Table of Contents
Table of Contents
See also...
Browse our “labels” “certifications” to learn everything there is to know about EcoVadis, B Corp, EcoEntreprise, etc.
And if you need help, we help dozens of companies every year to achieve certification.
In a public bidding process in French-speaking Switzerland, the criterion “contribution to sustainable development” is scored on a scale of 0 to 5. Without certification, your score is capped at 3, even if you’ve filled out the questionnaire perfectly. For non-certified bidders, responses to the questionnaire yield a score of 3 at best, achieved with between 50 and 65 points. On the private sector side, your clients are sending you increasingly detailed EcoVadis assessments and supplier questionnaires. These aspects require preparation. Here are 10 steps, organized into three phases (assess, formalize, and improve), to earn more CSR points in your bids without getting sidetracked.
Why CSR Can Help You Win (or Lose) Bids
Public procurement: Sustainability Is Enshrined in Law
Swiss public procurement law has shifted its focus. The Federal Act on Public Procurement (LMP) and the 2019 AIMP establish the sustainable use of public funds as an objective (Art. 2) and award the contract to the most advantageous bid (Art. 41). Article 29 of the PPL expressly lists sustainable development and life-cycle costs among the criteria that the contracting authority must consider, alongside price and quality.
In French-speaking Switzerland, public procurers use a standard method for evaluating bidders’ sustainability: Annex T5 of the French-speaking Switzerland Guide to Public Procurement. This annex establishes the 0-to-5 scale mentioned above.
Private Markets: Your Clients Evaluate You Based on Your Ability to Manage Their Own Risks
Large Swiss companies have their own obligations. As of January 1, 2024, public-interest companies with at least 500 full-time equivalent positions at the group level must include a climate report in their non-financial report, as required by Articles 964a through 964c of the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO). To fulfill this requirement, they turn to their suppliers. Requests take the form of an EcoVadis assessment, an in-house questionnaire, or a request for carbon data.
Do you supply a European group subject to the CSRD? A safeguard is now in place. Since the Omnibus Directive, a client subject to the CSRD is no longer permitted to require information from its suppliers with fewer than 1,000 employees that goes beyond the voluntary VSME framework. The VSME framework thus becomes the foundation you need to master in order to confidently meet these clients’ needs.
Private Markets: Your Clients Evaluate You Based on Your Ability to Manage Their Own Risks
Standing still comes at a cost, which is felt in three areas:
- Commercial: You’re excluded from markets where certification is a prerequisite; you risk being delisted by a client that sets a minimum score; and your offering becomes outdated compared to certified competitors.
- Human Resources: Candidates who prioritize sustainability will look elsewhere, and both recruitment and retention become more difficult.
- Communication: Talking about your commitments without a structured or documented approach exposes you to reputational—and increasingly legal—risks.
How CSR Points Are Actually Awarded
The scoring system in Appendix T5 of the Romand Guide, explained
In its May 1, 2026, version, Appendix T5 is based on a questionnaire that has been renamed Appendix R20, and the score depends primarily on the certifications you hold.
| Note | Examples of recognized certifications |
|---|---|
| 5 | EcoEntreprise “Excellence,” B Corp “Outstanding” or “Extraordinary,” Engagé RSE “Exemplary” |
| 4.5 | EcoEntreprise “Sustainable Development,” B Corp “Great” or “Good,” Valais Excellence Label |
| 4 | EcoVadis Platinum, “Engagé RSE” Commitment, Geneva Carbon Label, esg2go ≥ 80 points, compliance with two of the following standards: ISO 14001, 45001, and 50001 |
| 3.5 | EcoVadis Gold or Silver, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, SA 8000, esg2go ≥ 70 points |
| 3 | EcoVadis Bronze, B Impact Assessment self-assessment, verified EcoEntreprise self-declaration, ISO 45001, STI Directory Leader |
| 0 to 3 | No certification: score calculated based on your answers to questions 2.1 through 4.3 |
Three rules that make all the difference:
- The threshold for non-certified bidders. Questions 2.1 through 4.3 total 13, each worth 5 points, for a maximum of 65 points; however, even a total score of 50 to 65 points results in a grade of 3.
- The certification must be yours. The contracting authority verifies that the certificate belongs to the bidder—and not to its suppliers or subcontractors—and that it is valid at the time the bid is submitted.
- A wrong answer can be costly. Inaccurate information regarding certification or in the answers may result in a score of zero or even exclusion from the procedure, in accordance with Article 44 of the AIMP 2019.
To learn more about preparing a bid, see the article “Maximizing Sustainability Points in Public Procurement in French-speaking Switzerland.”
The EcoVadis framework: 4 themes, 7 indicators
EcoVadis evaluates four areas: the environment, social and human rights, business ethics, and responsible procurement. On the assessment sheet, each category is scored based on seven indicators: Policies, Adherence, Measures, Certifications, Coverage, Reporting, and 360° Monitoring.
Two of these indicators are entirely up to you. “Policies” requires you to document your commitments, while “Reporting” requires you to publish your figures. These are often the easiest points to earn, as they require neither material investment nor an audit period.
Step 1: Assess where you're gaining (and losing) points
Action 1: Break down exactly what your customers really want
Take a look at your last three bid proposals and customer requests, and evaluate them based on these five questions:
- Is a specific certification required, or is there an open list of equivalencies? Appendix T5 allows you to submit a certification not listed in the scale, provided you can demonstrate its equivalence.
- Is it necessary to complete a standard questionnaire (R20, VSME, EcoVadis) or a custom questionnaire?
- Is this requirement eliminatory or differentiating? Sustainability may appear in the conditions of participation, eligibility criteria, or technical specifications—not just in the award criteria. Failure to meet a condition results in disqualification. A bid award criterion results in a loss of points, but nothing more.
- Does the client require participation or a specific result? “Having an EcoVadis assessment” and “at least a Silver medal” do not require the same level of effort.
- What will your future clients require? If you’re targeting local authorities in French-speaking Switzerland next year, the T5 scale is your benchmark starting today.
Also note the weight assigned to the “sustainability” criterion in the evaluation grid. It varies from one request for proposals to another and indicates how much effort the topic warrants.
Step 2: See what your competitors are doing
Your competitors leave a public trail. For open and selective procedures governed by the 2019 AIMP, the award decision is systematically published on simap.ch. This means you know who wins the contracts you’re targeting.
Next, check their level of commitment: an EcoVadis badge displayed on their website or LinkedIn profile, listing in the B Corp or Swiss Triple Impact directory, or a published sustainability report. Organize all this information into a three-column table: competitor, certification, and estimated score on the T5 scale. You’ll quickly see whether a score of 3 is sufficient in your industry, or if the top performers already have scores of 4 or 5.
Step 3: Estimate the cost of your project before you get started
Once you have selected a framework, assess yourself against its requirements. Then weigh each issue using the dual materiality approach: what impacts your business, and what impact your business has on the environment and society. Finally, allocate a budget of time and money to each topic based on your level of maturity.
Mini Case Study: An EcoVadis Report Card Scoring 68/100
Scores by category: Environment 77, Social 68 (down), Ethics 53, Responsible Sourcing 53. A review of the report highlights four priorities.
- Protect the achievements. The Environment category is strong thanks to ISO 14001 certification, which scored 100 on the Certifications indicator. The documentation system must remain up to date to avoid losing any points.
- Focus on Social Responsibility, a high-impact area. Its policy scores 50, while its reporting scores only 25.
- Go for the easy points. The Ethics and Procurement policies are capped at 25: drafting them yields quick results.
- Pool resources. The social reporting initiative can incorporate ethics and procurement from the outset.
Result: four targeted areas, instead of 28 boxes to fill out (4 themes × 7 indicators). For this type of analysis, find out how to improve your EcoVadis score.
Step 1: Assess where you're gaining (and losing) points
A buyer doesn’t take your intentions into account. They take into account what you can prove.
Action 4: Develop policies with quantifiable goals
A policy that pays off consists of four elements: a commitment, a specific target, a deadline, and a person in charge. The difference is immediately apparent:
- Before: “We are working to reduce our energy consumption.”
- After (example): “By the end of 2027, the company will reduce its electricity consumption by 15% compared to 2025. Oversight: Head of General Services. Monitoring: Quarterly kWh readings.”
Develop these policies together with the operational teams that will implement them, and then entrust them with monitoring compliance. A collaboratively developed policy is a living document, and evidence of its effectiveness almost gathers on its own. In the R20 questionnaire, this work directly informs the questions on strategy (2.2) and the organizational structure put in place (2.3).
If you hold or are working toward ISO 14001 certification, your policies will become even more robust. The 2026 version of the standard, published on April 15, 2026, places greater emphasis on management commitment, the product life cycle, and impacts throughout the supply chain. Certificates based on the 2015 version must transition to the new edition by May 2029.
Action 5: Establish a 3-year reporting system
One year of data provides a snapshot. Three years paint a picture of your trajectory and demonstrate that your policies are having an impact. This is what the EcoVadis Reporting indicator and the R20 questions on performance monitoring (2.4) and communication (2.5) assess.
As for the framework, you have two options. The GRI is the international standard. The VSME is tailored for SMEs: developed by EFRAG, it was recommended by the European Commission on July 30, 2025.
Six indicators are enough to get started, each linked to the most relevant R20 question:
| Start Indicator | Question R20 | EcoVadis Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Consumption (kWh) | 3.1 Energy Management | Environment |
| Waste (metric tons, recycling rate) | 3.2 Waste Management | Environment |
| Commuting (modes, km) | 3.3 Mobility Plan | Environment |
| Accidents and Absences | 4.3 Health and Safety | Social and Human Rights |
| Training hours per person | 4.1 Company Appeal | Social and Human Rights |
| Percentage of Purchases Evaluated | 2.6 Responsible Procurement | Responsible procurement |
Action 6: Invest in an external audit
Why is a verified label worth more than a self-assessment? The methodology in Appendix T5 provides the answer. A certification receives an additional half point if it is verified by an independent body or through an audit process compliant with ISO 19011, another half point if it incorporates continuous improvement, and a third half point if it distinguishes between performance levels. This explains the 3-point cap for unverified initiatives.
External audits also help drive progress: the auditor highlights gaps that you may no longer notice. In the private sector, CSR ratings are gradually becoming as important as financial ratings in supplier risk management.
Which standard should you aim for? It all depends on your goal:
- You’re aiming for the highest rating in public procurement in French-speaking Switzerland: EcoEntreprise (based on ISO 26000), B Corp, or Engagé RSE at the highest levels.
- Your private clients are asking for an EcoVadis rating: EcoVadis, which also counts toward the T5 scale (from 3 to 4 depending on the medal).
- You want to start by establishing an environmental management system: ISO 14001 (3.5), which can be combined with ISO 45001 or 50001 to reach a score of 4.
- You’re just starting out and want an initial recognized level: a verified EcoEntreprise self-assessment or esg2go (60 points or more for a 3 rating).
To get started, find out how to prepare for your CSR certification.
Step 3: Get up to speed on the topics buyers are looking into
Action 7: Engage Your Value Chain
The R20 questionnaire includes one question on sustainable procurement (2.6) and another on the sustainability requirements you impose on your subcontractors, suppliers, and partners (2.7). EcoVadis devotes an entire section to this topic. Here’s how to proceed:
- List your 10 to 20 main suppliers, either by purchase amount or by risk level.
- Evaluate them using publicly available data (certifications, reports) or through a questionnaire. A simple rubric is sufficient: location, environmental, social, governance, overall score, status, and areas for improvement.
- If necessary, delegate the assessment to EcoVadis by inviting your suppliers to be rated through the platform.
- Formalize your expectations in a supplier charter, attached to your contracts.
- For an advanced approach, work together to develop improvement plans, either on a supplier-by-supplier basis or in groups.
Please note: A supplier’s certification enhances your procurement policy, but it never replaces your own policy in the T5 scale.
Action 8: Establish a credible carbon reduction pathway
Switzerland has set a course. The Climate and Innovation Act (LCl) has been in effect since January 1, 2025. Article 5 sets a net-zero emissions target for businesses by 2050—at a minimum for Scopes 1 and 2—and allows them to develop roadmaps based on guidelines and standards provided by the federal government.
To achieve this, take it one step at a time:
- Step 1: Measure. Conduct a carbon footprint assessment covering Scopes 1, 2, and 3.
- Step 2: Get involved. Join the SME Climate Hub, designed for small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Step 3: Get it validated. Submit your trajectory to the SBTi, or evaluate it using the ACT method.
In French-speaking Switzerland, a carbon label also earns points. The Geneva Carbon Label, the CARBON FRI Label, and the Go Carbon Free Label are worth a score of 4 on the T5 scale, while Climate Services labels are worth a score of 3.5.
Action 9: Measure the impact of your products and services
Your customers calculate their Scope 3 emissions, which include everything they purchase from you. If you provide them with the carbon footprint of your product or service, you make their lives easier. You’ll also be speaking the language of public procurement officials, who can take life-cycle costs into account under Article 29 of the Public Procurement Act.
In practical terms, a printing company can calculate the carbon footprint of a batch of 1,000 brochures based on the paper and ink selected. A cleaning company can quantify the environmental impact of its service per square meter cleaned. Start with your flagship product or service—the one that accounts for the largest share of your revenue.
Action 10: Train and engage your employees and partners
The basics: provide proof. Attendance lists, certificates, annual training plan. Without written documentation, training does not exist in the eyes of the evaluator.
The advanced approach: sustaining engagement over time. Micro-learning sessions lasting just a few minutes a day, a network of ambassadors, and group challenges. For example, a 4-week mental health challenge helps teams progress step by step: taking care of themselves, then their colleagues, then leveraging company resources, before establishing lasting habits.
These actions address three R20 questions: the company’s attractiveness (4.1), professional integration and reintegration (4.2), and health and safety (4.3). One point is often overlooked: the Guide romand provides a separate scoring method for the criterion of initial vocational training, described in its Appendix T6. Do you train apprentices? Be sure to highlight this in each job posting.
FAQ: CSR and RFP Processes
Where to start this week
Take a recent call for proposals and apply Action 1 to it. Place yourself in the T5 category. Then identify the two or three R20 questions for which you already have actions but no evidence yet: that’s where you’ll find your quickest points.
To help you plan your next steps, Mon Entreprise Durable offers a free guide, “CSR Strategy to Win in Public Procurement.” It helps you align your approach with public buyers’ criteria and build a proposal that stands out. Would you prefer to move forward with support? Coptain’s experts start where you are and help you accelerate the process.
