A new global report by sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis reveals a significant increase in corporate efforts to improve environmental, social, and ethical performance across operations and supply chains. The ninth edition of the Global Supply Chain Sustainability Risk & Performance Index assessed 89,000 companies—nearly 50,000 of them in 2024 alone—and shows a 167% increase in global sustainability ratings over the past five years.
Asia-Pacific leads 2024 gains, surpassing North America on environment
In 2024, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region emerged as the fastest mover, with companies improving their average scores by three points across all four sustainability dimensions: Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Notably, APAC firms overtook their North American counterparts in environmental performance and are quickly narrowing the gap in sustainable procurement—a key indicator of supply chain resilience and long-term value.
Despite trailing North America and Europe in Ethics and Labour & Human Rights, APAC’s rapid progress is reshaping the global sustainability landscape. For companies in the West to maintain leadership, the report suggests that sustainability commitments must translate into deeper, supplier-level engagement—particularly in procurement.
Sustainability performance improves despite polarised landscape
Globally, the report highlights a broader trend of corporate action beyond risk assessment. More companies are demonstrating sustained improvements over time, even as political discourse around ESG issues becomes increasingly divided. Among firms rated multiple times, 27% are now classified as top performers—more than twice the share recorded in 2020—indicating growing maturity in corporate sustainability practices.
Other notable findings from the report include:
- China surpasses the U.S. in ratings activity: In a strong signal of growing interest in supply chain transparency, China recorded a 37% increase in sustainability ratings in 2024, overtaking the U.S. and ranking second globally after France. The Middle East and Africa led regional growth with a 42% increase in assessments, followed by Europe at 33%.
- First-time ratings expose risk gaps: Over a third of companies undergoing their first assessment in 2024 were rated as high to medium risk (below 45 on the EcoVadis scale), pointing to widespread challenges in managing sustainability risks. The issue was particularly pronounced outside Europe—62% of first-time rated firms in China and 45% in the U.S. scored below the risk threshold, compared with just 12% in the UK.
- Regular assessments yield better outcomes: Among companies rated more than once, 86% achieved a score above the risk threshold, suggesting that consistent monitoring plays a crucial role in improving sustainability outcomes and risk mitigation.
- Procurement remains a weak link: Although sustainable procurement saw the most improvement in 2024, it remains the weakest performance area overall. Some 60% of all rated companies—and 75% of those assessed for the first time—were still classified as high or medium risk.
The average EcoVadis score rose to 53.4 in 2024, placing most companies in the “Good” category for sustainability performance. The Index complements findings from the EcoVadis Business Sustainability Outlook, which noted that 87% of U.S. executives maintained or increased sustainability investments in 2025.
“In a noisy political environment, supply chain performance tells a clearer story,” said Sylvain Guyoton, Chief Rating Officer at EcoVadis. “The Index offers clear evidence that supply chain partners are following through. Companies that stay committed to business sustainability efforts are reaping the benefits—risk reduction, resilience, supply chain performance, cost savings and growth—and setting the pace for the rest of the market.”
