Question 1

What sustainability data do procurement teams ask for?

Accepted Answer

Common requests: recycling vendor certifications (R2, ISO 14001), diversion rate by material type, total waste generated and recycled (tonnage), carbon offset from recycling, Certificates of Recycling, and a description of your waste management program. EcoVadis and CDP have standardized questionnaires; many enterprise buyers use custom scorecards.

Question 2

What is EcoVadis and how does recycling affect our score?

Accepted Answer

EcoVadis is a sustainability rating platform used by 100,000+ companies for supply chain assessment. The Environment theme (25% of total score) includes waste management metrics: recycling programs, diversion rates, hazardous waste handling, and vendor certifications. A documented recycling program directly improves your EcoVadis score.

Question 3

How does our waste affect our customers' Scope 3 reporting?

Accepted Answer

Under GHG Protocol, Scope 3 Category 5 covers "Waste Generated in Operations." When your customer reports their Scope 3, your waste management practices contribute to their calculation. Providing actual waste data (tonnage by disposal method) allows them to use primary data instead of unfavorable industry averages.

Question 4

Can you help us respond to sustainability questionnaires?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We provide documentation packages organized per common questionnaire formats — EcoVadis, CDP Supply Chain, customer-specific scorecards. Includes: program description, vendor certifications, tonnage data, diversion rates, and carbon calculations.

Question 5

What certifications matter most to procurement teams?

Accepted Answer

R2 and e-Stewards for electronics recycling. ISO 14001 for environmental management. NAID AAA for data destruction. SFI for paper recycling. EPA RCRA compliance for hazardous waste. These certifications signal that your recycling vendors meet recognized standards.

Question 6

Do we need ISO 14001 ourselves?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily — but having a documented waste management program and using ISO 14001 certified vendors demonstrates environmental management discipline. If your customers require ISO 14001, our programs provide the waste management component.

Question 7

How quickly can we get sustainability documentation?

Accepted Answer

If you're starting a new program: 4-6 weeks from audit to first monthly report. If you already have our managed services: documentation is available immediately — we can produce a questionnaire response package within 2-3 business days.

Question 8

What if we fail a customer sustainability audit?

Accepted Answer

We help you address the gaps identified in the audit — whether that's adding recycling streams, documenting existing practices, improving diversion rates, or obtaining vendor certifications. Most gaps can be closed within 30-60 days.

Question 9

Does this apply to small businesses or only enterprises?

Accepted Answer

Increasingly it applies to businesses of all sizes. Even small manufacturers and service providers are being asked for sustainability data by their enterprise customers. Having basic recycling documentation gives you an advantage over competitors who can't provide it.

Question 10

What about EU CSRD requirements?

Accepted Answer

The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires companies (and their supply chains) to disclose environmental data including waste management. If you supply EU-based customers, they may need your waste data for their CSRD disclosures. Our reporting includes CSRD-relevant waste metrics.

Question 11

How do you calculate carbon offset from recycling?

Accepted Answer

We use EPA WARM (Waste Reduction Model) methodology, which calculates GHG emissions reductions from recycling vs landfilling specific materials. For example: 1 ton of recycled cardboard avoids ~3.1 MTCO2e. These calculations are accepted by GRI, CDP, and most ESG frameworks.

Question 12

Can recycling documentation help win RFPs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Government and enterprise RFPs increasingly include sustainability scoring criteria. Documented recycling metrics, vendor certifications, and diversion data provide substantiation for sustainability claims in proposal responses.

Question 13

What's the cost of supply chain sustainability documentation?

Accepted Answer

Zero additional cost. Sustainability reporting is built into every managed recycling program. The data is collected automatically through normal operations — we format it for questionnaires and scorecards at no extra charge.

Question 14

How do we start if we have no sustainability program?

Accepted Answer

Waste audit → program setup → first monthly report. Within 6 weeks you have a documented recycling program with measurable metrics. That's enough to start responding to sustainability questionnaires and improving procurement scores.

Question 15

Do you provide data for specific procurement platforms?

Accepted Answer

We format data for EcoVadis, CDP Supply Chain, SAP Ariba sustainability modules, and custom enterprise procurement platforms. If your customer uses a specific platform, we'll provide data in the format they require.

Supply Chain Sustainability — FAQ