EcoVadis 360 Watch: how negative news affects your score

EcoVadis 360 Watch is the part of the assessment that collects and weighs external sources about your company. These include news articles, findings from regulators and reports from advocacy organisations. Findings can lower your score, raise it or leave it unchanged. Negative findings are classified by severity, and in the worst case they can block a medal.

According to the EcoVadis methodology , 360 Watch makes up 21% of the theme score. In the formula, 360 Watch counts for 60% of a block worth 35% (together with reporting). That also comes to 21% of the theme score. For how this counts alongside the other indicators, see improving your EcoVadis score. This page covers the mechanism: what is measured, how findings are classified and what you can do. EcoVadis explains the approach itself in the 360 Watch methodology .

What does 360 Watch do?

360 Watch looks for information about your company that does not come from you. This includes publications from NGOs, trade unions, government bodies, complaint mechanisms and other third parties. Analysts assess whether a source is reliable, with help from an AI tool. Sources with too little credibility are rejected and do not count.

That means three things for you:

You do not have to submit anything to be found. A report about your company can count even if you do not know about it.
A negative finding receives one of three severity levels and is linked to a theme.
Positive reports can count too. If EcoVadis finds nothing negative, you receive a standard 360 Watch score that works in your favour, because the absence of controversies is treated as a sign of a working system.

How are findings classified?

EcoVadis uses three severity levels for negative findings: minor, major and severe. The level depends on the nature of the incident, the source and the scale. A fine for a minor administrative breach is not the same as a conviction for fraud.

Situation	Possible classification	Theme affected
NGO complaint about waste processing, not investigated	Minor	Environment
Inspectorate fine for exceeding a workplace standard	Major	Labour and human rights
Conviction for bribing a buyer	Severe	Ethics
Report of a fatal workplace accident	Major to severe	Labour and human rights

This table is an example, not an overview of the official criteria. EcoVadis does not publish a fixed point deduction per severity level. Do not pass figures on to your client.

Even a severe finding does not last forever. According to the methodology (version 10.0, January 2026), a finding counts for 5 years from the date of the facts for environment, labour and human rights, sustainable procurement and information management. Corruption counts for 7 years and competition for 10 years. Older information no longer affects the score.

Effect on medals

Findings do not only count towards your score. If your 360 Watch score is 0 for at least one theme, or 25 for at least two themes, you do not receive a medal, even with a high overall score. There are exceptions. You can still receive a medal if you have no negative finding in the last 3 years (environment, labour and human rights, sustainable procurement) or 5 years (ethics). A large company with more than 1,000 employees may have at most 50 minor findings and 1 major finding. A badge follows a stricter rule: one severe finding in the last 5 years (7 years for ethics) rules out the badge. The full reason is explained on no EcoVadis medal despite a good score.

A worked example with assumptions. A construction company with 60 employees has an overall score of 70, and a medal would be within reach. During the assessment, a report appears about a severe environmental breach on a project from last year. In this example, the 360 Watch score for environment drops to 0. The company does not get a medal, even if it meets the other requirements, because it has a recent negative finding. After the assessment, the point for improvement appears in the CAP, with the measures the company takes.

EcoVadis can also act after publication. An AI tool (Live News Monitoring) screens reliable sources between assessments. In the case of a very serious controversy, EcoVadis can review your scorecard and suspend or withdraw your medal or badge.

What do you do when there is a finding?

A finding on your scorecard is not the end. You can respond to it, and you can show what you have done. This calls for a calm approach.

Read the finding carefully. Check the date, the source and the theme. Sometimes a finding is about a company with a similar name. In that case, you need to raise it.

Check whether it is accurate. You cannot argue away a finding that is based on a fact. A finding that is based on the wrong identity or an outdated situation can be challenged, with evidence.

Show what you have done. A serious incident matters less if you can show which measures you have taken. Think of a new procedure, a training or an external investigation. Record this in the CAP and in your documents. See EcoVadis corrective action plan.

Respond on time. After publication, you can review your scorecard for two working days before clients see it, and report a factual error. See EcoVadis contact.

If your 360 Watch score is 0 for one theme or 25 for two themes, EcoVadis sends you an official letter before publication. You can then provide explanation and context. This may change the severity of the finding. Do not wait until the scorecard is final.

Keep your evidence. You are in a stronger position if you have evidence for a finding that is challenged later. Keep the evidence with your documents for the next assessment.

How do you prevent findings?

You cannot prevent everything. You can reduce the risk, though. Start with the points that come up most often.

Make sure your compliance rules are followed, and record that compliance.
Keep track of complaints and reports about your company, including those that come in through clients and suppliers.
Report an incident yourself if you are legally required to, and record how it was handled.
Make sure your policies on environment, labour and integrity are up to date and used in practice.

This is mainly a matter of good management. A company that has its affairs in order and handles its incidents properly has the strongest story when a finding appears.

Common mistakes with 360 Watch

Ignoring a finding. A finding you do not know about can still end up on your scorecard. Keep an eye on the assessment.

Denying without evidence. “That is not correct” is not an argument. Support it with a document or a fact.

Responding only after the scorecard. By then it is often too late. Respond as soon as the finding comes to your attention.

Not submitting positive reports. An award or a recognition can also count. List them in your documents if they exist.

Not making your own sustainability reports consistent. If your report says something different from the news, this damages your credibility with the analyst.

Checklist after a negative finding

Are the date, the source and the theme of the finding correct?
Does it concern your company and not a company with a similar name?
Have you shown which measures you have taken?
Are the measures recorded in the CAP and in your documents?
Did you respond within the deadline, where that was possible?
Do you know how long the finding counts (5, 7 or 10 years, depending on the topic)?