EcoVadis Kick-Off Guide
You have EcoVadis on your desk and don’t know where to start?
If EcoVadis has just landed on your desk, the first challenge is rarely motivation. It’s coordination.
You suddenly have:
a questionnaire with many moving parts
documents spread across folders and inboxes
different departments involved (often with different priorities)
and a timeline that doesn’t wait
For companies who want to handle the EcoVadis assessment in-house, the most helpful first step is a simple structure you can follow. Something that turns “Where do we even begin?” into “We know what happens first, and what comes next.”
That’s exactly what the EcoVadis Submission Planner is built for: a practical workflow that helps you steer the submission in a clear order.
A simple kick-off structure for your EcoVadis Submission
1) Map your tasks
Instead of treating EcoVadis as one big to-do, divide it into themes (Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics, Sustainable Procurement). You’re creating a map of what needs to happen, so you can assign ownership and move in a steady cadence.
In the planner, this is supported by an Progress Tracker that keeps tasks visible and organised.
2) Inventory your evidence
Before you upload anything, take stock of what you already have. Many teams underestimate this: one document can often support multiple questions, so a quick inventory prevents duplicate effort later.
The planner supports this with a Document Checklist, so you can see what’s already covered and what’s still missing.
3) Translate the language
EcoVadis uses specific terms, and a lot of confusion comes from small wording differences. A classic example is understanding what EcoVadis means by a “Policy” versus an “Action”. Once that language is clear, it becomes much easier to decide what evidence fits where.
The planner includes a built-in glossary for the most common terms, so you don’t lose time second-guessing definitions.
4) Use support
A quick note: EcoVadis has its own guidance and methodology resources, and they’re genuinely useful when you want to double-check what a question is asking.
The planner brings the key links together. And if you prefer a guided path, the Kemi DIY packages combine practical tools with step-by-step e-learning videos, so you can run the submission with more confidence.
Free download: EcoVadis Kick-off Guide (PDF)
If you want the four-step structure as a one-page reference, you can download the PDF here
How to use it
Download and print (A4)
File it at the front of your EcoVadis folder
Use it as your kick-off checklist before you start uploading
EcoVadis is becoming a common language in procurement and supply chains. A clear submission process helps you show your sustainability performance in a way that’s structured and easy to assess.
If your team can do these four steps well, the submission becomes much easier to steer:
you know what to prioritise
you reuse what you already have
you upload with a clear logic
and you build confidence as you go