Question

What happens when EcoVadis reclassifies our company size — and can we prevent it?

There is no straightforward way to prevent it: EcoVadis determines company size automatically from the total number of full-time employees, using both publicly available information and the data you provide during account setup. If you cross a threshold — for example from XS to S — the platform places you in the new bracket.

The impact is significant. When the questionnaire changes, more (or different) criteria can be activated and the standard applied to each indicator may shift: XS companies enjoy a streamlined questionnaire (fewer questions, different weighting, some topics absent), and the move to S is a genuine shift in scope. A company that previously scored 71/100 as an SME may find itself below Silver after reclassification because the scoring standard is now higher. Previous scores are not retroactively adjusted — historical scorecards remain as issued — and the reclassification takes effect at the next assessment cycle.

Practical approach: build the expanded requirements into your improvement planning and address newly activating criteria before the next submission. If you believe EcoVadis has applied an incorrect employee count, raise this through the support portal before opening the questionnaire.