European buyer A asked you to register on EcoVadis. Buyer B wants you to submit data following the VSME standard. Buyer C just emailed a ten-page questionnaire of their own.
“Are these the same thing? Or do I have to handle each one separately?”
This post compares the three main formats European buyers use to request ESG information, who tends to use each, and where to start preparing efficiently.
The three formats at a glance
| Format | How it works | Who typically uses it |
|---|---|---|
| EcoVadis assessment | Third-party platform evaluates the supplier and assigns a score / medal | Large French, German, Italian enterprises; global manufacturers |
| VSME self-report | Supplier fills in their own ESG data and submits to the buyer | European mid-to-large buyers, public procurement |
| Buyer-specific questionnaire | Buyer sends a custom form for the supplier to complete | German LkSG-covered enterprises; companies with their own SCM systems |
The three operate differently, but the underlying data they request overlaps 70–80%. Once you organize your ESG data once, it can be reused across all three formats.
Format-by-format detail
Format 1: EcoVadis assessment
How it works: Suppliers register on the EcoVadis platform; an EcoVadis analyst then evaluates the supplier’s ESG performance and assigns a score (out of 100) and a medal (Bronze / Silver / Gold / Platinum).
Four assessment themes:
- Environment (GHG, energy, water, waste, biodiversity)
- Labor & Human Rights (working conditions, H&S, prevention of child / forced labor)
- Ethics (anti-corruption, information security)
- Sustainable Procurement (managing your own supplier ESG)
What the supplier prepares:
- The EcoVadis questionnaire (~200–250 items, varying by company size and sector)
- Supporting documentation upload (up to ~55 files — policies, certificates, data reports)
Characteristics:
- 4–8 weeks to complete an assessment
- Score is valid for 12 months; annual renewal expected
- Cost: annual subscription (varies by size; in some cases the buyer covers it)
- Score is shareable with other buyers via the platform — register once, reuse with multiple buyers
Who requests it? L’Oréal, Renault, Michelin, Schneider Electric, Unilever, and many other global enterprises use EcoVadis as a supplier qualification gate. For Korean suppliers, the request typically comes from French, German, or UK buyers, or via Korean primes that work with them.
Format 2: VSME self-report
How it works: The supplier prepares their own ESG report following the VSME standard (issued by EFRAG) and submits it directly to the buyer. No third-party assessor — it’s a self-reporting framework.
Main sections: Basic Module (B1–B11): energy / GHG, water, waste, workforce, H&S, remuneration & training, corruption history — 11 areas Comprehensive Module (C1–C9): strategy, climate transition plans, human rights policy — 9 areas
Characteristics:
- No assessment fee (self-reported)
- Time to prepare: 2–4 weeks first pass; 1–2 weeks for annual updates
- No mandated submission format — typically the EFRAG Excel template or whatever format the buyer requests
- Not legally required, but European buyer adoption is increasing rapidly
Who requests it? Following the European Commission’s formal recommendation in July 2025, mid-to-large European buyers are shifting away from custom questionnaires toward VSME-based requests. Public procurement tenders increasingly require a VSME report.
Format 3: Buyer-specific questionnaire
How it works: The buyer sends a custom-made survey (Word, Excel, PDF, or an online portal) for the supplier to fill in.
Characteristics:
- Every buyer’s form looks different — feels like starting from scratch each time
- The actual data requested overlaps 70–80% with EcoVadis and VSME
- LkSG-covered German enterprises focus heavily on human-rights due diligence in their questionnaires
- Many buyers also request a Supplier Code of Conduct sign-off
Who requests it? Korean suppliers in the supply chains of large German enterprises (Bosch, Siemens, BMW, BASF, etc.) most often see this format. Swedish, Dutch, and Danish companies running their own supply-chain sustainability programs also use bespoke questionnaires.
Effort and turnaround comparison
| EcoVadis | VSME | Buyer questionnaire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial preparation | 4–8 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 1–3 weeks |
| Annual renewal | 2–4 weeks | 1–2 weeks | Re-do each time |
| Cost | Annual subscription | None | None |
| Reusability | High (12-month validity) | High | Low (varies by buyer) |
| External validation | Yes (EcoVadis analyst) | None (self-reported) | None (self-reported) |
| Difficulty | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
For first-time response, we recommend starting with VSME. It has no assessment cost and the data set largely covers what EcoVadis and bespoke questionnaires also need — a strong foundation for whatever comes next.
The 70–80% overlap is real
Treating each format as a separate project is overwhelming. But comparing the actual data requested, most of it is the same:
| Data point | EcoVadis | VSME (B3) | Buyer questionnaire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy use | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (most) |
| GHG emissions (Scope 1·2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (most) |
| Headcount and gender split | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (most) |
| Workplace incident rate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (most) |
| Human rights / anti-corruption policy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Supplier Code of Conduct sign-off | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| GHG reduction targets | ✓ | ✓ (C3) | Some |
| Water use | ✓ | ✓ | Some |
| Waste data | ✓ | ✓ | Some |
Takeaway: Organize this data once and you can reuse it across all three formats. The packaging differs by buyer; the underlying data set is largely shared.
Where to start
If you have a request already
Identify the format first.
EcoVadis registration request: → Register on the EcoVadis platform → Confirm the questionnaire scope for your size and sector → List required supporting documents → Begin internal data collection
VSME data request: → Review the Basic Module (B1–B11) items → Collect data by department → Submit using the EFRAG template or the buyer’s preferred format → For details, see Episode 3: VSME Complete Guide
Buyer-specific questionnaire: → Review the questionnaire → Fill in items that overlap with EcoVadis / VSME first → Address buyer-specific items last
If no request has come yet
This is the best time to prepare. Just by organizing the following, you can respond fast to any format that arrives:
- Annual electricity and gas use (collect monthly utility bills)
- Workforce data (FTE / non-FTE counts, gender split)
- Annual workplace incidents
- List of held certificates with expiry dates
Coming next
The next post takes a deep dive into VSME. We walk through the 11 items of the Basic Module (B1–B11), what data is actually required for each, and which department in your company holds it.
→ Episode 3: VSME Complete Guide — EU ESG Reporting Standard for SMEs, A to Z