What should I do if I'm not receiving emails from NQC?

To make sure you always receive our emails, you should add our sending domain, nqc.com, to your email safe sender list.

Background

Sometimes, email providers may send important messages to your spam or junk folder. By adding our NQC domain to your safe sender list, you are telling your email provider that our messages are important and should always be delivered directly to your main inbox. This will prevent you from missing important notifications and requests from NQC.

Steps

If you don't receive our emails, please check the following:

1. Check your spam or junk folder: If you find an email from us there, mark it as 'Not Spam'.

For Outlook Users:

1. Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner.
2. In the menu, click 'Mail' and then 'Junk email'.
3. Under the 'Safe senders and domains' section, click '+Add'.
4. Type nqc.com and press 'Enter'.
5. Click the 'Save' button at the top.

For Gmail Users:

1. Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner, then click 'See all settings'.
2. Go to the 'Filters and Blocked Addresses' tab.
3. Click 'Create a new filter'.
4. In the 'From' field, type nqc.com.
5. Click 'Create filter'.
6. Check the box next to 'Never send it to Spam'.
7. Click the final 'Create filter' button to save.

For Other Email Providers:

1. Look in your settings for options like 'Safe Senders', 'Filters', or 'Rules'. The goal is to create a rule to ensure that messages from @nqc.com are always delivered to your inbox.

My invitation code is invalid or isn't working. What's wrong?

An invitation code may show as invalid if it has already been used to start a new questionnaire.

Background

An invitation code may show as invalid for a number of reasons. The most common reason is if it has already been used to start a new questionnaire either by yourself or a colleague. Follow the steps to check if a questionnaire already exists on your account against which the invitation code has been used.

Steps

If you receive an error when entering an invitation code:

1. Check that you have entered the correct invitation code. Invitation codes are usually included within the email about the request.
2. If you continue to receive an invitation code error, use our chat service for support.

To find and share an existing questionnaire using an invitation code:

1. Sign in to your NQC account.
2. Find the existing questionnaire on your Dashboard (use filters and search if needed).
3. Select the 'Share' icon on the questionnaire tile.
4. Choose the option to 'Enter invitation code'.
5. Enter the invitation code that is in the email request from your customer.
6. Select 'Share' to complete the action.
7. If the questionnaire is not yet complete, you must answer the remaining questions and submit for validation.

To start a new questionnaire using an invitation code:

1. Sign in to your NQC account.
2. Select 'Enter invitation code' on the top right side of your Dashboard.
3. Choose the option to 'Enter invitation code'.
4. Enter the invitation code that is in the email request from your customer.
5. Select 'Share' to complete the action.
6. Complete the questionnaire and submit for validation.

Can I update my questionnaire after it has been completed?

Yes, you should regularly review your questionnaire and update it to reflect changes, improvements, or to address customer minimum requirements.

Background

You can update your questionnaire at any time, except when it is in the validation process. You might want to update your questionnaire to improve your rating, to upload new evidence, or to reflect any changes within your organisation and operation.

Steps

To update your questionnaire

1. Sign in to your NQC account.
2. Find the questionnaire that you want to update on your Dashboard (use filters and search if needed).
3. Select the 'Update' icon on the right of the questionnaire tile on your Dashboard.
4. Navigate through the questions and change those that you want to.
5. Upload new or revised evidence that directly addresses any changes made.
6. Progress through the questionnaire.
7. Submit your SAQ 5.0 questionnaire response for validation in order to receive an updated SAQ 5.0 Rating.

What's changed in SAQ 5.0?

SAQ 5.0 introduces a more flexible and modular assessment structure, designed to ensure the questionnaire remains relevant and proportionate for suppliers of all sizes, sectors, and operating models. Question sets are now tailored based on site headcount and primary industry sector, with a clear distinction between mandatory and optional questions.

Background

The Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ 5.0) has been enhanced to better support modern, global supply chains. The updated structure focuses more closely on the specific characteristics of each supplier, helping to reduce unnecessary complexity-particularly for non-production and service-based organisations-while maintaining robust sustainability coverage.

Under SAQ 5.0:

- Mandatory questions contribute directly to the overall SAQ 5.0 rating.
- Optional questions provide additional insight but do not impact the rating.

This approach ensures suppliers are assessed fairly and consistently, while buyers continue to receive meaningful and comparable sustainability data across their supply chains.

To support users, NQC provides briefing sessions and supporting materials that explain the SAQ 5.0 structure, scoring approach, and how industry sector (NACE®) and site headcount influence question routing and scoring-particularly when updating an existing SAQ.

Steps

To access SAQ 5.0 webinar recordings:

Select the relevant language below to register for and view the SAQ 5.0 briefing webinar:

• English
• Deutsch
• Français
• Italiano
• Português
• Español
• 日本語
• 中文

The webinar explains the SAQ 5.0 structure, scoring approach, and practical completion guidance.

To access SAQ 5.0 briefing slides and supporting materials:

Select the relevant language below to download the SAQ 5.0 briefing slides:

• English
• Deutsch
• Français
• Italiano
• Português
• Español
• 日本語
• 中文

The slides explain how NACE® industry codes and site headcount influence question routing within SAQ 5.0, and how updates to your responses may impact your overall SAQ 5.0 rating.

How can I improve my SAQ 5.0 rating?

Improve your SAQ 5.0 Rating by addressing validation feedback (like evidence or declaration gaps) and by addressing any minimum requirements that one or more of your customers may have set. Ensure that you answer all mandatory questions positively with the correct supporting evidence. Be careful to ensure you fully review and select only those policy areas that are explicitly covered within your policy documents.

Background

You can iteratively improve your SAQ 5.0 Rating. The validation process provides specific feedback. Addressing an evidence gap (where evidence was insufficient) or a declaration gap (where you missed selecting an answer that your evidence covered) can positively impact your SAQ 5.0 Rating.
Focusing on the mandatory questions is important as these directly contribute to your SAQ 5.0 Rating. Optional questions provide additional insights for your customers but do not directly influence the SAQ 5.0 Rating.

Steps

To view your questionnaire results and any gaps identified during validation:

1. Sign in to your NQC account.
2. On your 'Dashboard', find the completed questionnaire you want to view (use filters and search if needed).
3. Select the questionnaire tile to go to the questionnaire overview page.
4. Select the 'Answers' tab.
5. If any gaps were identified during validation, they will be listed at the top of the 'Answers' tab. Select an individual gap to learn more.
6. A gap may indicate:
   • an evidence gap - the uploaded evidence was not acceptable, or
   • a declaration gap - the validator found relevant policy information in your evidence that you did not declare in your answers.
   
   In both cases, you should update your questionnaire response to address the gaps.
   


7. Select the 'Update' icon on the top right of the questionnaire tile to make changes.


8. Navigate to the questions flagged in the validator feedback and upload improved evidence (for evidence gaps) or declare the correct policy options (for declaration gaps).