CDP Disclosure Frequency: How Often Do You Need to Respond?

Understanding CDP disclosure frequency

The CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) runs on an annual cycle. Each year, organisations are invited to respond to a standardised questionnaire covering their environmental impacts: climate, water and forests. The official campaign opens mid-June and closes mid-September, with scores published at the end of the year.

When does a company need to respond?

Companies participating in CDP respond within the official window set by CDP — not according to their own internal calendar. Invitations are most often triggered by clients, investors or partners asking their suppliers or holdings to disclose their environmental data.

That said, it is strongly recommended not to wait for that request. A company can proactively participate in the annual campaign to structure its approach and strengthen its transparency.

How to plan your CDP response?

The key is planning ahead. Effective preparation starts several months before the questionnaire officially opens:

• Structure your data: GHG inventories, policies, targets, action plans.
• Coordinate key functions: CSR/ESG, finance, QHSE and senior management.
• Check internal consistency: make sure the data you report is traceable and aligned with other frameworks (EcoVadis, CSRD, ISO 14001).
• Build on previous years to track score progress and improve response quality.

This groundwork reduces the administrative burden and makes submission much smoother during the critical June-to-September window.

What is the value of an annual response?

Beyond the score, the annual disclosure makes it possible to track performance over time and engage stakeholders in a continuous improvement trajectory. CDP also acts as a stepping stone towards more comprehensive regulatory obligations like the CSRD, ESRS or other ESG assessments.

CDP Disclosure Frequency — Key Takeaways