EcoVadis Methodology Update Q3 2025: Focus on the VSME Standard and Support Measures

EcoVadis as a global sustainability assessment standard

In recent years, EcoVadis has become one of the most important standards for assessing corporate sustainability performance. More than 125,000 companies worldwide rely on the EcoVadis rating to transparently demonstrate their ESG performance to business partners, customers, and investors.

EcoVadis’ methodology—that is, the basis on which the rating is calculated—is regularly updated to reflect new legal, environmental, and social developments.

With the EcoVadis Methodology Update Q3/2025, released on October 7, 2025 , the assessment system once again prioritizes precision, clarity, and regulatory alignment. As a specialized EcoVadis consulting firm, we at Five Glaciers Consulting summarize the most important changes—and explain what they specifically mean for your company.

Why the EcoVadis methodology is continuously being refined

Regular updates to the EcoVadis methodology are designed to align the assessment framework with global standards and ESG regulations such as the CSRD, CSDDD, and the OECD Due Diligence Guidelines.

They ensure that sustainability assessments of companies remain fair, up-to-date, and comparable. It is particularly crucial for organizations that rely on good ratings in supply chain partnerships to understand these developments early on.

The Q3/2025 update is guided by three overarching goals:

1. Greater clarity in the wording of the criteria and help texts
2. Greater transparency in the evaluation process
3. Greater recognition of international standards and best practices

An Overview of the Latest Updates to the EcoVadus Methodology

Country risk remains unchanged—but remains central to your assessment

EcoVadis has completed its semi-annual review of country risk profiles. For Q3 2025, there are no changes to the risk ratings in the areas of human rights and governance.

Even if the scores remain unchanged, this point should not be underestimated: The country risk profile is directly factored into the weighting of your assessment and determines how strictly your responses are interpreted in the context of country risks.

It is therefore important for companies operating internationally to regularly assess whether geopolitical changes or local ESG risks necessitate adjustments in the medium to long term.

New General Comment on "fabless companies"

For the first time, EcoVadis is introducing a clearly defined classification system for so-called fabless companies —that is, companies that fully outsource their production and focus exclusively on design and development.

This addition to the evaluation system ensures a more precise classification of such business models and reduces the need for follow-up questions during the evaluation process.

This eliminates a common gray area, particularly in industries such as electronics, semiconductor development, and medical technology, where outsourcing manufacturing steps is the norm. For the companies involved, this means a fairer and more transparent assessment.

Revision of the endorsement indicator – greater relevance, less clutter

The Endorsements indicator has been extensively revised to simplify the evaluation process while increasing the relevance of the options.

In doing so, EcoVadis has removed numerous initiatives that were outdated or rarely used and replaced them with more widely recognized, current industry standards.

Among the newly added initiatives are:

• Global Seafood Sustainability Initiative
• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
• Sustainability Initiative for Fruits and Vegetables (SIFAV)

In contrast, organizations such as the Clean Cargo Working Group, WRAP, and the Sustainable Seafood Coalition were removed.

In addition, several terms have been updated (for example, “Sustainable Apparel Coalition” → “Cascale”), and the help texts have been revised to provide clearer guidance on which documents qualify as proof.

The result: a more transparent, intuitive search process and a more efficient evaluation process.

Materials, Chemicals & Waste – Clarification and International Harmonization

A key focus of the Q3 2025 update is on the Materials, Chemicals & Waste sector.

EcoVadis has clarified several provisions and revised certain measures to bring them into line with international agreements such as the Minamata and Stockholm Conventions.

Examples:

• The existing option for reducing mercury use has been expanded to include the control of emissions and waste.
• Similar adjustments apply to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and to measures concerning the transboundary movement of waste.

The goal is to provide companies with a clearer understanding of which specific measures are being evaluated—while ensuring regulatory consistency.

Tailored for Office tasks – less complexity, more precision

For organizations primarily engaged in administrative activities (e.g., travel agencies, IT service providers, event agencies), the response option “Materials, Chemicals & Waste” in the questionnaire was replaced with the more appropriate term “Waste.”

This applies to both policy and reporting issues.

With this move, EcoVadis is responding to feedback from many service companies that have previously been faced with questions that were not particularly relevant to their chemical management or material usage.

This simplification ensures higher data quality and reduces the time needed to complete the questionnaire.

The use of scrubbers in shipping is no longer required

From an environmental policy perspective, the decision to remove the “Use of scrubbers” measure from the “Air Pollution” criterion for water transport companies is significant.

The reason is growing scientific evidence that, while the use of exhaust gas scrubbers reduces air emissions, it causes significant damage to marine ecosystems due to contaminated washwater.

This applies to ISIC classes 501, 502, and 5222.

With this, EcoVadis once again clearly aligns itself with international environmental regulations and IMO best practices.

New Initiative: Third-Party Worker Voice Surveys

In the Working Conditions category, EcoVadis is introducing a new initiative: Third-Party Worker Voice Surveys.

These external, independent survey tools allow employees to provide anonymous feedback on working conditions and safety—a key element of credible corporate social responsibility.

Companies that can demonstrate they use such a system may receive a bonus in their EcoVadis score in the future.

In particular, platforms that guarantee anonymity, multilingual support, and data-driven analysis are recognized.

VSME Standard Officially Recognized

With the Q3/2025 update, EcoVadis is integrating the EFRAG VSME Standard (Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs) as a recognized reporting framework.

This means that small and medium-sized enterprises (1–999 employees) that structure their sustainability reports according to VSME guidelines will receive additional points in the reporting indicator.

This step is strategically significant because it bridges the gap between European reporting requirements (CSRD) and the EcoVadis assessment.

It helps SMEs meet regulatory reporting requirements early on—without having to bear the same costs as large companies.

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What the EcoVadis Methodology Update for Q3 2025 Means for Your Company

The latest update shows that EcoVadis is increasingly refining its methodology and placing greater emphasis on transparency, clarity, and international compatibility.

For businesses, this means:

• A more detailed assessment of the actual areas of activity (e.g., fabless, office-based)
• Less effort thanks to simpler, clearer questions
• New opportunities to improve your score through verified data and standards
• The Growing Importance of Objective Documentation and Reporting Quality

Organizations that adapt their processes and documentation to these developments early on can benefit significantly in the next rating cycle.

Conclusion: EcoVadis Methodology in Transition – Proactive Preparation Pays Off

The EcoVadis Methodology Update for Q3 2025 is not a radical step, but a logical one toward greater professionalism.

It refines the evaluation process, promotes valid evidence, and brings new standards such as VSME to the forefront.

Companies that act quickly, improve their data quality, and actively use the new help texts and rating guidelines will be more successful in the long run.

Your EcoVadis consulting with Five Glaciers Consulting

As a specialized EcoVadis Training Partner and an experienced provider of EcoVadis consulting services, Five Glaciers Consulting helps companies of all sizes systematically improve their scores.

We guide you every step of the way—from the initial scoping workshop through document development to final score optimization—with a pragmatic, data-driven, and tailored approach.

Visit us at www.fiveglaciers.com or schedule a no-obligation initial consultation to fully leverage the potential of your ESG ratings.

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