precision and shifting the focus from consultation to reliable evidence and proper data management.

What changes does the EcoVadis Q2 2026 update bring?

The Q2 2026 update includes three changes with release dates of July 10 and 15, 2026: the separate reporting of Scope 2 targets by market-based and location-based categories, the elimination of Select-specific consultation processes in favor of a factual error check, and additional areas for improvement in the environmental category. Two of the three changes involve methodological refinements to the questionnaire and the scorecard, while one concerns the assessment process itself.

Unlike the broad update at the start of the year, which included twelve individual changes, the Q2 package is streamlined but targeted: It refines climate data collection, standardizes the evaluation process across all subscription tiers, and makes the environmental scorecard more diagnostic.

1. Scope 2: Reduction targets must be separated into market-based and location-based categories

Starting July 10, 2026, companies must specify in the EcoVadis questionnaire which methodology was used to calculate an absolute Scope 2 reduction target— market-based or location-based. The previous option to select “Other” remains available but will be supplemented by a mandatory selection of the methodology. This change affects the Sustainability Rating and Carbon Rating and applies to size categories S, M, and L (26–49,999 employees) as well as L (50,000 or more employees).

The rationale behind this is alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard, which for years has distinguished between the location-based methodology (physical grid mix) and the market-based methodology (contractual electricity procurement). Location-based reflects the average emission factor of the electricity grid; the market-based approach reflects actual procurement, such as through certificates of origin or power purchase agreements. EcoVadis justifies this step by citing the increased maturity of the assessed companies: after five years of carbon rating and more than 100,000 carbon scorecards issued, the database can now support this additional level of granularity. This change follows directly on the heels of the previous Scope 2 update from May 7, 2026, and ensures consistency in data collection.

Important for practical application: According to EcoVadis, the change has no direct impact on scores, strengths, or areas for improvement. The focus is on the quality and comparability of the collected target data, not on a new assessment logic. Anyone who sets robust climate targets is already familiar with this distinction from the SBTi and CSRD contexts.

AspectPrevious questionnaire structureUpdated questionnaire structureTarget option“We have an absolute Scope 2 reduction target”“We have an absolute Scope 2 reduction target” (still available)Methodology specificationNodifferentiationRequired selection: Market-based or location-basedReference: undifferentiated Scope 2 targetAlignment with the GHG Protocol Corporate StandardScore impact—no change to score, strengths, or improvement areas

Who is this relevant for? All companies with an absolute Scope 2 reduction target, especially those with an active electricity procurement strategy (green electricity contracts, PPAs, certificates of origin).

What is the goal? Interoperability with internationally recognized climate target standards and a more accurate picture of actual decarbonization efforts.

What companies should do now: Review the methodology used to formulate their Scope 2 target and ensure that market-based and location-based values are consistently documented—ideally in a way that is compatible with their existing carbon footprint report.

2. No more Select Check Up and Score Drop Consultation—but a Factual Error Check instead

Effective July 15, 2026, EcoVadis will discontinue the Select Check Up and the Select Score Drop Consultation. Both processes were previously reserved for Select subscribers and, in certain cases, allowed companies to make adjustments during the analysis phase. The Score Drop consultation for companies with more than 50,000 employees, however, will remain available regardless of subscription status.

In place of this, EcoVadis is introducing a standardized process for all subscription levels: the Factual Error Check. Under this process, the final scorecard is visible exclusively to the assessed company two business days before it is published on the network. During this time window, the company can review the assessment and report factual errors—but, unlike before, it can no longer submit additional documents or supporting evidence.

Specifically, Select companies will no longer be consulted in the future if documents are not in the correct format, if certifications are claimed but not supported by evidence, or if the score drops significantly compared to the previous assessment (for companies with fewer than 50,000 employees). EcoVadis cites the integrity and comparability of ratings across all subscription tiers as the reason for this move.

Who does this apply to? All Select customers and, in general, any company that has previously relied on the ability to make adjustments during the analysis phase.

What is the goal? A consistent, independent evaluation process without subscription-based exceptions.

What companies should do now: Ensure the quality of their documentation before submission rather than relying on a later review: Check document formats, provide complete supporting evidence for all declared certificates, and schedule the two-day Factual Error Check in advance so that the review can be completed within the tight timeframe.

3. More Detailed Areas for Improvement Regarding Water, Biodiversity, and Air Pollution

Also effective July 15, 2026, EcoVadis will add more specific areas for improvement in the Environment category to the scorecard. This affects the criteria of water, biodiversity, and air pollution, as well as size categories S, M, and L (26–49,999 employees) and L (50,000 or more employees). This is the third phase of an ongoing transparency update.

The scorecard is thus shifting further away from general guidance toward diagnostic, sector-specific feedback. The new improvement areas refer directly to established sector best practices that are already included in the questionnaire. If such a practice is not identified as being in place in the analysis, it appears explicitly as an improvement area on the scorecard. Important: These points are examples of possible actions from the questionnaire, not a mandatory list of requirements.

For companies, this improves traceability: Instead of a general note, the scorecard shows more precisely which specific practices are missing in order to reach the next scoring level. At the same time, it becomes more difficult to conceal gaps in evidence.

Who does this apply to? All companies in the specified size categories with an environmentally relevant business model, particularly those that are water-, land-, or emission-intensive.

What is the goal? Greater transparency and clarity regarding the specific measures that support better environmental assessment.

What companies should do now: Interpret the new improvement areas as a roadmap for concrete actions and back up their questionnaire responses on water, biodiversity, and air pollution with reliable evidence.

What does the Q2 update mean for businesses?

The Q2 update requires greater data discipline overall. All three changes shift the key to success away from formal completeness and toward precise, methodologically sound evidence: for Scope 2, through correct method identification; for the assessment process, through the quality of supporting documentation prior to submission; and for the Improvement Areas, through concrete evidence of individual best practices.

The elimination of Select Consultations has the most noticeable impact. Those who have previously relied on submitting additional information during the analysis phase will lose this buffer. The new Factual Error Check now only corrects factual errors in the final assessment; it no longer addresses missing or inappropriate supporting documentation. This means the assessment is effectively decided upon submission—not afterward. For preparing for the EcoVadis rating, this means: well-documented evidence from the very beginning, rather than a series of corrections throughout the process.

Our Assessment

From a consulting perspective: The most inconspicuous change has the greatest impact. The end of Select Consultations may sound like a procedural change, but it alters the rules of the game: The previous “second review” during the analysis is no longer part of the process, and the Factual Error Check is not a substitute for it—it only catches obvious errors in the final scorecard, not weak or misattributed evidence. Companies that have previously optimized their submissions through an iterative process must now shift their preparation to an earlier stage.

The Scope 2 change, on the other hand, is less dramatic than it seems. Anyone who has set a target in accordance with the GHG Protocol is familiar with the distinction between market-based and location-based approaches and simply needs to reflect this correctly in the questionnaire. The situation becomes critical when targets were historically set without a clear methodology—in such cases, the content must be clarified before the questionnaire can be updated.

Our recommendation: Clearly define and document your own Scope 2 target methodology now, switch your verification strategy for the next assessment to “complete upon submission,” and use the new environmental improvement areas as a priority list for data preparation.

Conclusion: Less course correction, more preparation

The EcoVadis Q2 2026 update is concise but sets the tone: EcoVadis is increasing methodological precision while simultaneously reducing opportunities to make corrections during the assessment. For companies, the focus is clearly shifting to preparation—robust Scope 2 target data, complete supporting documentation prior to submission, and targeted work on the new Environmental Improvement Areas. Companies that thoroughly address these three points before the next assessment will lose nothing due to the elimination of consultations and will benefit from the scorecard’s greater transparency.

Do you have any questions about the EcoVadis Q2 2026 update?

Whether you need an initial assessment, guidance on setting Scope 2 targets, or comprehensive support with your verification strategy, our team of experts is happy to assist you. Contact us →

Sources

1. EcoVadis: “Methodology Updates Q2 2026” – Release Notes 33.1, 33.2, 33.3 (Release dates: July 10 and 15, 2026; EcoVadis Help Center; login required).
2. EcoVadis: “Methodology Updates” – Scope 2 Reporting Update dated May 7, 2026 (EcoVadis Help Center).
3. Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Corporate Standard and Scope 2 Guidance (WRI/WBCSD). ghgprotocol.org
4. Five Glaciers Consulting: EcoVadis Methodology Updates in Q1 2026.