How do I get an EcoVadis rating?

To receive an EcoVadis rating, an organisation must register with EcoVadis and complete a detailed sustainability assessment. The assessment evaluates policies, actions and results across environmental, social, ethical and procurement topics. Businesses must submit supporting evidence, including policies, reports, certifications and performance data, which is reviewed by EcoVadis analysts. Once the assessment is complete, the organisation receives a scorecard containing its overall performance score, category scores and recommendations for improvement. The process also helps organisations identify practical ways to strengthen their sustainability performance over time.

What are the 4 categories of EcoVadis?

EcoVadis assesses organisations across four sustainability themes: Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Environment covers areas such as carbon emissions, energy use, resource management and waste. Labour and Human Rights examines working conditions, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, employee development and human rights. Ethics considers anti-corruption measures, data protection, transparency and responsible business conduct. Sustainable Procurement evaluates how sustainability is incorporated into supplier engagement, purchasing decisions and supply chain management.

How long is an EcoVadis rating valid?

An EcoVadis rating is valid for 12 months from the date it is issued. Many organisations renew their assessment annually to monitor progress, demonstrate continuous improvement and meet customer or supply chain requirements. Reassessment also allows businesses to present new initiatives, updated policies and improvements made since their previous evaluation.

EcoVadis can benefit organisations of all sizes, particularly businesses operating within complex supply chains or working with customers that have sustainability requirements. Large organisations may request an EcoVadis rating from suppliers as part of procurement and risk management processes. Completing an assessment can help businesses compete for contracts, strengthen customer relationships, demonstrate sustainability credentials and identify areas for improvement. It can also provide a useful benchmark and framework for developing a wider ESG and sustainability strategy.

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ESG Strategy Services

Looking to turn your Environmental, Social and Governance ambitions into meaningful action? From strategy development to impact reporting, we’ll help you embed sustainability and ethics across your organisation.

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ESG strategy that turns ambition into meaningful action

Developing an effective ESG strategy is about more than responding to changing regulations or meeting stakeholder expectations. It’s about creating a clear roadmap that helps your organisation make better decisions, manage risk, strengthen resilience and deliver lasting value for people, planet and performance.

We work alongside you to develop practical ESG strategy services that reflect their purpose, ambitions and long-term goals. Whether you’re building an ESG framework for the first time, strengthening an existing strategy or preparing for evolving ESG standards and reporting requirements, we provide the expertise and support to guide you through every stage of the journey.

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Combining strategic sustainability expertise with human-centred communication, we help organisations embed ESG into everyday decision-making and create meaningful change that extends across the entire business.

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What is an ESG strategy?

An ESG strategy provides a structured approach for managing an organisation’s environmental, social and governance priorities. It brings together policies, objectives and measurable actions that help organisations understand their impact, manage sustainability risks and create long-term value.

A strong ESG framework goes beyond individual initiatives. It connects sustainability with business strategy, ensuring that environmental responsibility, social impact and good governance become part of everyday operations rather than standalone projects.

As expectations continue to evolve from customers, investors, employees and regulators, having a clear ESG strategy helps organisations demonstrate transparency, strengthen stakeholder confidence and prepare for future reporting requirements.

More importantly, it creates opportunities to innovate, improve performance and build a business that is resilient, responsible and fit for the future.

AG Comms brought energy, heart, and sharp thinking to the table. They didn’t just help us write a strategy, they helped us reimagine what was possible and unlock our potential.

— Saskia Castelein, Head of Fundraising & Impact / SHE Changes Climate

Every organisation's ESG journey is different, which is why there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

We begin by understanding your organisation, your stakeholders and the challenges and opportunities that matter most to your business.

From there, we work collaboratively to develop an ESG framework that aligns with your purpose, reflects your values and supports your wider commercial ambitions.

Our approach combines strategic thinking with practical implementation. We don't simply create reports or recommendations...

We help you embed ESG into governance, operations, culture and communication, ensuring sustainability becomes part of how decisions are made every day.

We create strategies that are measurable, achievable and aligned with recognised ESG standards.

Giving you the confidence to demonstrate meaningful progress while continually improving over time.

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ESG strategy services

Our ESG consultancy services are designed to support you wherever you are on your sustainability journey. Whether you’re establishing your first ESG framework or refining an existing strategy, we provide practical guidance that turns ambition into action

Vision, values and purpose

We help you define your purpose and values to align with ESG principles, so you can be sure that your strategy, culture and comms are set up for long-term impact. On the inside you’ll get everyone pulling in the same direction and on the outside, your clear vision builds trust with your audience.

ESG design

We tailor every ESG strategy we work on to your business goals, sector and stakeholders. By focusing on actionable frameworks that drive measurable impact, you’ll embed ESG across your culture and operations and deliver on strategies that are practical, measurable and capable of delivering long-term value.

Governance and impact business models

Governance plays a central role in every successful ESG strategy. If you’re ready for purpose-led growth, your business model might need to evolve. We’re here to help you navigate every opportunity to build a future model fit for profit, people and planet.

We help organisations review governance structures, strengthen accountability and develop business models that support sustainable growth while balancing commercial success with positive social and environmental impact.

Stakeholder engagement

Encourage dialogue, build trust, and enhance transparency with your key stakeholders. From employees and investors to communities and supply chains, let their voices shape your ESG journey.

Through meaningful engagement with employees, customers, investors, suppliers and communities, we help organisations identify the issues that matter most and build stronger relationships based on openness and trust.

Audit, review and measurement

Understand where you’re at and work out where to improve. Through robust evaluation and data-driven insights, we help you understand what’s working, where to improve and how to demonstrate progress.

Our ESG services include audits, reviews and performance measurement, providing organisations with a clear understanding of where they are today and where opportunities for improvement exist. Using robust analysis and meaningful data, we help businesses measure progress, demonstrate impact and make informed decisions.

Materiality assessment

When there’s so much you could do, where do you start? We use research, consultation and strategic insight to help you prioritise the most relevant ESG issues to you and your stakeholders.

Materiality assessments enable organisations to focus their efforts where they will have the greatest impact. By combining research, stakeholder insight and strategic analysis, we help identify the environmental, social and governance issues that are most relevant to both your organisation and those you engage with.

Policy guidance

Develop and refine ESG-related policies that reflect your values, comply with evolving standards, and guide responsible practices.

We provide guidance on ESG policies, helping organisations develop practical frameworks that support responsible governance, environmental stewardship, diversity and inclusion, ethical decision-making and wider sustainability commitments.

Impact improvement

Identify impact gaps and implement practical, meaningful changes. Whether improving social outcomes, reducing carbon footprints, or enhancing governance, our team ensures you’re always moving forward with purpose, transparency and accountability.

KPI and benchmarking

We help you define, track, and benchmark ESG KPIs that align with your goals and stakeholder expectations. Our frameworks help you to measure consistently, report with transparency and continuously improve.

With meaningful ESG key performance indicators, benchmark progress and robust reporting processes that align with recognised ESG standards, we ensure you can success consistently while communicating progress with confidence and transparency.

Giving strategy and advocacy

Build your approach to advocacy and giving in a way that focuses on positive impact and upholds the integrity of your brand. We help you to maximise the power of your support, whether through donations, pro-bono support, campaigning, activism, employee giving or community engagement.

JEDI

Embed justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into the heart of your organisation’s strategy and storytelling. We support you in aligning JEDI principles with your purpose, policies, partnerships, and communications. From inclusive governance to equitable community engagement, we help you turn intention into long-term impact.

Carbon footprint measurement

Measure your carbon footprint and work with us to establish clear action planning to drive positive improvements throughout your operations. We can also support you on identifying and measuring CDP and SBTi.

Why partner with AG Impact?

Developing an effective ESG strategy requires more than technical knowledge.
It requires a partner who understands how sustainability, governance and communication work together to create meaningful organisational change.

As a certified B Corp, EcoVadis Platinum-rated consultancy with approved Science Based Targets, we bring first-hand experience alongside strategic expertise. We understand the challenges organisations face because we've embedded the same principles into our own business.

Our team combines ESG consultancy with human-centred communication, helping organisations build strategies that resonate with employees, engage stakeholders and deliver measurable outcomes.

A photo of the AG team 15th birthday celebrations

Rather than producing strategies that sit on a shelf, we help organisations create practical frameworks that become part of everyday decision-making.

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Whether you're taking your first steps towards developing an ESG framework, strengthening your existing ESG strategy or preparing for evolving ESG standards and reporting requirements, we're here to help you create lasting impact with confidence, clarity and purpose.

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Environmental, social and governance ( ESG ) FAQ's

What is the ESG model of environmental, social, and governance?

The ESG model is a framework that helps organisations understand and manage their impact across three connected areas: environmental, social and governance. Rather than looking at business performance through a purely financial lens, ESG encourages a broader view of success that includes people, planet and responsible leadership.

The environmental element looks at how a business uses resources and responds to issues such as climate change, emissions, waste and energy use. The social element focuses on people, including employees, customers, communities and wider society. Governance looks at how an organisation is led, how decisions are made and whether there are clear systems in place for accountability, transparency and ethical behaviour.

Together, these three areas give organisations a more complete picture of how they operate and where they can create positive change. For many businesses, ESG is not just about reporting. It is a practical way to build resilience, strengthen trust and make decisions that support long-term value.

What are the 7 pillars of governance?

There is not one single, universally agreed set of seven pillars of governance within ESG, so the exact wording can vary depending on the framework being used. That said, governance is often understood through seven core areas that help organisations operate responsibly and transparently.

These are usually described as board oversight, accountability, transparency, ethics and integrity, risk management, compliance and stakeholder engagement. Together, these areas help create the structure needed for good decision-making and responsible leadership.

Some organisations may also include internal controls, remuneration or audit processes within their governance approach. The most important thing is not the label itself, but whether the organisation has clear systems in place to support ethical, well-managed and accountable decision-making.

What is an ESG checklist?

An ESG checklist is a practical tool that helps organisations assess where they are on their ESG journey and identify what needs attention next. It can be used as a starting point for strategy development, reporting or internal review, and it often brings together the key questions a business should be asking about its environmental, social and governance performance.

A good ESG checklist might look at areas such as emissions, energy use, waste, diversity and inclusion, employee wellbeing, board oversight, policies, risk management and reporting. It helps organisations see what is already in place, where there are gaps and where there may be opportunities to improve.

For many businesses, an ESG checklist is less about ticking boxes and more about creating clarity. It provides a simple way to turn broad ambitions into focused action, making it easier to build momentum and measure progress over time.

What is ESG explained in simple terms?

In simple terms, ESG is a way of looking at how a business treats the environment, how it treats people and how it is run.

The environmental part is about things like energy, emissions, waste and climate impact. The social part is about employees, customers, communities and fairness. The governance part is about leadership, ethics, transparency and accountability.

Put simply, ESG helps organisations make better decisions by considering more than just profit. It encourages businesses to think about the wider impact of what they do and to build a more responsible, resilient and sustainable future.