How to answer a supplier sustainability questionnaire

To answer a supplier sustainability questionnaire well, give specific, honest answers backed by evidence: real figures with the method stated, policies with dates, and a clear “not yet, here is our plan” where you have a gap. Most questions repeat across customers, so once you have good answers and a carbon footprint, each new questionnaire gets quicker.

If you have not looked at the questionnaire yet and feel a bit overwhelmed, start with our calmer step-by-step guide on what to do when a customer sends you an ESG questionnaire. This page is the practical companion: what to actually write.

The three rules that matter most

1. Be specific. “We use LED lighting throughout our office, installed in 2024” beats “We are committed to energy efficiency”.
2. Show your working. For any number, say the period, the method and whether it is measured or estimated.
3. Never overclaim. Procurement teams check, and some ask for evidence later. A gap with a plan is fine. A false yes is not.

Example answers to common questions

These are the questions that appear, in one form or another, on almost every questionnaire. The example answers are for a fictional 20-person firm. Change them to match your business.

Do you have an environmental policy?

Yes. Our environmental policy was approved by our directors in March 2026 and is reviewed annually. It is attached and published on our website.

What were your Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions last year?

For the year to 31 March 2026: Scope 1, 6.8 tCO2e (gas heating and two company cars); Scope 2, 3.9 tCO2e location-based and 0 tCO2e market-based (renewable tariff backed by REGOs). Calculated under the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, operational control, using UK Government conversion factors. Not externally verified.

Do you measure Scope 3 emissions?

Partly. We measure business travel by air and rail, waste and water (2.1 tCO2e in total). We do not yet measure purchased goods, employee commuting or freight.

Do you use renewable electricity?

Yes, since June 2025. Our supplier provides REGO-backed renewable electricity.

Do you have a carbon reduction target?

Not yet. Now that we have a baseline, we plan to set a target by December 2026, covering Scope 1 and 2 at minimum.

What are your emissions attributable to our business?

Using revenue allocation, you represented about 12% of our turnover last year, so around 1.5 tCO2e of our 12.8 tCO2e total.

Do you pay the Real Living Wage?

We pay all staff at or above the Real Living Wage, but we are not accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

Do you have a Modern Slavery statement?

We are below the £36 million turnover threshold, so we are not required to publish one. Our code of conduct prohibits forced labour and we ask our main suppliers to confirm they comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

How do you protect personal data?

We comply with UK GDPR. We have a data protection policy, staff complete annual training, and we are registered with the ICO.

Who is responsible for sustainability in your business?

Our Managing Director is responsible for sustainability. Progress against our action plan is reviewed at our quarterly management meeting.

Do you assess your own suppliers?

Our main suppliers are asked to confirm they comply with our code of conduct, including on labour rights, anti-bribery and environmental practice. We review this when we appoint a new supplier.

Where the numbers come from

The emissions questions are where most small suppliers get stuck. You need your Scope 1 emissions (fuel you burn yourself, such as gas and company vehicles) and Scope 2 emissions (electricity you buy). Many questionnaires ask for Scope 2 both ways, which our location-based vs market-based glossary entry explains.

ESG Now calculates these for you from simple questions, using the GHG Protocol and the UK Government conversion factors matched to your reporting period. It reports Scope 2 both location-based and market-based. It also covers Scope 3 business travel (flights, rail, taxis, hotels and staff mileage claims), courier deliveries you pay for, waste and water, with estimates of employee commuting, homeworking and, optionally, purchased goods from your spend. Every figure is labelled as measured, estimated or a data gap, which is exactly the transparency procurement teams want.

What it does not cover: inbound freight paid for by your suppliers, supplier-specific product footprints, and downstream categories such as the use and disposal of products you sell. If a questionnaire asks for those, answer that they are not yet measured.

How long will yours take?

Pick the option that sounds most like your business. You will see a realistic time, what to have nearby and a head start on the questions.

Which sounds most like you?

Sole trader working from homeConsultants, designers, developers, coaches10 to 15 minSole trader or freelancer in a co-working spaceA desk at a WeWork, Regus or local hub10 to 15 minSmall team in a co-working or serviced officeStartups and agencies with 2 to 25 people15 to 20 minSME with its own office and no vehiclesProfessional services, tech firms, studios20 to 30 minSME with vans, cars or regular staff travelTrades, field services, consultancies on the road30 to 45 minShop, cafe, workshop or product businessRetail, hospitality, makers and manufacturers30 to 45 min

Your estimate

Pick the option closest to your business and we will tell you how long it takes and what to have ready.

Most small businesses finish in under 30 minutes. Sole traders are often done in 10.

How to handle questions you cannot answer

Some questions are simply not written for small businesses. “Describe your board-level climate governance” when you have two directors. “Provide your SBTi-validated target” when you have never heard of SBTi.

You have three honest options:

• Not applicable, with a reason. “We have no manufacturing sites, so this does not apply.”
• Proportionate answer. “As a two-director business, our Managing Director is responsible for sustainability and reviews it at our quarterly management meeting.”
• Not yet, with a date. “We are not currently in a position to set a science-based target. We will review this in 2027.”

If a question looks irrelevant or confusing, ask the customer’s contact. They often clarify that it is optional for smaller suppliers.

What evidence to attach

Attach evidence wherever the form allows. Useful documents:

• a carbon footprint report that shows its method and factors
• your environmental policy and code of conduct, signed and dated
• your health and safety policy
• certificates (ISO 14001, Cyber Essentials, Living Wage accreditation) if you have them
• a renewable electricity confirmation from your energy supplier

If you are asked to complete an EcoVadis assessment, documents matter even more. Our guide to EcoVadis for small businesses covers that.

Build an answer bank

Once you have answered one questionnaire, save every answer in a single document with the date. Most questions recur, and some customers use common frameworks such as the EU’s VSME standard. A well-kept answer bank, refreshed each year with a new footprint, turns a two-week headache into an afternoon.

If you have not got a footprint yet, start your free report. Your answers save as you go, so you can do it in two sittings if you need to. For more support, see our supplier questionnaires hub.