There is no fixed deadline
There is no fixed processing time for a sustainability questionnaire. Some entrepreneurs have completed a list within an afternoon, others spend weeks on it. The difference is not in the list itself, but in what you already have ready. If you have already collected the requested data and supporting documents, then completing it is mainly copying and checking. If you still need to find out which supplier has which figure, or which employee knows the answer to a specific question, then the processing time naturally increases.
The first time you receive such a list, it usually takes the most time. You then have to find out exactly what is being asked, where the data comes from and who within your company needs to provide or approve something. With a second or third list, from the same or a different customer, you often recognise the same questions and filling in goes faster. This is also why many companies find that the second questionnaire of the year takes less time than the first, even if the questions are worded slightly differently.
What determines the lead time
Three factors usually play the biggest role. First, the number of questions and their depth: you complete a short list with general questions about your business faster than an extensive list that asks for figures per location or per product group. Second, whether you already have the underlying supporting documents, such as a policy, a certificate or an overview of your energy consumption. If such a document is missing, you must first request it from an insurer, network operator or supplier, and that takes time that you do not have control over.
Third, internal consultation plays a role. In a small company, one person often decides, and then a list is ready in a couple of hours. In a larger company, an answer sometimes has to go through a manager or another department before it is submitted. That is not a problem in itself, but it does extend the processing time, especially if that person is not available the same day. Anyone who wants to know more about what is really behind the questions will find that in the knowledge base with explanations by subject.
Where it actually falls apart in practice
Most delays do not occur during the completion itself, but when collecting data that is not at hand. Think of figures on energy consumption of a building you rent, or data from a subcontractor that you need to answer a question about the chain. An expired supporting document also causes delays: you must first request a new version before you can answer the question.
Another common cause is that each customer uses their own portal and their own format. The same question about, for example, your CO2 emissions can be worded differently with one customer than with another. That does not mean the answer is different, but you do have to figure out each time whether it is the same question. If you are unsure whether a question has been answered before, you can clarify that with a few questions and an indication of where you stand quickly.
What you can do yourself to save time
The greatest time saving is in keeping your own file in order, regardless of which questionnaire comes in. As soon as you know which documents are frequently requested and when they expire, you can renew them on time instead of only when a customer asks for them. It also helps to have one fixed point of contact within your company for these questionnaires, so that you do not have to find out each time who knows the answer.
Supplia.eu is built to shorten this repetition. The system recognizes the questions in an uploaded list and fills them in from one supply chain file; you confirm each answer with yes or no and submit the list yourself to your customer's portal. We do not read the list and never log in to a third-party portal; completing and submitting remains your responsibility. Read more about how that information is created on the page about how the information is compiled.
In short
The time a sustainability questionnaire takes depends mainly on how much you have already documented and how much still needs to be looked up or coordinated. A first list usually takes the most time; after that the process is typically faster, provided your file remains up to date. If you have doubts about a specific question or term, you will find a short answer in the frequently asked questions.
Would you like to see how much of your own file is already in order, and where you can save time with the next questionnaire? Take the free quick-scan or browse through the topics in the knowledge base to see what exactly is being asked of you.