The CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) is a non-profit organization that enables companies to disclose and assess their environmental performance using a standardized methodology.
Originally designed to provide investors with reliable data on climate-related risks and opportunities, CDP now covers — in addition to climate change — water security, deforestation, and more recently biodiversity and plastic waste.
A strong CDP score (from A to F) reflects a company’s level of environmental maturity and acts as a trust signal for both investors and clients.
Concrete CDP benefits: performance, risk management and reputation
1. Environmental risk management and reduction
Participating in CDP helps companies anticipate future regulatory requirements and structure a robust climate strategy.
The disclosure process encourages organizations to identify and reduce environmental impacts while strengthening compliance.
2. Financial performance and access to sustainable capital
A strong CDP score demonstrates proactive environmental risk management, reassuring investors and facilitating access to sustainable investment funds.
It is also becoming an increasingly decisive criterion in tenders, particularly for large corporations and international buyers that expect transparency and environmental maturity across their value chain.
Finally, this transparency enhances corporate visibility and can enable inclusion in responsible investment indices.
3. Reputation and differentiation
Responding to CDP signals a commitment to transparency and continuous improvement, strengthening stakeholder trust.
Companies that publicly communicate their CDP engagement often benefit from a stronger brand image and stand out through their sustainable practices.
Maximise your CDP 2026 score
We designed this guide to help you understand the scoring, avoid common pitfalls, and structure your response to make meaningful progress.
CDP for SMEs and mid-sized companies: simplified participation, high impact
CDP is not reserved for large corporations. It now offers a simplified questionnaire for SMEs and mid-sized companies, with approximately 80 questions, enabling engagement with fewer resources.
Key benefits for SMEs and mid-sized companies:
- Meet investor expectations on transparency
- Structure an environmental strategy using a clear framework
- Prepare for upcoming regulations
Digital tools — such as Ditto — that can pre-fill parts of the CDP questionnaire help save time and prevent data fragmentation across spreadsheets and files.
How to improve your CDP score
Improving your CDP score relies on a structured, seven-step process:
- Conduct an initial assessment (IRO): Impacts, Risks and Opportunities
- Define your environmental strategy
- Select relevant key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Formalize policies and supporting evidence
- Launch a concrete action plan
- Complete the questionnaire transparently
- Publish, analyze results and continuously improve
The Leadership level (Score A) is awarded to organizations that provide accurate, third-party verified reporting and demonstrate an ambitious, well-documented emissions reduction strategy.
Integrating CDP into a global ESG strategy
CDP fits naturally into a broader ESG strategy. Its rigorous approach to measurement, action and environmental risk management serves as a foundation for overall ESG maturity.
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| CDP Level | Maturity stage | Main objective |
|---|---|---|
| A – Leadership | Best practices | Adopt advanced practices and demonstrate environmental leadership |
| B – Management | Implementation | Deploy structured actions, policies and strategies |
| C – Awareness | Understanding impacts | Identify and integrate environmental issues into business activities |
| D – Disclosure | Initial transparency | Collect and disclose baseline environmental data |
Efforts invested in CDP reporting are reusable across other frameworks (EcoVadis, ISO 14001, CSRD), ensuring consistency and saving time within the ESG approach.
CDP vs GRI, TCFD, SASB: complementarities and use cases
| Framework | Main focus | How it complements CDP |
|---|---|---|
| GRI / SASB / ESRS | Broad ESG coverage (including social and governance topics) | Complements CDP for a holistic ESG view |
| TCFD | Strategic climate risk and opportunity analysis | Aligns climate governance and strategy with CDP |
| ISO 14001 / ISO 14064 | Environmental management systems and data verification | Strengthens the credibility and verifiability of CDP responses |
CDP stands out through its exclusive environmental focus and its alignment with international standards such as IFRS S2, making it a strategic tool for anticipating CSRD requirements.
CDP benefits for your company: key takeaways
| Objective | Key action | Concrete impact |
|---|---|---|
| Structure the environmental approach | Use the CDP framework to assess climate, water and forests | Clear, consistent and credible approach |
| Improve score and credibility | Collect reliable data, involve teams, verify information | Higher score and stronger stakeholder trust |
| Access funding and tenders | Demonstrate proactive management of environmental risks | Easier access to sustainable finance and client procurement processes |
| Anticipate regulations | Align CDP with CSRD and IFRS S2 standards | Reduced compliance and regulatory risk |
| Optimize ESG performance | Align CDP, EcoVadis and ISO within an integrated strategy | Strategic efficiency and overall ESG coherence |
| Save time on reporting | Centralize data and automate responses | Higher productivity and reduced operational workload |
