How Amazon & EcoVadis are Verifying Sustainable Sellers

The purchasing landscape for both consumers and businesses has transformed significantly over the past decade, with sustainability emerging as a key priority.

Businesses are now reshaping their strategies to capitalise on the advantages that sustainable procurement could offer.

EcoVadis and Amazon Business are streamlining the process for sellers to showcase their environmental performance credentials.

Standardising sustainable procurement practices

Sellers who have earned an EcoVadis Medal or Badge can now feature this accreditation on their Amazon Business store profile.

As the global standard for resilient and sustainable supply chains, EcoVadis is supporting businesses in demonstrating environmental responsibility, regardless of company size.

This development represents a step towards establishing standardised sustainable procurement practices, introducing enhanced transparency within Amazon's business-to-business (B2B) marketplace.

Additionally, it could provide a competitive edge for responsible sellers, particularly as consumer expectations for sustainability and supply chain transparency continue to intensify.

Sustainable procurement has become a critical strategy for competitive businesses.

What was once considered an additional benefit, earning organisations praise for environmental initiatives, has evolved into a source of tangible business value through environmental reporting and procurement accountability.

Facing mounting pressure from consumers and stakeholders, organisations are strengthening their supply chain due diligence whilst navigating mandatory reporting requirements.

This shift means they are moving beyond mere regulatory compliance, actively selecting sellers based on verified, data-driven environmental, social, ethical and sustainable procurement credentials.

Organisations that fail to adopt these practices are experiencing reduced customer engagement, diminished business resilience and lower profitability.

"The market is demanding radical transparency. Buyers want to align their procurement strategies with their corporate values and EcoVadis is the global standard for making that alignment possible," says Pierre-François Thaler, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of EcoVadis.

Pierre-François adds: "By enabling the display of a verified EcoVadis medal directly on Amazon Business – a B2B solution used by thousands of active sellers across Europe alone – we are empowering procurement teams to make faster, more confident, and more sustainable purchasing decisions, while rewarding the proactive sellers who are investing in their sustainability performance."

Showcasing verified sustainability credentials

Amazon Business sellers who have completed an EcoVadis assessment and earned recognition through Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum Medals, or a Committed Badge, can display this achievement on their profiles.

This enables Amazon Business customers to immediately identify sellers who are maintaining ethical supply chains.

The feature demonstrates commitment to best practices across four key themes within EcoVadis's framework:

• Environment
• Labour & Human Rights
• Ethics
• Sustainable Procurement.

The functionality could also enhance efficiency in buying and selling, as it enables customers to filter search results. This includes the option to prioritise sellers with verified sustainability profiles.

Accordingly, customers could benefit from a streamlined purchasing experience whilst businesses holding these verifications may see increased sales and potentially higher profits.

"The integration of EcoVadis recognition on Amazon Business product pages is a direct response to our customers' growing focus on sustainable purchasing," adds Jennifer Carroll, Senior Certifications Manager at Amazon Business.

"Amazon Business Sellers in the European Union (EU) can now showcase their verified sustainability credentials through EcoVadis medals and badges, making it easier for business customers to make informed procurement decisions."

Advancing long-term sustainability goals

Amazon has maintained a partnership with EcoVadis since 2018, reflecting an established commitment to sustainability reporting.

The marketplace has implemented various EcoVadis solutions throughout this period, including the Ratings, IQ Plus risk mapping, Vitals and Carbon Action Manager tools to promote sustainable procurement.

This aligns with the marketplace's broader sustainability objectives, including operational decarbonisation by 2040.

This sustainable procurement feature is currently available on EU Amazon Business stores, encompassing the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Germany, for EcoVadis Premium, Select and Corporate subscribers.

Through this expanded partnership with EcoVadis, Amazon Business is advancing its sustainability initiatives whilst encouraging similar commitments from its sellers, demonstrating recognition of its supply chain responsibility.