CDP vs EcoVadis: how the two ratings work together

CDP and EcoVadis are both ESG ratings, but they’re very different tools — different audiences, different scope, different format. Most large companies eventually need both.

Side by side

	CDP	EcoVadis
What it is	Annual questionnaire scored on a public portal	Document-based ESG assessment by analysts
Scope	Environmental only: climate, water, forests	Full ESG: environment, labor & human rights, ethics, sustainable procurement
Scoring	Letter scale D- → A	0–100 score → medals (Bronze / Silver / Gold / Platinum)
Format	Self-reported questionnaire responses + supporting data	Documents uploaded, reviewed by EcoVadis analysts
Visibility	Public (responses can be made public; scores often are)	Private — shared with buyers in the EcoVadis network
Cadence	Annual, fixed April–July window	Valid 12–24 months, you choose when to submit
Audience	Investors, large buyers (CDP Supply Chain)	Procurement teams qualifying suppliers

What each one cares about

CDP cares about:

Granular emissions data with verifiable methodology.
Climate governance with named owners.
Climate risk and opportunity disclosure.
Validated targets (SBTi).
Scenario analysis and transition plans.

EcoVadis cares about:

Evidence across four themes — not just environment.
The full policy/actions/results chain for each topic.
Document-based proof — uploaded artifacts more than narrative.
Sector-specific risks (procurement focus, ethics depth).
Supplier and value-chain practices.

Data overlap (~25–30%)

Despite their differences, a common data layer feeds both:

Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions inventory (GHG Protocol).
Energy and water metrics.
Environmental policies and management systems (ISO 14001 if certified).
Reduction targets and progress.
Third-party verification statements.
Public sustainability disclosures referenced by both.

The shared evidence reduces preparation effort significantly — companies that maintain one structured environmental data layer cut their per-framework cycle work by roughly 60%.

When to use which

You received a CDP invitation from a buyer or investor → start with CDP Climate. The score is public, comparable across companies, expected in environmentally-intensive sectors.
You’re being qualified as a supplier by an enterprise buyer → expect an EcoVadis request. Bronze minimum, Silver expected for strategic.
You operate at scale across multiple buyers → both. CDP gives you a public credibility marker; EcoVadis gets shared in buyer networks.

Sequencing

If you’re new to both:

Build the emissions inventory first (Scope 1/2 at minimum, then screening Scope 3).
CDP Climate in your first cycle. Aim for C — see CDP scoring.
EcoVadis in the same year if a buyer requires it. Use the CDP emissions data as evidence for the Environment theme — same numbers, audited once.
Add CDP Water and Forests, and aim for higher EcoVadis medals, in years 2–3.

What doesn’t transfer

EcoVadis themes outside Environment (Labor, Ethics, Sustainable Procurement) need their own evidence — there’s no CDP equivalent. Likewise, CDP-specific narratives (“how you moved from C to B”) have no place in an EcoVadis document upload.

Bottom line

Treat CDP and EcoVadis as complementary, not competing. The data layer is shared; the surfaces are different. Build once, file in both.