Skip to main content
Back to Glossary
Definition

EcoVadis supporting documents

EcoVadis supporting documents are pre-existing company records attached to questionnaire answers to prove the policies, actions, certifications, and reported results claimed in an assessment.

What are EcoVadis supporting documents?

They are records that support answers in an EcoVadis assessment. Examples include policies, procedures, certificates, audit reports and KPI files. EcoVadis can validate a questionnaire without documents, but says it credits only answers backed by proof.

Why do EcoVadis supporting documents matter to you?

An analyst checks whether each file is relevant, complete, current and tied to the assessed company and scope. EcoVadis accepts policy and action documents for eight years and KPI reports for two. It checks certificates for validity and the reliability of the issuing body. An answer can lose support when its document expires.

How do EcoVadis supporting documents work?

Match each answer to a pre-existing file and relevant pages. Use an accepted format under 30 MB. The assessment allows 55 documents. One report may support several answers, but a new bundle of unrelated files cannot bypass that limit.

What mistakes should you avoid?

  • Writing a policy only for the questionnaire instead of showing an existing management record.
  • Uploading a parent-company file that does not cover the assessed entity or sites.
  • Using a KPI file older than two years or a certificate past its own expiry date.
  • Putting the proof behind an embedded link that the analyst must open separately.

How long is EcoVadis evidence valid?

EcoVadis accepts policy and action documents for eight years and KPI reports for two. A certificate follows its stated validity. A customer request may set a different evidence period, so check both that rule and the expiry shown in your EcoVadis Document Library.

Can one document support several answers?

Yes. You can attach one complete, pre-existing report or management manual to several relevant answers. Name the page range for each answer. Do not merge unrelated policies, receipts and screenshots into a new assessment-only file.

Example

Hypothetical example: Suppose a construction materials producer in Canada submits an EcoVadis assessment on 1 October 2026. It maps three existing files: an environmental policy issued 15 September 2020, a KPI report for the year ended 31 December 2025, and an ISO 14001 certificate expiring 30 November 2026.

The policy is 6 years and 16 days old, within the eight-year period. The KPI report is 274 days old, within the two-year period. The certificate is unexpired on submission, with 60 calendar days until its stated expiry. These dates do not guarantee acceptance: the analyst must still confirm company identity, scope, relevance and completeness.

Where it comes up

Related terms

Sources

  • EcoVadis

    Accepted records, formats, 30 MB limit, validity periods, scope, expiry and rejected evidence

    2026-08-21

  • EcoVadis

    The 55-document limit, prohibited combined documents and accepted exceptions

    2026-08-21

  • EcoVadis

    Sections 32.3 and 32.4 on certification evidence, public database checks and expired or in-progress certificates

    2026-08-21

Last verified 2026-08-21

Ready to start?

Tell us what you need.

Bring us the sustainability request, reporting deadline, or strategy question you are facing. We will read it and suggest a practical first step, and the first conversation is free.

EcoVadis supporting documents Definition | Keslio