Sourcing Champions recently earned a Bronze sustainability rating from EcoVadis, a globally recognized ESG assessment organization, and became an official training partner. This achievement reflects the dedicated efforts of our team, and we’re excited to share the journey and insights that led us here.
1. Leadership matters
There is, after all, no legal obligation for a company to pursue an EcoVadis rating. Choosing to begin this process is entirely voluntary. It reflects a leadership mindset that prioritizes environmental stewardship, respect for human rights, ethical business conduct, and sustainable procurement practices.
Leadership is not only essential in initiating the journey but also in championing it at every stage. From allocating resources and aligning internal teams, to setting measurable goals and ensuring accountability, leadership drives the momentum. Alongside a unified team effort, leadership ensures the initiative remains focused, strategic, consistent, and impactful over time. At Sourcing Champions, this balance of strong leadership and collaborative teamwork that enabled us to successfully achieve the Bronze EcoVadis rating.
2. It Takes a Team to Earn a Rating
Achieving an EcoVadis rating is not a solo task, it requires the collective effort of the entire organization. It’s only through cross-functional collaboration that such a goal becomes possible, as sustainability touches every aspect of how a business operates. Different teams must come together, contribute their expertise, and align their actions around shared sustainability objectives.
Effective cross-functional communication plays a central role in this process. From aligning on expectations to sharing progress and overcoming challenges, clear and open communication ensures everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals. At Sourcing Champions, this approach was vital in achieving our Bronze rating. Proving that collaboration and clarity are just as important as expertise.
3. Strategy is the Key
The EcoVadis assessment required us to strategize. We began by developing a clear roadmap outlining the necessary actions and how they should be implemented. Through team communication, we first established a sense of urgency to highlight the importance of the assessment process. Next came effective people management, we formed dedicated teams to focus on each key area of the EcoVadis criteria, ensuring that every team member had a clear responsibility and area of focus. Throughout the process, internal and external communication played a critical role. For instance, under the ethics category, digital security is a requirement, which led to close cross-functional collaboration between the ethics and cybersecurity teams. Finally, in implementing our strategy, we aimed to foster a company-wide mindset and culture rooted in sustainability, an essential part of ensuring long-term impact.
4. Commit to Transparency
Transparency is a cornerstone of successfully completing the EcoVadis assessment. Each criterion across all key areas is far more than a simple checkbox. It requires solid evidence in the form of official documents, like KPIs, internal policies, reports, and training records. Our commitment to transparency ensures that what we communicate in the assessment truly reflects who we are as an organization. It means aligning our words with our actions, and demonstrating credibility through tangible practices. By backing every claim with verifiable proof, we show that sustainability is not just a statement, but a lived value embedded in how we operate.
5. The Journey Beyond Bronze
Earning an EcoVadis Bronze rating is not the end of our sustainability journey. The results, especially the scores across each key area, highlight where we are performing well and where there’s room for improvement. By addressing these gaps, we are now aiming for a higher rating, Silver or even Gold, in the next assessment. Learning from the outcome not only guides us toward targeted improvements but also helps us build a clearer roadmap for compliance and long-term sustainability. After all, the rationale behind the assessment is not just about receiving the rating. It’s about becoming a better, more responsible organization.
