Quick answer: If a customer has asked you to complete an EcoVadis assessment, the partners worth knowing are Seedling (a specialist for the Environment theme, includes carbon management software with a dedicated expert), Anthesis (a global, full-service consultancy), Good.Lab (a US hybrid of software and consulting), Action Sustainability (a UK procurement and supply-chain specialist), Plan A (a German carbon and ESG software platform), EcoVerify (a UK boutique with fixed-fee pricing), and DEKRA (a global certification group). The right choice depends on where your gaps sit across the four EcoVadis themes, your budget, and whether you want someone to run the whole submission or to strengthen the parts you find hardest.
What does an EcoVadis consultant actually do?
EcoVadis is one of the world's most widely used supplier sustainability ratings, applied by over 150,000 companies and used by more than 1,300 large buyers to assess their suppliers. Your business is scored from 0 to 100 across four themes: Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement, and a strong result can be the difference between winning and losing a contract. Many buyers set a minimum score to stay on their approved supplier list, and medals are awarded by percentile against every company assessed.
An EcoVadis consultant helps you improve that score. The work usually involves a gap analysis against the activated criteria for your industry and size, help gathering the data, actions, and results the methodology rewards, support completing the questionnaire, and a review before you submit. Because EcoVadis scores your management system rather than just your intentions, evidence matters more than statements: a policy with no proof of action behind it earns little.
Here is the part worth understanding before you choose. EcoVadis is deliberately broad, and no two businesses lose points in the same place. Some struggle with Ethics documentation, others with Sustainable Procurement, and a great many with the Environment theme, which covers energy, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions. The Environment theme is often where mid-market companies are weakest, because it needs the hardest evidence to produce: an accurate carbon footprint, credible targets, and a reduction plan. So the right partner depends on your gap. If you need help across all four themes, a full-service consultancy makes sense. If your weakest area is environmental data, a carbon specialist may lift your score more efficiently than a generalist.
Whether you need a consultant at all, and which one, comes down to a few things: your company size, your budget, and how complex your assessment is. Larger organisations with obligations across every theme often benefit from full consultancy support. If you mainly need to strengthen one or two themes, or you are a smaller business completing your first assessment, a broad consultancy may be more than you need. Below, we compare seven of the leading options, who each one suits, and where a focused specialist or platform can do the same job, so you can find the right fit for your business.
The 7 best EcoVadis consultants and alternatives
1. Seedling: carbon management software with a dedicated expert included
Website: seedling.earth
Best for: Mid-market teams that need to strengthen the Environment theme of their EcoVadis assessment
Seedling is carbon management software built for businesses of up to around 2,000 employees, and it is a specialist rather than a generalist. It does not attempt to cover all four EcoVadis themes. Instead, it concentrates on the Environment theme, specifically the carbon and emissions data that sits at its heart, which is one of the harder themes to evidence well and a common challenge for mid-market companies. Unlike a traditional consultancy, it pairs a platform you log into with a named carbon expert who works alongside you, so you get real guidance without a full consulting overhead. That support is led by a team including an SBTi Certified Expert, one of only a small number in the UK.
The Environment theme rewards exactly what Seedling produces: an accurate, full-scope footprint across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 measured to the GHG Protocol, clear targets, and a plan to reduce emissions. Seedling is designed around activity data rather than spend estimates, which produces a more accurate footprint and one that improves as you actually cut emissions. That gives you the documented, quantified evidence the assessment rewards, rather than unsupported claims. Your expert then helps you set SBTi-aligned Net Zero targets and build a costed reduction plan, both of which strengthen the Results and Actions parts of your score.
Because everything sits in a platform you own, your environmental data, targets, and reports are ready to reuse each year, not just for EcoVadis but for CDP, SECR, B Corp, and client requests too. A built-in supplier engagement tool helps you collect the Scope 3 data that increasingly matters in supply-chain assessments, and integrations with Xero, Sage, and QuickBooks pull financial data in alongside it. As a certified B Corp trusted by 500+ businesses, Seedling is built for teams that want their environmental evidence handled properly, by an expert, without turning it into a full consulting project.
What it does well:
- A carbon specialist for the Environment theme, where many mid-market companies lose points
- A dedicated carbon expert included, with SBTi-certified expertise on the team
- Full-scope, activity-based GHG Protocol measurement, plus targets and a reduction plan
- Environmental data you own and reuse across EcoVadis, CDP, SECR, B Corp, and client requests
- Built-in supplier engagement tools for Scope 3 data
How it compares: Most providers on this list are generalists who support all four EcoVadis themes as a consultancy service. Seedling takes a different approach, going deep on the one theme where the evidence is hardest and the points are often lost, delivered through a platform you keep with an expert alongside you. If the Environment theme is your weak spot, that focus can lift your score efficiently and leave you with reusable data. If you need equal help across Labour, Ethics, and Procurement too, you would pair Seedling with one of the full-service options below.
2. Anthesis: global full-service sustainability consultancy
Website: anthesisgroup.com
Best for: Large organisations wanting expert support across all four EcoVadis themes
Anthesis is one of the largest sustainability consultancies in the world, with more than 1,400 experts and a client list that includes major multinationals. It offers comprehensive ESG support across all four EcoVadis themes, backed by a structured methodology and the multidisciplinary teams needed to handle complex, global sustainability programmes. For a large business that needs depth across Environment, Labour, Ethics, and Procurement all at once, that breadth is a genuine strength.
The consideration is scale. Anthesis is built for large and enterprise clients, and its process and pricing reflect that. A mid-market business whose main need is a first EcoVadis submission, or help with one or two themes, may find much of that machinery goes unused.
What it does well:
- Full-service ESG expertise across every EcoVadis theme
- Scale and multidisciplinary teams for complex, global programmes
- Established track record with large multinationals
How it compares: Anthesis sits at the enterprise end of the market, alongside the larger certification names. It suits organisations that want deep consultancy across all four themes. Businesses that mainly need to strengthen specific areas, particularly environmental data, will often find a focused specialist or platform more proportionate on cost and speed.
3. Good.Lab: hybrid ESG software and consulting
Website: getgoodlab.com
Best for: US mid-market businesses wanting software and consulting from one team
Good.Lab is a US-based sustainability firm that pairs an ESG software platform with expert consultants, and it is an approved EcoVadis Training Partner. Its model is aimed squarely at mid-market companies, offering support across all four EcoVadis themes alongside CDP, SBTi, and the emerging US state climate laws, all from a single team. That combination of software plus consulting, with a dedicated expert guiding the engagement, makes it a strong all-rounder for businesses that want breadth and hands-on help together.
The point to weigh up is geography. Good.Lab is US-centred, and much of its recent focus is on US regulations like California's SB 253. A UK or EU business may prefer a partner more embedded in its own reporting landscape and frameworks.
What it does well:
- Approved EcoVadis Training Partner with all-theme coverage
- Software and consulting combined, with a dedicated expert
- Broad framework support including CDP, SBTi, and US climate laws
How it compares: Good.Lab and Seedling share the software-plus-expert philosophy, but differ in scope and focus. Good.Lab is a US-centred generalist across all four themes; Seedling is a UK-built specialist that goes deep on the environmental data behind the score. Which fits depends on whether your gap is broad or concentrated on carbon, and on where in the world you report.
4. Action Sustainability: UK procurement and supply-chain specialist
Website: actionsustainability.com
Best for: UK businesses whose priority is the Sustainable Procurement theme
Action Sustainability is a UK consultancy specialising in sustainable procurement, supply chains, and social value, and it is an approved EcoVadis Training Partner. It leads the Supply Chain Sustainability School, which gives it particular depth on the Sustainable Procurement theme. It tends to work as a longer-term partner, helping clients understand the methodology and improve continuously rather than filling in a single questionnaire.
The thing to note is breadth of focus. Action Sustainability's heritage is in procurement and supply-chain sustainability, so while that is a real strength for one theme, you would look elsewhere for deep environmental, ethical or labour measurement.
What it does well:
- Approved EcoVadis Training Partner with strong Sustainable Procurement expertise
- Leads the Supply Chain Sustainability School
- Longer-term, continuous-improvement approach
How it compares: For a business weak on the Procurement theme, their specialism is valuable; for one weak on environmental data, a carbon-focused platform will do more. The two address different themes of the same assessment.
5. Plan A: decarbonisation-first carbon and ESG software
Website: plana.earth
Best for: Mid-to-large businesses wanting carbon software with broader ESG reporting
Plan A is a Berlin-based carbon accounting and ESG software provider, trusted by large brands and aimed at the mid-to-large market. Its platform combines full-scope carbon accounting with decarbonisation planning and broader ESG reporting, supported by in-house scientists and subject-matter experts. Like Seedling, it produces the environmental data and reduction plans that EcoVadis rewards, which makes it a useful tool for strengthening the Environment theme in particular.
The consideration is that Plan A is a software platform rather than a dedicated EcoVadis consultancy, and it is pitched at the mid-to-large end. SMEs and smaller mid-market teams wanting close, hands-on guidance through the assessment itself may want to check the level of support included.
What it does well:
- Decarbonisation-first carbon and ESG platform with in-house experts
- Full-scope measurement and reduction planning
- Broader ESG reporting alongside carbon
How it compares: Plan A and Seedling are close in category, both platforms that produce environmental data for frameworks like EcoVadis. The differences are market focus and support model: Plan A leans mid-to-large and ESG-broad, while Seedling pairs an SME and mid-market focus with a dedicated carbon expert included as standard. For an environmentally focused gap, either is a more efficient route than a full consultancy.
6. EcoVerify: UK boutique with fixed-fee pricing
Website: ecoverify.co.uk
Best for: UK businesses wanting a full EcoVadis submission handled at a transparent price
EcoVerify is a UK boutique that focuses specifically on EcoVadis, and it is an Accredited Core partner. Its standout feature is transparency: it publishes fixed fees tiered by company size, and manages your full submission from assessment through completion to review, including challenging EcoVadis on scoring errors. In a market where most consultancies quote only on enquiry, that clarity is genuinely rare and useful for a smaller business budgeting a first assessment.
The point to weigh up is scope. EcoVerify is a small, focused team built around the EcoVadis submission itself, so it is less suited to a business looking for a broad, ongoing sustainability partner across multiple frameworks and workstreams.
What it does well:
- Dedicated EcoVadis specialist and Accredited Core partner
- Published fixed-fee pricing, rare in this market
- End-to-end submission management, including scoring challenges
How it compares: EcoVerify covers all four themes at questionnaire level for a fixed fee, which suits a business that wants the whole submission taken off its hands. Seedling instead goes deep on the environmental evidence behind the score and leaves you a reusable platform and reports usable across multiple frameworks. A business could sensibly use EcoVerify to run the submission and a carbon specialist to build the environmental data that feeds it.
7. DEKRA: global certification group and EcoVadis partner
Website: dekra.com
Best for: Businesses wanting EcoVadis guidance from an established assurance name
DEKRA is a global testing, inspection, and certification group, and an EcoVadis Accredited Core Consulting Partner. It offers structured advisory through the assessment: gap analysis, questionnaire completion, help interpreting your scorecard and corrective action plan, and support implementing improvements over time. For a business that values the reassurance of a large, globally recognised assurance brand, that pedigree carries weight.
The consideration is the nature of the organisation. DEKRA is large and process-led, so engagements can feel more formal and structured than working with a boutique or a platform, which may or may not suit a smaller team wanting a closer relationship.
What it does well:
- EcoVadis Accredited Core Consulting Partner
- Structured guidance across the full assessment process
- Backing of a globally recognised certification group
How it compares: DEKRA offers all-theme EcoVadis advisory with the credibility of a major assurance name, best suited to large businesses that value that structure.
How we chose these providers
We assessed each option on its relevance to a business preparing for EcoVadis. We looked at genuine EcoVadis credentials and partnership status, the breadth or depth of support offered across the four themes, the quality of the underlying data and expertise, and how well the model suits a mid-market business that needs to reuse its evidence year after year. We deliberately included a mix: global consultancies, a certification group, hybrid software-and-consulting firms, a boutique specialist, and carbon-focused platforms, because the right answer depends on which themes you need to strengthen and whether you want a generalist or a specialist.
FAQs
Do I need a consultant to complete an EcoVadis assessment?
No, it depends on your needs. Many businesses complete an EcoVadis assessment using internal resources, supported by the free EcoVadis Academy training. If one particular theme is holding your score back, a specialist platform can help you strengthen that area, for example a carbon platform like Seedling for the environmental evidence behind the Environment theme. And where you need broad support across all four themes, or simply lack the in-house time, a consultant can be genuinely helpful. The right route comes down to where your gaps sit and how much of the work you want to take on yourself.
How much does an EcoVadis consultant cost?
It varies widely. Large global consultancies price for enterprise clients and quote on enquiry. Boutique specialists are more accessible, and a few, like EcoVerify, publish fixed fees, which for a smaller business can start in the low thousands of pounds. Carbon platforms with expert support, such as Seedling and Plan A, work on a subscription rather than a per-project fee, which spreads the cost and makes each year's reporting cheaper than starting fresh.
Which EcoVadis theme is hardest to score well on?
It varies by business, but two themes commonly cause problems. Sustainable Procurement is often where companies score lowest, because it requires evidence of how you assess and manage your own suppliers. The Environment theme is frequently a challenge for mid-market companies too, because it needs hard evidence: an accurate carbon footprint, targets, and a reduction plan. Both are areas where specialist help, rather than a generalist, can make the biggest difference to your score.
Can Seedling help with EcoVadis if it only covers carbon?
Yes, in a specific and valuable way. EcoVadis scores four themes, and one of them, Environment, is largely about carbon and emissions. That theme is often where mid-market companies are weakest and where the evidence is hardest to produce. Seedling builds exactly that evidence: an accurate full-scope footprint, SBTi-aligned targets, and a reduction plan, guided by a dedicated carbon expert. It will not complete your Ethics or Labour sections, but for the environmental part of your score, it gives you strong, reusable evidence rather than a one-off write-up.
About Seedling
Seedling is carbon management software built for businesses that want accurate, expert-guided carbon accounting without the overhead of a consulting project. The platform covers full Scope 1, 2, and 3 measurement aligned with the GHG Protocol, going beyond spend-based estimation to use the activity data that makes footprints accurate and reductions real. Every customer works with a dedicated carbon expert who supports measurement, builds a quantified reduction plan, and helps set SBTi-aligned targets, the environmental evidence that strengthens an EcoVadis assessment. The same data feeds CDP, SECR, B Corp, PPN 006, and client requests. We are a certified B Corp, trusted by 500+ businesses, with a 95% client retention rate. Book a demo at seedling.earth/book-a-demo.
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