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Understanding SAQ 5.0 Scoring, Ratings & Corrective Actions

Learn how your SAQ 5.0 assessment is scored, how to interpret compliance analyst feedback, and the actionable steps suppliers can take to iteratively improve their sustainability rating.

How the SAQ 5.0 Sustainability Assessment is Scored

SAQ 5.0 results provide two main performance indicators:

1. SAQ Rating (A-F): This reflects how well essential sustainability requirements have been met, specifically mapped to industry sector and headcount size. It is driven entirely by the mandatory questions.

2. Sustainability Score (%): This percentage reflects overall performance across all the mandatory questions answered. (Note: Optional questions provide valuable insight to customers but do not directly impact a supplier's final rating).

SAQ Rating Score Percentage Status Indicator
A 100% Green
B 80% - 99% Green
C 60% - 79% Amber
D 40% - 59% Amber
E 20% - 39% Red
F Below 20% Red

Viewing SAQ 5.0 Results & Analyst Feedback

Once our compliance analysts verify uploaded documentary evidence, you can review assessment results and any identified compliance gaps.

  1. Sign in to your UAT Sandbox account and locate the completed SAQ 5.0 on your Dashboard. If you want to view the SAQ as your TfS buyer account, use your buyer alias, select 'Suppliers questionnaires' on the Dashboard. If you want to view an SAQ you have completed one on your supplier user alias, switch to your supplier alias and find the SAQ 5.0 from your 'My questionnaires' Dashboard.  
  2. Click anywhere on the SAQ 5.0 questionnaire tile to access the Overview screen, which displays the final SAQ rating, a sectional breakdown chart, and any outstanding customer minimum requirements.
  3. To view specific analyst feedback, select Answers from the page dropdown menu.
  4. Review the top of the screen for flagged validation gaps.

Analysts will flag an Evidence Gap if an uploaded document was insufficient, or a Declaration Gap if the analyst found relevant policy information in the evidence that was not declared in the answers.

How to Improve an SAQ 5.0 Rating

Suppliers can proactively improve their SAQ 5.0 rating by addressing the compliance analyst's feedback and any minimum requirements set by buyers.

To make corrections, simply click the Update button on your SAQ 5.0 questionnaire tile. Navigate directly to the questions flagged with gaps. You can then upload improved documentation to close evidence gaps, or check the correct policy options to close declaration gaps. Be careful to ensure you fully review and select only those policy areas explicitly covered within your policy documents before re-submitting for validation.

Sandbox Tip: During this testing phase, use your supplier alias account to respond to an SAQ 5.0 request from your buyer alias, and purposefully trigger a gap (e.g., by uploading a blank document) so you can experience the corrective action workflow firsthand.