Sweet success: Helping Hey Honey achieve EcoVadis Gold and showcase its positive impact 

“When it comes to aligning your EcoVadis submission with the assessment criteria, there’s no substitute for having someone who knows the process inside out. Nexio Projects ensured that we could accurately capture our sustainability efforts and achievements.” 

– Chris Adams, Founder and Chief Impact Officer at Hey Honey 

Amsterdam-based social-first creative agency Hey Honey (and its wider Honey Partnership network) was looking for expert guidance to improve its EcoVadis score. The goal? Enabling the group to effectively communicate its commitment to driving a positive impact through creativity to key stakeholders, and to drive further progress on its sustainability ambitions. Nexio Projects provided comprehensive support throughout – from initial gap analysis and documentation collection to submission and strategic guidance – giving Hey Honey an efficient pathway to its first EcoVadis Gold Medal. 

Check out our case study below for a closer look at the Nexio Projects solutions that ensured Hey Honey’s ambitious sustainability results.

Read on to discover how we enabled Hey Honey to secure an EcoVadis Gold Medal and establish a solid foundation for showcasing its positive impact, with tangible results.   

Showcasing Hey Honey’s conscious creative approach 

Hey Honey is about more than just creating unforgettable work for global clients such as JBL, Henkel, Semrush, and Crocs. Everything they do centres around ‘conscious creative’ – a company-wide commitment to using both creative and operational resources to generate positive impact for people and the planet. Indeed, the Gold EcoVadis rating was only the latest step in Hey Honey’s engagement with sustainability frameworks. For example, one year ago, the company became a signatory of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) – a set of principles to support companies in implementing key human rights, labour and environmental standards. 

  In 2022, the company also undertook a self-led EcoVadis assessment, achieving a Bronze Medal. As Chris Adams, Founder and Chief Impact Officer at Hey Honey, explains, there was a solid business case for this decision: “EcoVadis has absolute commercial value,” he says. “One of our biggest clients requires it from all their suppliers. We’re also seeing many businesses that are looking to expand globally who view EcoVadis as a way to demonstrate their sustainability credentials, and they’re demanding it from their creative partners, too.” However, when it came to completing their next assessment, the team came to the conclusion that their approach needed to reflect their growing sustainability maturity. “The learning from our first attempt was crucial,” Chris continues. “We realised that you can’t just ‘dip in’. It needs to be a strategically driven commitment.” 

From Bronze to Gold: A strategic transformation 

As a Platinum-rated company and official strategic EcoVadis global partner, Nexio Projects brings both the technical expertise and hands-on experience to support companies throughout the entire EcoVadis assessment journey. The process begins with a thorough gap analysis to identify which documentation and policies are already available and which still need to be developed. This in-depth preparation phase is essential to focus efforts on the areas where additional work is required, ensuring maximum efficiency throughout – as Amelia Harris, COO at Hey Honey, explains: “Our biggest concern going into the EcoVadis assessment was that we wouldn’t have all of the matierals required, and it would be a lot of work,” she says. “But with the help of our dedicated Nexio consultant, Herman, we discovered that we had a lot of what we needed.” 

By providing a detailed overview of Hey Honey’s existing strengths and areas for improvement, we helped the company build a more holistic view of its environmental and social impacts across the entire value chain. This comprehensive perspective was fundamental to achieving EcoVadis success. “By encouraging us to look both outwards and inwards in greater detail, the collaboration with Nexio ensured that we could accurately capture our sustainability efforts and achievements,” continues Chris. “Nexio helped us to systematise and validate our existing documents, streamlining the submission process and achieving a better result than we could have done alone. It’s helped to build stronger internal alignment around our purpose and demonstrates the tangible difference we’re all making through our work.” 

Comprehensive project management and genuine partnership 

One of the most significant improvements from Hey Honey’s previous self-led approach was the comprehensive project management and dedicated support provided throughout the process. Using tools and document collection platforms, we helped the team easily track tasks and maintain accountability across all stakeholders.

“Even though we’re a relatively small agency, we work with global brands, and we’re focused on getting an EcoVadis score that meets their expectations,” says Chris. “But there are many different impact areas to cover that you can only succeed if all relevant stakeholders in your company are on board and you have a robust collection and monitoring system. So, when it comes to aligning your submission with the assessment criteria, there’s no substitute for having consultants that know the process inside out.” 

In addition to the practical project management side, the personal consultation and tailored guidance that we provided to Hey Honey were also standout features.

Amelia adds:

“What most impressed us was the high level of engagement we received from our consultant and the wider team at Nexio”.

“They were always responsive, and I felt like they genuinely cared about our progress, taking the time to understand the specifics of our industry and organisation. When we uploaded our documents, they were excited to see how many policies we already had in place. And when we eventually achieved our Gold EcoVadis rating, our project manager called up to congratulate us. On the human level and on the process level, it was a great collaboration, and one I’d like to continue in the future.” 

We filmed a video series with our EcoVadis consultants, focusing on EcoVadis from A to Z, explaining the cornerstones of the process, showcasing best practices and crucial tips. Watch below!

Supporting sustainability and competitive advantage 

Beyond providing proof of Hey Honey’s excellence in sustainability management, the Gold EcoVadis rating has the potential to deliver significant commercial benefits. The company is increasingly seeing clients request EcoVadis ratings as prerequisites for RFPs, alongside other recognised frameworks such as the CDP carbon disclosure assessment.

“At a base level, you need to have credibility in sustainability, because it’s how global brands evaluate suppliers,” says Chris. “You can’t start the assessment process once you see that it’s part of the RFP. At that stage, it would be too late to begin the whole process from scratch. Not being proactive may also mean that you don’t even make the initial tender list. We’re already seeing a lot of consumer brands, for example, looking to work with EcoVadis-rated companies.” 

Key learnings for creative agencies and service businesses 

Hey Honey’s journey from a Bronze to a Gold EcoVadis rating offers valuable insights for other creative agencies and service businesses looking to strengthen their sustainability credentials: 

Next steps in Hey Honey’s impact journey 

With EcoVadis Gold secured, Hey Honey continues building on its sustainability momentum. The company recently published its first Impact Report, establishing clear KPIs for improvement across environmental, social and governance metrics. “Whether it’s mapping our corporate carbon footprint or implementing workplace wellbeing initiatives, we’re committed to building on the success of our EcoVadis assessment and further implementing our BeeGood impact strategy,” says Amelia. “Our next EcoVadis goal is Platinum, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Nexio to identify the necessary steps.” 

Beyond optimising its own operations, Hey Honey is also focused on leveraging its cultural influence to drive broader change. “As a creative agency, we hold significant power in the advice we give to brands, a responsibility we take seriously given that our guidance can profoundly shape not only their commercial success but also their environmental and social impact on the world” explains Chris. “The EcoVadis Gold rating strengthens our voice in client conversations about sustainability because it provides tangible proof of our commitment – we can point to specific policies and achievements. This credibility makes it easier to align with clients and partners who share our values, working together to drive positive impact across the wider ecosystem we’re part of.” 

Discover Hey Honey and the team

You can find out more about Hey Honey from their website and the Linkedin pages of Hey Honey and The Honey Partnership.

Why work with Nexio Projects?

We are your full-service ESG advisory partner, supporting you in breaking down complex challenges and targeting ambitious climate action. Recognised by Verdantix as one of the world’s top 10 boutique sustainability consultancies, Nexio Projects helps organisations turn purpose into performance through tailored strategy, regulatory expertise, and actionable insights.

As an official EcoVadis strategic partner since 2018, we’ve supported 400+ clients across 25+ sectors— including shipping, manufacturing, chemicals and consumer goods — on their path to sustainability excellence. Whether you’re preparing for your first EcoVadis submission or aiming to boost your score, our expert team is has a variety of sustainability services tailored for you.

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