FAQ
a. GENERAL FAQs
1. What is the definition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
The term CSR refers to Sustainable Development issues applied to business. The ISO 26000 standard defines CSR as:
an organization's responsibility for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment, through transparent and ethical behavior that
contributes to Sustainable Development, including health and the welfare of society;
takes into account the expectations of stakeholders;
is in compliance with applicable law and consistent with international norms of behavior;
and is integrated throughout the organization and implemented in its relations
The 6 core subjects listed by ISO 26000 are
- Human rights
- Labor practices
- The environment
- Fair operating practices
- Consumer issues
- Community involvement and development
Source: http://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:26000:ed-1:v1:en:term:2.18
2. Why do large multinational enterprises use the EcoVadis SP monitoring system?
For large multinationals, environmental and social risks associated with its suppliers are critical issues. The complexity of regulations, as well as rapidly evolving Environmental and Social standards, make CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) evaluations too demanding to handle internally, with high costs, poor contribution in terms of information and no room for improvement. For this reason your clients use the EcoVadis CSR monitoring solution, a system pooled between you and your customer that makes the process faster and cheaper, whilst at the same time helping to improve the reliability of information.
3. Why is my company monitored by EcoVadis?
- One or several of your clients asked to monitor your CSR performance: either because you are one of their most strategic suppliers, or because of the amount of contracts, or else because of the importance of the products or services you provide.
- Are you a new supplier? Your client asks for an EcoVadis SP monitoring as a prerequisite for signing a contract. Are you an existing supplier? Your client asks for an EcoVadis SP monitoring as part of the overall performance management review of your company.
- You may want to anticipate your clients’ needs, understand the position of your CSR practices and obtain a tool to communicate with all of your customers and partners.
4. How will my company benefit from the EcoVadis SP monitoring?
The EcoVadis monitoring system covers all the needs for measuring your CSR performance in a clear, extensive and effective way.
b. CSR ASSESSMENT PROCESS
5. Is this a self-assessment process?
The first step of EcoVadis CSR monitoring process is the initial assessment.
This is not a self-assessment process: the evaluation results are based on your answers, but most importantly on the documents you will provide (such as : CSR reports, certificates, quality manuals, etc. see here)
All your answers and documents are reviewed and analyzed by EcoVadis CSR experts, to create your Scorecard following the EcoVadis evaluation grid.
6. How long does it take to receive my results?
After you have completed the data collection phase, your data will be analyzed by CSR experts, to create your company’s Scorecard. You will get your results 4 to 8 weeks after (you will receive a notification email).
7. Will the results of my evaluation be kept confidential?
Your information will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared or distributed. The assessment results will be exclusively visible to the client who requested the monitoring of your company. If another one of your clients wishes to access your CSR profile, your authorization will be required. EcoVadis is fully committed to ensure the safety of its customers’ data, and provide highly secured online solutions.
8. How to use my evaluation results?
Share your assessment results with your clients to promote your Sustainable Development involvement.
Use your scorecard details (strengths and weaknesses) to identify your priority actions and improve your performance by implementing corrective action plans.
9. How will the EcoVadis SP Evaluation results be used by my clients?
EcoVadis evaluation is neither a label nor a certification, and each customer decides on the minimum performance level requirements for its suppliers. For suppliers with a high score, the EcoVadis profile can be used as a tool to demonstrate the quality of your practices. In case you do not meet the minimum criteria required, your client(s) might ask you to submit a corrective action plan.
10. What is the EcoVadis SP evaluation comprised of?
The evaluation is comprised of 4 steps:
- Register online and fill in your information (taking up to 5 minutes)
- EcoVadis analyzes your specific CSR issue so that you will receive a customized questionnaire, tailored to your industry sector, your size and your geographic implementation.
- You will then answer to the online questionnaire directly on the platform (20 to 50 questions, it might take between 1 and 2 hours), providing supporting documents.
- Our CSR experts analyze your answers and supporting documents and other evidence of your CSR policies. Criteria used in the EcoVadis evaluation are based on international standards such as the Global Reporting Index (GRI), ISO 26000 and the Global Compact principles.
- The Analysis results are combined on a dedicated Scorecard that is accessible online.
11. What technical resources do I need for the evaluation?
No software installation is required: EcoVadis SP is a web-based solution, available via a secure platform. EcoVadis provides updates and technical support. All that you need is an internet connection.
c. SUBSCRIPTION FEES
12. How much does the EcoVadis subscription cost?
Suppliers are asked to contribute towards an annual subscription fee, which covers:
- Access to online CSR monitoring services, including 1 annual assessment of your data by EcoVadis experts
- Possibility to share your CSR online profile for all your customer's requests
We deliberately set affordable fees, so that cost is not an obstacle to the CSR evaluation. The Annual fee varies depending on the service you select and your period of engagement.
13. How can I pay for my EcoVadis subscription?
You can pay directly on the EcoVadis platform by credit card. Our online payment system is secured by PayPal (N.B: you do not need a PayPal account, but only a credit card). We strongly recommend a credit card payment, as it will ensure a rapid access to your results. It is also possible to pay by bank transfer, bankers draft or check upon receiving the invoice. N.B. Please note that payment by check will be subject to an additional 50€ handling charge.
You will be asked by what means of payment you would like to choose at the end of the questionnaire, and an invoice is then sent to you upon submitting questionnaire.
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