A new report by EcoVadis reveals a major shift in global sustainability leadership, with the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region outpacing North America in environmental progress for the first time.
Based on assessments of 89,000 companies—including nearly 50,000 in 2024—the ninth annual Global Supply Chain Sustainability Risk & Performance Index shows a 167% rise in global sustainability ratings over five years.
APAC companies made the largest year-over-year improvements in 2024, gaining three points across EcoVadis’ four core themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.
China also surpassed the U.S. in rating activity, with a 37% jump in 2024 alone, while France held its position as the top-rated country.
Notably, Africa & the Middle East led regional growth with a 42% increase in assessments.
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APAC now leads in environmental performance and is quickly closing the gap on responsible sourcing—an area crucial for long-term resilience and return on investment (ROI).
However, it still lags Europe and North America in Ethics and Labor & Human Rights, indicating room for improvement.
The index signals a broader shift from risk identification to measurable environmental, social, and governance (ESG) progress.
Among companies rated more than once, 86% scored above the risk threshold, and the share of top-performing firms more than doubled since 2020.
“In a noisy political environment, supply chain performance tells a clearer story,” said Sylvain Guyoton, EcoVadis’ chief rating officer.
Still, sustainable procurement remains a weak spot: 60% of companies—and 75% of first-timers—fell into higher-risk categories in this area.
Yet, the average score rose to 53.4 in 2024, placing most firms in the “Good” range.
As ESG investment grows, the data shows that sustainability is evolving from a compliance issue into a source of measurable business value.
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