ESG Response Checklist: Complete Data Requirements

You want to be prepared before the next ESG questionnaire arrives—not scrambling after. But what exactly should you track? What data do customers actually want?

This checklist covers the data points that appear across EcoVadis, CDP, Sedex, and common custom questionnaires. Not every customer asks for everything, but if you can provide these items, you can answer virtually any supplier ESG assessment.

Company Information

Basic profile data that appears on every questionnaire:

☐ Legal company name ☐ Trading names / DBAs if different ☐ Company registration number ☐ Headquarters address ☐ All facility addresses if multiple locations ☐ Industry classification (NACE, SIC, or NAICS codes) ☐ Primary business activities description ☐ Year established ☐ Ownership structure (private, public, subsidiary, etc.) ☐ Parent company details if applicable ☐ Annual revenue (range is usually acceptable) ☐ Number of employees (total, by location if multiple)

Environmental Data

Energy and Emissions

☐ Total electricity consumption (kWh) for reporting year ☐ Electricity consumption by facility if multiple locations ☐ Renewable electricity percentage (if any) ☐ Natural gas consumption (kWh or cubic meters) ☐ Other fuel consumption by type (diesel, petrol, LPG, heating oil) ☐ Fleet fuel consumption separately if significant ☐ Scope 1 emissions total (tonnes CO2e) ☐ Scope 1 emissions by source category ☐ Scope 2 emissions - location-based (tonnes CO2e) ☐ Scope 2 emissions - market-based (if purchasing renewables) ☐ Scope 3 emissions by category (if calculated) ☐ Emission factors used with sources ☐ Year-over-year comparison data ☐ Emissions intensity metrics (per revenue, per employee, per unit)

Water

☐ Total water consumption (cubic meters) ☐ Water consumption by source (municipal, groundwater, etc.) ☐ Water discharge volumes if tracked ☐ Water-intensive processes description if applicable

Waste

☐ Total waste generated (tonnes) ☐ Waste by disposal method (landfill, recycling, incineration, composting) ☐ Hazardous waste volumes separately ☐ Recycling rate percentage ☐ Waste reduction initiatives description

Other Environmental

☐ Significant environmental incidents in reporting period ☐ Environmental fines or penalties if any ☐ Biodiversity impacts if relevant to operations ☐ Packaging materials used (if product supplier) ☐ Product end-of-life considerations

Social Data

Workforce

☐ Total headcount (FTE) ☐ Headcount by gender ☐ Headcount by employment type (permanent, temporary, contractor) ☐ Headcount by location/country ☐ Management positions by gender ☐ New hires in reporting period ☐ Employee turnover rate ☐ Turnover by category if tracked (voluntary/involuntary)

Health and Safety

☐ Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR) ☐ Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) ☐ Number of work-related injuries ☐ Number of work-related fatalities ☐ Near-miss incidents if tracked ☐ Lost workdays due to injury ☐ Safety training hours delivered ☐ Percentage of workforce trained on safety

Training and Development

☐ Total training hours delivered ☐ Average training hours per employee ☐ Training topics covered ☐ Percentage of workforce receiving training

Labor Practices

☐ Minimum wage compliance statement ☐ Working hours policy/practice ☐ Overtime practices ☐ Freedom of association policy or practice ☐ Grievance mechanism description ☐ Child labor policy and verification ☐ Forced labor policy and verification

Diversity and Inclusion

☐ Workforce diversity statistics (what you track) ☐ Diversity initiatives description ☐ Equal opportunity policy status ☐ Pay equity analysis (if conducted)

Governance Data

Corporate Governance

☐ Governance structure description ☐ Board/ownership composition ☐ Sustainability oversight responsibility ☐ ESG/sustainability in executive objectives

Ethics and Compliance

☐ Code of conduct existence and scope ☐ Anti-corruption/bribery policy ☐ Whistleblowing/reporting mechanism ☐ Ethics training delivered ☐ Compliance incidents in reporting period ☐ Legal proceedings related to ethics/compliance

Data Protection

☐ Data protection/privacy policy ☐ GDPR compliance status (if applicable) ☐ Data breaches in reporting period ☐ Information security certifications

Risk Management

☐ Risk management process description ☐ ESG risks identified ☐ Business continuity planning

Supply Chain Data

Supplier Management

☐ Number of direct suppliers ☐ Supplier code of conduct existence ☐ Percentage of suppliers who signed code of conduct ☐ Supplier assessment process description ☐ Supplier audits conducted ☐ Supplier ESG criteria in selection

Supply Chain Traceability

☐ Key raw material origins (if product supplier) ☐ Conflict minerals policy if applicable ☐ Supply chain mapping extent

Certifications and Standards

☐ ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) ☐ ISO 45001 / OHSAS 18001 (Health and Safety) ☐ ISO 9001 (Quality Management) ☐ ISO 50001 (Energy Management) ☐ ISO 27001 (Information Security) ☐ Industry-specific certifications ☐ B Corp certification ☐ EcoVadis rating and score ☐ CDP score ☐ Other sustainability ratings

For each certification: ☐ Certificate copy ☐ Certification body name ☐ Scope of certification ☐ Expiry date ☐ Most recent audit date

Policy Documents

Policies customers commonly request:

☐ Environmental Policy ☐ Health and Safety Policy ☐ Code of Conduct / Ethics Policy ☐ Anti-Corruption / Anti-Bribery Policy ☐ Human Rights Policy ☐ Supplier Code of Conduct ☐ Equal Opportunity / Non-Discrimination Policy ☐ Data Protection / Privacy Policy ☐ Modern Slavery Statement (if applicable) ☐ Quality Policy ☐ Conflict Minerals Policy (if applicable)

For each policy: ☐ Current version available ☐ Dated and signed by leadership ☐ Reviewed within last 2 years

Targets and Commitments

☐ Emissions reduction target (if set) ☐ Science-based target status ☐ Net zero commitment (if made) ☐ Energy efficiency targets ☐ Renewable energy targets ☐ Waste reduction targets ☐ Water reduction targets ☐ Diversity targets ☐ Safety improvement targets ☐ Progress against targets

Evidence and Documentation

Beyond data and policies, supporting evidence commonly requested:

☐ Sustainability report (if published) ☐ Annual report (if published) ☐ Energy audit reports ☐ Safety audit reports ☐ Training records / attendance logs ☐ Environmental incident reports ☐ Emissions calculation methodology ☐ Third-party verification statements ☐ Management review meeting minutes ☐ Improvement project descriptions

Prioritization Guide

You don't need everything on this list. Prioritize based on:

Must have (customers always ask):

• Company profile information
• Energy consumption data
• Basic emissions calculations (Scope 1 and 2)
• Headcount and safety metrics
• Core policies (environmental, safety, ethics)

Should have (frequently requested):

• Waste data
• Training metrics
• Certifications
• Supplier management basics
• Targets and progress

Nice to have (advanced assessments):

• Scope 3 emissions
• Detailed diversity metrics
• Third-party verification
• Comprehensive supply chain data
• Science-based targets

Start with "must have," add "should have" as capacity allows, and build toward "nice to have" over time.

Using This Checklist

Initial assessment: Work through the list marking what you have, what you could get, and what you don't track. This reveals your gaps.

System building: Use the list to structure your master data file (covered in the ESG response system guide).

Gap prioritization: Focus first on items that appear on multiple customer questionnaires and that you can reasonably develop.

Annual review: Revisit the checklist yearly. What can you add? What's now being tracked that wasn't before?

The goal isn't to check every box immediately. The goal is knowing what customers want so you can systematically build capability rather than scrambling when questionnaires arrive.

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