- Carbon counts in two places on EcoVadis: the Environment theme of the general score, and the dedicated carbon rating (Carbon Rating).
- EcoVadis requires neither an exhaustive inventory nor third-party verification: a simple footprint, on the right scopes, already unlocks a lot of points.
- The carbon rating is included in every Sustainability Ratings subscription and scores climate maturity across five levels (PDCA: commitment 25%, actions 25%, reporting 50%).
- The general score and the carbon rating are two separate assessments, fed by the same carbon data.
How does your carbon footprint affect your EcoVadis score?
EcoVadis assesses four themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, Sustainable Procurement. Managing greenhouse gas emissions falls under the Environment theme, where it is a major criterion for companies whose business has a significant climate impact. An up-to-date carbon footprint, a reduction target and an action plan are exactly the kind of evidence that raises this theme. For how the assessment works in general, see our article on how EcoVadis works.
In concrete terms, the absence of carbon data penalizes two categories of the Environment pillar above all. Measures first, because you cannot demonstrate reduction actions tied to identified emission sources. Reporting next, because you have no emissions indicator to present and no trend to show. The Policies category stays documentable without a footprint: that is precisely why you plateau quickly without measurement, with a file that displays commitments and nothing behind them.
Is a carbon footprint mandatory for EcoVadis?
No, EcoVadis does not require a regulatory footprint. But in practice, on the Environment theme, the absence of a carbon measurement deprives you of the points tied to managing emissions, and prevents you from reaching the higher levels in sectors where climate is material. The footprint is not ticked as mandatory, but it is decisive for the score.
And here is what should make you take the plunge: the expected depth is moderate. EcoVadis asks neither for an exhaustive inventory nor for third-party verification to unlock most of the carbon points. A simple footprint, on the right boundary and the right scopes, together with a target and a few documented actions, already makes a clear difference. Waiting until you are ready for a perfect exercise is the surest way to earn no points: it is the first measurement that pays off the most, and by a wide margin. If you are starting from scratch, our article on the SME carbon footprint sets out how to proceed.
Which carbon evidence should you prepare for EcoVadis?
Concrete, dated items, not declarations. The most useful:
- a recent emissions footprint, specifying the scopes covered;
- a quantified and dated reduction target;
- an action plan with measures and their results;
- tracking indicators from one year to the next.
These are the same deliverables as those of a well-run carbon program. You build them upstream, as explained in our articles on calculating a carbon footprint and on reducing your carbon footprint. The detail of the evidence to gather is in our article on improving your EcoVadis score on carbon.
Do you have to cover scope 3 for EcoVadis?
It is strongly expected as soon as your scope 3 is significant. For most companies, it represents the bulk of the footprint, and a credible carbon program cannot ignore it. Covering at least the main scope 3 categories clearly strengthens your file, whereas a footprint limited to scopes 1 and 2 looks incomplete in an assessor's eyes.
What are the EcoVadis carbon rating and the Carbon Action Manager?
The carbon rating (EcoVadis Carbon Rating) is an assessment dedicated to climate maturity, separate from the general sustainability score. It rests on the Plan-Do-Check-Act logic and weights your performance across three management stages: commitment (25%), actions (25%) and reporting (50%). This last stage itself breaks down into emissions tracking and performance review. In other words, measuring and reporting your emissions counts for half of the score.
An important point, often overlooked: this carbon rating is included in every EcoVadis Sustainability Ratings subscription. Answering the standard EcoVadis assessment therefore gets you rated on carbon as well, whether you anticipated it or not. It can also be requested on its own by a customer, as a standalone carbon assessment. Only very small companies, up to 25 employees, fall outside the scope.
The result takes the form of a carbon scorecard, valid for twelve months, shared automatically with the customer that invited you. It places your maturity on five levels, from insufficient to leader. And this is where the stakes become commercial: some customers now require a minimum level on this carbon rating, independently of your EcoVadis medal.
The Carbon Action Manager is the associated EcoVadis tool: it helps estimate, track and improve your carbon performance, and feeds the rating. In 2026, EcoVadis refined its data collection, notably by distinguishing scope 2 between the location-based and market-based approaches.
Sustainability score or carbon rating: do not confuse the two
This is the most common confusion. They are two separate assessments, with different results, fed by the same carbon data.
| Criterion | EcoVadis sustainability score | Carbon rating |
|---|---|---|
| What it assesses | Four themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, Sustainable Procurement | Carbon management maturity alone |
| Place of carbon | One criterion among others, within the Environment theme | The whole assessment |
| Structure | Seven indicators per theme: Policies, Endorsements, Measures, Certifications, Coverage, Reporting, 360° Watch Findings. Carbon plays out mainly on Measures and Reporting | PDCA: commitment 25%, actions 25%, reporting 50% |
| Result | A score and, where applicable, a medal | A carbon scorecard and a maturity level across 5 levels |
| Trigger | The standard EcoVadis assessment | Included in every Sustainability Ratings subscription, or requested on its own by a customer |
In practice, you do not really choose: if you answer EcoVadis, you are rated on both. One well-built carbon footprint serves both assessments. The difference comes down to what is being looked at: your medal reflects your overall CSR program, your carbon maturity level speaks only to climate. To work specifically on the Environment theme of the general score, see our article on improving your EcoVadis score on carbon.
Make the most of your carbon on EcoVadis with Ditto
Ditto structures your carbon data once and turns it into evidence ready for EcoVadis: an up-to-date footprint, a target, an action plan, tracking indicators. A dedicated coach knows the methodology and looks first for the simplest actions with the highest return. Very often, it is a deliberately simple carbon footprint, but on the right scopes, that on its own unlocks a large share of the Environment pillar's points, for a moderate effort. Ditto has been an EcoVadis training partner since 2023 and holds an EcoVadis Platinum rating on its own assessment; the support therefore rests on hands-on practice with the framework. And to get started, a platform saves time, but a well-documented carbon footprint already lets you respond effectively to what EcoVadis expects on the subject.
Turn your footprint into EcoVadis points
A Ditto expert shows you which carbon evidence to prepare to progress on the Environment theme.
Carbon and EcoVadis: key takeaways
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| Where carbon counts | Environment theme of the general score + dedicated carbon rating |
| Categories affected | Measures and Reporting of the Environment pillar (Policies stays documentable without a footprint) |
| Mandatory? | No, but decisive: without data, you plateau |
| Level of demand | Moderate: a simple footprint on the right scopes is enough to unlock many points |
| Key evidence | Recent footprint, quantified target, action plan, tracking indicators |
| Scope 3 | Expected: it concentrates the bulk of the footprint for nearly all companies |
| Carbon rating | Included in every Sustainability Ratings subscription; PDCA: commitment 25%, actions 25%, reporting 50%; 5 levels, from insufficient to leader |
| Carbon Action Manager | EcoVadis tool to estimate, track and improve your carbon performance |
Frequently asked questions
How does the carbon footprint influence the EcoVadis score?
Managing emissions falls under the Environment theme of the sustainability score. An up-to-date footprint, a reduction target and an action plan document real management and raise this theme, whereas the absence of data limits the score to policies and intentions.
Is a carbon footprint mandatory for EcoVadis?
No, EcoVadis does not require a regulatory footprint. But without a carbon measurement, you lose the points tied to managing emissions and cannot reach the higher levels when climate is material for your sector.
What is the EcoVadis carbon rating (Carbon Rating)?
A dedicated EcoVadis assessment of climate maturity, separate from the general score. It follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act logic and weights three stages: commitment (25%), actions (25%) and reporting (50%). It is included in every Sustainability Ratings subscription, places your maturity on five levels (from insufficient to leader) and results in a carbon scorecard valid for twelve months, shared with the customer that invited you. The Carbon Action Manager is the EcoVadis tool that feeds it.
Do you need a very complete carbon footprint for EcoVadis?
No. The expected depth is moderate: neither an exhaustive inventory nor third-party verification is needed to unlock most of the carbon points. A simple footprint, on the right boundary and the right scopes, with a target and a few documented actions, already produces a clear effect on the Environment theme.
Do you have to cover scope 3 for EcoVadis?
It is strongly expected when scope 3 is significant, which is the case for most companies. Covering at least the main categories strengthens the file; a footprint limited to scopes 1 and 2 looks incomplete to an assessor.
