In this article (9 sections)
A buyer at your European customer emails you: please complete an EcoVadis rating by a certain date, followed by a link to the platform. For many Taiwanese companies, this is their first contact with EcoVadis. The three questions we hear most are whether they have to do it, how long it takes, and who will see the result.
This is part 2 of our EcoVadis series. For the rating structure, weights and medal rules, see part 1.
Key takeaways
- EcoVadis is not a legal obligation, but it is often a purchasing condition: there is no penalty for not doing it, but it can affect the business relationship.
- When the invitation arrives, check three things: whether the customer wants a completed rating, or a minimum score or medal, the deadline, and which legal entity should be rated.
- The official process is registration, choosing a subscription plan, completing the questionnaire with documents, and analyst review. Results are usually published within 6 to 8 weeks and are valid for 12 months.
- When a customer requests access to your scorecard on the platform, the request is accepted automatically unless you decline it within 7 days.
- The usual sticking point is not the questions but the supporting documents.
Do we have to do EcoVadis?
EcoVadis is a private rating with no legal force. For the customer asking for it, though, it is usually part of supplier management: screening new suppliers, running annual supplier evaluations, or supporting the customer’s own sustainability reporting and due diligence.
A customer’s own purchasing conditions or scoring are not legally binding, but they can decide whether the relationship continues. Whether to take part, and how far to go, is a business decision.
Three things to check when the EcoVadis invitation arrives
- What the customer wants: just a completed rating, or a minimum score or medal? Some customers write this into their supplier code of conduct or purchasing contract.
- The deadline: publication usually takes 6 to 8 weeks after you submit the questionnaire, on top of the time needed to prepare documents.
- Which legal entity: scores and medals apply only to the rated legal entity. Whether your customer buys from the Taiwanese parent, an overseas factory or a trading subsidiary, the rated entity needs to match.
EcoVadis process and timing
| Stage | What happens | Timing (per EcoVadis) |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Create an account and enter basic company details | A few minutes |
| Plan | Choose a subscription plan | Right after registration |
| Questionnaire | Answer the questionnaire and upload supporting documents; themes are adjusted to industry, size and countries of operation | A few hours to a few days by EcoVadis’s estimate; longer if policies and records are not yet documented |
| Expert analysis | Analysts review answers and documents and collect external public information (360° Watch) | Results are usually published within 6 to 8 weeks, sometimes sooner or later depending on the company |
| Results | Email notification, with a 48-hour preview before publication | Valid for 12 months |
Each year EcoVadis sets a questionnaire submission deadline for results to be published before year-end; for 2025 it was 30 September. If your customer wants the rating done by the end of the year, keep this date in mind.
Does EcoVadis cost money?
Yes. The rated company has to choose a subscription plan, and plans differ in features. For example, inviting someone by email to view your scorecard is only available on the Premium, Corporate and Select plans. See the plan details on the EcoVadis platform for pricing.
Who will see the scorecard?
The rated company controls who sees its scorecard:
- Requests from customers: accepted automatically unless you decline within 7 days. After accepting, you have 30 days to revoke access by contacting EcoVadis.
- Proactive sharing: on every plan, you can search the EcoVadis network by company name or DUNS number and share your scorecard with that company. Email invitations are limited to certain plans.
- Supporting documents: you can choose whether to share individual documents.
In other words, the scorecard belongs to the rated company. Another company’s scorecard can only be seen if that company shares it.
Five places where Taiwanese suppliers get stuck
| Sticking point | What happens |
|---|---|
| Doing it, but not documenting it | The practice exists, but there is no formal policy or record; only documented answers earn credit |
| Documents that do not meet requirements | Undated, incomplete, unreadable formats, or not the formally approved version |
| The wrong entity | The parent company was rated, but the customer buys from a subsidiary; scores and medals cannot be transferred |
| Underestimating the timeline | Counting only the time to fill in the questionnaire, not the document preparation and the 6 to 8 week analysis |
| Doing it only once | The scorecard expires after 12 months, and customers usually look again the following year |
How does EcoVadis relate to EU law?
EcoVadis itself is not law, but what it assesses overlaps heavily with EU sustainability legislation. Labour and human rights, ethics and supplier management are exactly the risks that the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Forced Labour Regulation require companies to manage, so European customers often use EcoVadis results as one source of supplier due diligence information.
A rating does not replace due diligence, though. As we noted in our article on the OECD six-step due diligence framework, existing certifications and audits such as EcoVadis can serve as data sources, but companies remain responsible for making sure their due diligence is effective.
FAQ
What happens if we do not respond to an EcoVadis invitation?
There is no legal penalty. Whether it affects the relationship depends on the customer’s purchasing policy and contract, so it is best to confirm the requirement and deadline with the customer directly.
How long does an EcoVadis rating take?
Registration takes a few minutes. After you submit the questionnaire, results are usually published within 6 to 8 weeks. The overall time depends mostly on how quickly your supporting documents are ready.
Does an EcoVadis rating cost money?
Yes. The rated company needs a subscription plan; plans differ in features, and pricing is shown on the EcoVadis platform.
Is the scorecard automatically visible to all customers?
No. The rated company decides who sees it, but access requests from customers on the platform are accepted automatically unless declined within 7 days.
We already have ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Do we still need EcoVadis?
If your customer asks for an EcoVadis rating, yes. ISO certificates can serve as evidence under the “certifications” indicator, but the score also looks at policies, measures, reporting and external information.
EcoVadis series
- What is EcoVadis? Themes, scoring, medals and badges explained
- Your customer asked for an EcoVadis rating: what suppliers need to know (this article)
- 8 common misconceptions about EcoVadis scoring, checked against the 2026 methodology
Need help?
ZC’s certification and ratings advisory works with an international network of advisors experienced in EcoVadis. We can help with a readiness review before the rating, a review of your supporting documents, and reading your scorecard and planning improvements. We can also act as your regular point of contact for sustainability and regulatory questions from European customers.
- Book a 30-minute online consultation: calendly.com/zc-meeting/30min
- Follow ZC on LINE: lin.ee/QKV5RTE
This article is based on EcoVadis Support pages and methodology documents, updated to 2 November 2026, and is not advice for any specific case. The latest information on the EcoVadis platform prevails for the process, plans and sharing rules.
Next step: have you considered these three options?
Sources · EcoVadis Support, EcoVadis assessment process · EcoVadis Support, How can I share my EcoVadis Scorecard? · EcoVadis, Sustainability Rating Methodology disclosure document (V10.0, applicable from January 2026) · EcoVadis Support, Understanding EcoVadis Medals and Badges. This article is general information compiled from the public sources above and is not advice for any specific case.
EcoVadisEcoVadis ratingEcoVadis invitationEcoVadis processsupplier assessmentsupply chain due diligence
