What is a supplier questionnaire?
Understand why buyers send ESG questionnaires, what they contain, and how to respond effectively.
What is a supplier questionnaire?
A supplier questionnaire is a structured set of questions that a buyer sends to its suppliers to assess their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. Buyers use questionnaires to understand the risks in their supply chains, comply with their own reporting obligations, and make procurement decisions.
Questionnaires can range from a simple 10-question form asking about your environmental policy to a comprehensive 200-question assessment covering your entire ESG programme. The complexity depends on the buyer's requirements and the regulatory framework they are operating under.
Why are buyers sending questionnaires now?
Three major regulatory developments are driving the surge in supplier questionnaires:
California SB 253 (USA)
Requires companies with >$1 billion revenue doing business in California to report Scope 3 emissions — which means asking their suppliers for data. First Scope 3 reports are due in 2027.
Read the full guide →CSRD (EU)
Requires large EU companies to report on their entire value chain. EU buyers will use the VSME standard to request data from their SME suppliers. Phase 2 reports are due in 2026.
Read the full guide →LkSG (Germany)
Requires German companies with ≥1,000 employees to conduct annual due diligence on their supply chains. Suppliers receive questionnaires covering human rights and environmental risks.
Read the full guide →What do questionnaires typically ask?
| Topic | Typical questions | Framework |
|---|---|---|
| GHG Emissions | Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data; methodology; verification status | SB 253, CSRD, TCFD |
| Energy | Total energy consumption; renewable energy percentage; energy intensity | CSRD, SECR |
| Environmental Policy | Do you have an environmental policy? Is it publicly available? | LkSG, CSRD, EcoVadis |
| Human Rights | Do you have a human rights policy? Do you conduct due diligence? | LkSG, CSDDD, SA8000 |
| Labour Standards | Working hours; minimum wage compliance; freedom of association | LkSG, SA8000 |
| Health & Safety | Injury rates; safety management system; certifications | LkSG, EcoVadis |
| Anti-Corruption | Anti-bribery policy; training; reporting mechanisms | LkSG, GRI |
| Certifications | ISO 14001, ISO 45001, SA8000, FSC, etc. | EcoVadis, CSRD |
How to respond effectively
Identify the framework
Find out which regulatory framework the questionnaire is based on (SB 253, CSRD, LkSG, etc.). This tells you exactly what data you need to provide.
Gather your data
Collect your energy bills, fuel records, and waste data to calculate your GHG emissions. Gather copies of your policies, certifications, and management system documentation.
Be honest about gaps
If you don't have a particular policy or certification, say so — and explain what you are doing to address the gap. Buyers prefer honest suppliers who are making progress over those who overstate their credentials.
Document your methodology
For GHG data, explain how you calculated your emissions — which emission factors you used, which boundaries you applied, and whether the data has been verified.
Build your evidence library
Store your policies, certificates, and data in a central location so you can respond quickly to future questionnaires. ESG Stress Free provides a document library for this purpose.
Free supplier questionnaire checklist
Download our step-by-step guide to responding to ESG supplier questionnaires.