How EcoVadis Simplified Global Data Governance with CastorDoc

This customer story comes from Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis. EcoVadis is the global leader in business sustainability ratings, evaluating supply chains for global industry leaders across diverse sectors, including energy, retail, and more. With 2,000 employees serving customers across 175 countries, EcoVadis helps organizations assess and improve the sustainability of their supply chains.

From Statistician to Data Governance Leader: Benjamin Raquin’s Journey

"What drives me is bridging the gap between technical and business teams—making complex data concepts accessible to everyone. I see myself as 'the Rosetta Stone,' translating between those who create data and those who use it for decisions." – Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis

My path to becoming Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis mirrors the data industry’s evolution. With a master’s in econometrics, I started in the parapublic sector, managing extensive datasets for organizations like the French social security system, UN, and European Commission. Back then, we were statisticians or econometricians, working with legacy tools like Access and SAS.

As the industry embraced modern platforms like Power BI and Tableau, I saw new challenges emerge: managing rising data volumes, supporting diverse data users, and enabling seamless and widespread data sharing across organizations. This period sparked my passion for data governance. I recognized its importance early on, shaping governance strategies at various scales to ensure data could be trusted and effectively used.

Joining EcoVadis in 2021, I brought this experience to help bridge the gap between technical and business teams. My academic background in teaching statistics reinforced my commitment to making data understandable for everyone, ensuring it drives smarter decisions across the organization.

Data as the Foundation of Sustainability: EcoVadis’s Approach

"Data is our raw material. It drives how we structure teams, invest in governance, and maintain clear ownership to ensure effective use as we grow." - Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis

With a high number of clients relying on our sustainability insights, EcoVadis has built a robust data ecosystem to manage the complexity and scale of our operations.

We rely on tools such as Tableau for visualizations, Salesforce for client relationship management, and various platforms for data processing, analysis, quality, and control. Our Data & Analytics team of 20 experts works alongside hundreds of data professionals, engineers, and architects across the company to ensure seamless and efficient workflows.

This setup enables us to manage growing data volumes, tackle complex use cases, and deliver the accuracy and efficiency businesses need to drive sustainability worldwide.

The Challenge: Managing Data Growth and Trust

“When I joined, datasets were piling up without oversight, causing our environment to grow unchecked and our costs to spiral. Trust was another issue—teams would see different results for the same KPI across dashboards. We wanted anyone in the company to answer simple questions easily, but that wasn’t the reality.” - Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis

When I joined EcoVadis, the company was growing rapidly but facing significant data challenges. Over 15 years, we had accumulated numerous tools generating data, much of which became unstructured and unmanaged over time. The data team was producing a high volume of new datasets each month, but without a cleanup process, unused data accumulated. This lack of oversight led to rising storage costs, making the situation unsustainable.

Data trust was another pressing issue. Teams often found conflicting results for the same KPI across dashboards, with no standardized definitions to rely on. This led to inefficiency and constant emails to the data team for basic clarifications. On top of that, efforts to document data assets faced resistance—teams saw governance as an extra burden, not part of their priorities.

The Solution: Implementing CastorDoc for Data Governance

"We evaluated several tools, but CastorDoc stood out for its flexibility. During the POC, they quickly built a Salesforce connector we needed, and it worked perfectly. That adaptability made all the difference." - Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis

After evaluating several tools in 2023, we chose CastorDoc for its flexibility and responsiveness. During the proof of concept, they developed a Salesforce connector in real time, showing they could adapt to our evolving governance needs.

We approached implementation with three key steps:

• First, we built a fresh inventory of data assets, starting from scratch to eliminate outdated or duplicate documentation.
• Next, we introduced "governance by design," requiring dashboards to be documented in CastorDoc before they’re considered complete.
• Finally, we established weekly reviews using CastorDoc reports to track undocumented assets, missing ownership, or PII compliance issues. These reports drive follow-ups with teams to maintain data quality.

We also leveraged CastorDoc’s integrations, like the Slack connector and Chrome extension, to make the tool easily accessible. Our managers appreciated the convenience—no extra logins required—making adoption seamless across the organization.

Impact: Better Data Management and Cost Savings

"The Slack is quiet now. People are more autonomous, and CastorDoc provides the data they need to answer most questions." - Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis

In our first year with CastorDoc, we’ve made significant strides in improving data operations. We cleaned up 10,000 unnecessary Salesforce reports, eliminated 30 duplicate Tableau dashboards, and established processes to identify and remove unused tables, keeping storage costs under control.

Data discovery has also transformed. With a 60% return rate among users, teams can now find the information they need without constantly relying on the data team. The drop in basic questions has been dramatic—our Slack channels are much quieter. Standardized KPI definitions have restored trust in reporting. Metrics now have clear, official definitions in CastorDoc, making it easier for new team members to onboard, cutting their learning time from a week to just a few hours.

Additionally, data literacy has improved. Teams are taking ownership of their data and asking proactive questions about policies and intellectual property—conversations that weren’t happening just a year ago.

What's Next for EcoVadis

“Be patient. Building content takes time, and so does generating value—but once it starts, the momentum never stops.” – Benjamin Raquin, Head of Data Governance at EcoVadis

Currently, about 25% of our company uses CastorDoc, and we aim to expand to 50% within a year and all data users within two years. We’re also testing CastorDoc’s AI features for SQL generation and documentation assistance. While still being fine-tuned for accuracy, these tools have the potential to further streamline our operations.

Our ultimate goal is to make CastorDoc the single source of truth for all KPI definitions. By increasing engagement across domains like finance and HR, we’re helping teams take ownership of their data assets and metrics.

For those starting their data governance journey, my advice is simple: be patient. Building a strong governance culture takes time, but once it starts delivering value, the momentum never stops.