EcoVadis vs CDP: Key Differences Explained

Quick Comparison

	EcoVadis	CDP
Scope	Holistic sustainability rating across environment, labor, ethics, and procurement	Deep-dive disclosure on climate change, water security, and forests/deforestation
Applicability	Companies of all sizes, heavily used in supply chain qualification	All companies, with focus on major emitters and those in investor/supply chain programs
Key Focus	Supply chain sustainability management and procurement risk	Environmental disclosure depth and transparency
Methodology	Scorecard (0-100) based on policies, actions, and results across 21 criteria	Letter grade (A to D-) based on questionnaire responses assessing disclosure, awareness, management, and leadership
Coverage	130,000+ rated companies across 180+ countries	23,000+ companies disclosing; 740+ cities and states
Primary Users	Procurement teams, supply chain managers, sustainability teams	Investors ($136 trillion in assets), procurement programs (supply chain module), policymakers

What is EcoVadis?

EcoVadis is a sustainability ratings platform founded in 2007 that assesses companies on their environmental practices, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. The platform was designed specifically for supply chain sustainability management—helping buying organizations evaluate and monitor the ESG performance of their suppliers.

The assessment methodology uses a combination of company-submitted documentation, 360-degree monitoring (media, NGO reports, government data), and expert analysis by EcoVadis's team of sustainability analysts. Companies receive a scorecard rating from 0-100 across four themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Scores translate into medal levels—Platinum (top 1%), Gold (top 5%), Silver (top 25%), and Bronze (top 50%)—that serve as a quick signal for procurement decisions.

EcoVadis has achieved remarkable scale in the supply chain space. Over 130,000 companies have been rated, and major multinationals including Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Microsoft, and L'Oréal use EcoVadis as part of their supplier qualification processes. For many mid-market and small companies, an EcoVadis rating is their first formal sustainability assessment—requested by a customer, not adopted voluntarily.

What is CDP?

CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 that runs the world's leading environmental disclosure system. CDP collects self-reported data from companies, cities, states, and regions on climate change, water security, and forests through detailed annual questionnaires. The data is then scored, published, and made available to investors and purchasing organizations.

CDP's climate change questionnaire is the most comprehensive corporate climate disclosure instrument in existence. It covers governance, risks and opportunities, business strategy, targets and performance, emissions data (Scope 1, 2, and 3), and verification practices. The water security and forests questionnaires provide similar depth in their respective domains. Companies receive letter grades from A (Leadership) to D- (Disclosure), with F assigned to companies that fail to respond to requests.

CDP's influence stems from its institutional backing. Over 740 institutional investors representing $136 trillion in assets use CDP data to inform investment decisions. The CDP Supply Chain program, with 300+ member companies, requests disclosures from suppliers. CDP questionnaires are aligned with the TCFD framework and increasingly with the ISSB standards, making them a de facto compliance preparation tool for mandatory climate disclosure requirements.

Key Differences

1. Thematic Breadth vs. Environmental Depth. EcoVadis covers four sustainability themes—environment, labor, ethics, procurement—giving a holistic picture of supply chain sustainability. CDP goes deep on three environmental topics—climate, water, forests—providing granular data that EcoVadis doesn't match on emissions methodology, science-based targets, or resource-specific risk assessment.

2. Primary Use Case. EcoVadis is a procurement tool. Its core value proposition is helping buying companies assess supplier sustainability and manage supply chain risk. CDP is a disclosure and transparency platform. Its core value proposition is giving investors and stakeholders access to standardized environmental data for capital allocation and engagement decisions.

3. Company Size and Accessibility. EcoVadis is designed to be accessible to small and mid-sized companies that may lack dedicated sustainability teams. The questionnaire adapts to company size and industry. CDP questionnaires are substantial—the climate change questionnaire alone contains over 100 questions across 12 modules—requiring significant data collection capacity. This creates a natural bias toward larger, more resourced companies, though CDP has introduced SME-friendly pathways.

4. Scoring Methodology. EcoVadis scores reflect the quality of a company's sustainability management system—policies, actions, and results—relative to industry and size peers. CDP scores measure the quality and completeness of environmental disclosure and the ambition of environmental management. A company could score well on EcoVadis with strong management systems but score poorly on CDP if its climate disclosures lack granularity, and vice versa.

5. Transparency of Results. CDP scores are publicly available—anyone can look up a company's climate, water, or forest grade on CDP's website. EcoVadis scores are shared only between the rated company and requesting buyers, unless the company opts to publish its scorecard. This makes CDP a public accountability tool and EcoVadis a private supply chain management tool.

6. Cost Model. Companies pay for their EcoVadis assessment (subscription ranges from approximately €2,500 for small companies to €9,000+ for large enterprises). CDP disclosure is free for companies—CDP is funded by the investors and procurers who use the data. This difference affects adoption dynamics: EcoVadis assessments are typically triggered by buyer requests that justify the cost, while CDP disclosure can be initiated without financial commitment.

Which One Do You Need?

If your customers are requesting sustainability evidence as part of procurement qualification, EcoVadis is likely your first priority. It's the most widely used supply chain sustainability platform, and an EcoVadis medal has become a procurement prerequisite for many multinationals. The assessment is manageable for companies without dedicated sustainability teams.

If your investors, lenders, or major customers are requesting climate and environmental disclosures, CDP is essential. CDP's A-List carries significant reputational value, and the data collection process prepares you for mandatory climate reporting under the CSRD, ISSB, and SEC frameworks. If you're a significant emitter or operate in water-stressed or deforestation-linked sectors, CDP provides the most recognized disclosure platform.

Many companies end up doing both. The data overlaps—environmental management information submitted to EcoVadis can inform CDP responses, and vice versa. Smart sustainability teams build a single data collection infrastructure that feeds both platforms, avoiding duplication and ensuring consistency across disclosures.

Council Fire's Perspective

EcoVadis and CDP serve different masters—procurement and investors, respectively—but together they provide the most comprehensive external validation of a company's sustainability credentials. We advise clients to understand which platform their stakeholders are actually looking at and prioritize accordingly, rather than treating all ratings as equally important.

The strategic insight is that EcoVadis tells the story of how well you manage sustainability across your operations, while CDP tells the story of how transparently and ambitiously you address environmental challenges. Companies that score well on both are demonstrating both management quality and environmental leadership—exactly the combination that sophisticated buyers and investors want to see.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my EcoVadis data for CDP, or vice versa?

There's significant data overlap, particularly on environmental management, energy use, and emissions. However, the formats and depth requirements differ substantially. CDP requires much more granular emissions data (Scope 1, 2, 3 by category), science-based target details, and scenario analysis that EcoVadis doesn't ask for. EcoVadis covers labor, ethics, and procurement topics that CDP doesn't address. Build your data collection once and map it to both platforms rather than starting from scratch for each.

Which rating matters more for ESG investors?

CDP carries more weight with institutional investors. Its data feeds directly into major ESG rating methodologies (MSCI, Sustainalytics, S&P Global all incorporate CDP data), and the investor coalition behind CDP represents $136 trillion in assets. EcoVadis is more influential with procurement-focused stakeholders and supply chain partners. If you're seeking investment, prioritize CDP. If you're seeking commercial contracts, prioritize EcoVadis.

How long does each assessment take to complete?

EcoVadis typically takes 4-8 weeks from start to submission, depending on documentation readiness. The platform is designed for efficient completion, with tailored questionnaires based on industry and size. CDP questionnaires require 2-4 months of data collection and preparation, particularly the climate change questionnaire which demands detailed emissions inventories, scenario analysis, and governance documentation. First-time respondents should allow additional time for both platforms.

Is there an advantage to scoring well on both platforms simultaneously?

Yes. Companies that achieve EcoVadis Gold or Platinum alongside CDP A or A- status demonstrate comprehensive sustainability leadership to both procurement and investor audiences. Some procurement programs accept CDP scores alongside or in lieu of EcoVadis, and vice versa. Increasingly, RFP processes and investment screens check both platforms, making dual high performance a competitive differentiator.