CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project)

CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s leading environmental disclosure system. Through its annual questionnaires, CDP collects and scores company-level data on climate change, water security, and deforestation on behalf of institutional investors and corporate buyers.

CDP operates three main disclosure programmes:

• Climate Change: Covers governance, risks and opportunities, emissions data (Scope 1, 2, 3), and transition plans
• Water Security: Covers water-related risks, governance, targets, and water accounting
• Forests: Covers deforestation-linked commodities (timber, palm oil, soy, cattle)

The CDP scoring methodology rates companies from D- (disclosure) to A (leadership), based on four levels:

1. Disclosure (D/D-): Providing transparency on environmental issues
2. Awareness (C/C-): Knowledge of environmental impacts
3. Management (B/B-): Actions taken to manage environmental issues
4. Leadership (A/A-): Best practice in environmental strategy and performance

Over 23,000 companies disclosed through CDP in 2024, representing more than 65% of global market capitalisation. CDP is also a founding partner of the Science Based Targets initiative.

CDP’s questionnaire is increasingly aligned with the CSRD and ESRS, meaning that companies preparing for European reporting requirements can leverage their CDP responses as a starting point.

Companies use Dcycle to streamline their CDP submissions by automating emissions calculations, organising evidence, and mapping data points to CDP’s questionnaire structure.