EcoVadis in 2026: How Companies Are Moving from Bronze to Gold Under Increasing Customer Pressure

In 2026, EcoVadis has become less of a “nice-to-have” and more of a commercial requirement for promotional companies. Brand customers are asking for stronger scores, faster timelines, and clearer evidence — often as a prerequisite to winning or retaining business.

Over the past several years, our team has supported promotional companies navigating this shift, including helping organizations move from EcoVadis Bronze to Gold while continuing to operate lean teams with limited internal sustainability capacity.

This update reflects what has changed and what works in 2026.

The 2026 Reality: What’s Different Now

Compared to earlier EcoVadis cycles, companies are facing:

• Greater scrutiny of evidence quality, not just policy existence

• Increased expectations for supplier engagement and risk screening

• Tighter timelines driven by customer RFPs and contract renewals

• Internal fatigue, as sustainability work is layered on top of already full roles

Promotional companies in particular are feeling pressure because they sit at the intersection of complex global supply chains and brand-facing expectations.

Our 2026 Approach: From Reactive to Structured

Our work with promotional companies in 2026 focuses on making EcoVadis manageable, repeatable, and aligned with how scoring actually works.

Key elements of the approach include:

1. Pre-mapping EcoVadis scoring gaps
Before submission, we identify where points are realistically available and where effort will not materially move the score.

2. Evidence-first strategy
We prioritize documentation that EcoVadis consistently rewards, helping teams avoid overproducing policies that won’t be scored.

3. Supplier data alignment
Rather than chasing every supplier, we focus on:

• Risk-based prioritization

• Practical engagement steps that can be evidenced

• Clear corrective action tracking

4. Fast-track readiness for customer requests
We help teams organize sustainability information so EcoVadis responses also support:

• Customer scorecards

• RFP sustainability sections

• Ongoing client inquiries

Results That Matter

Through this structured, pragmatic approach, promotional companies have been able to:

• Improve EcoVadis scores from Bronze to Gold

• Reduce internal time spent on annual submissions

• Respond more confidently to customer sustainability demands

• Build systems that support future reassessments — not just one-off wins

Just as importantly, teams report feeling less reactive and more in control of sustainability expectations.

What Companies Should Focus on in 2026

Based on current EcoVadis trends, the companies seeing the strongest outcomes are those that:

• Treat EcoVadis as a business enablement tool, not just a rating

• Invest in evidence management, not just policy drafting

• Align sustainability efforts to customer pressure points

• Build systems that can scale year over year
  

EcoVadis expectations will continue to evolve, but the direction is clear: clarity, credibility, and consistency matter more than volume.

Promotional companies that approach EcoVadis strategically — with the right level of external support — are better positioned to meet customer expectations and protect revenue in an increasingly competitive market. 

If you need help with your EcoVadis score, please reach out!