CDP for Logistics and Transport: Managing and Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Understanding CDP and its relevance for logistics and transport

The CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) is a standardised annual questionnaire through which companies disclose their environmental data (climate, water, forests). For the logistics and transport sector, it is a strategic tool for measuring and reducing emissions across fleets, infrastructure and supply chains.

Responding to CDP helps strengthen environmental transparency, get ahead of regulation, meet client and investor expectations, and stand out in the market. It is not a legal requirement, but a voluntary and internationally recognised approach.

Measuring and disclosing emissions: Scopes 1, 2 and 3

Emissions must be classified across three perimeters:

• Scope 1: direct emissions (vehicle fleets, warehouses, fuel consumption).
• Scope 2: indirect emissions linked to purchased electricity, heating or cooling.
• Scope 3: value chain emissions — subcontractors, downstream transport, procurement and waste.

Companies must rely on consistent, traceable and comparable data. CDP reporting often requires several months of preparation if no centralised data collection system is already in place.

Levers for reducing carbon emissions in transport

The priority actions for cutting emissions and improving CDP performance fall into four areas:

1. Electrification and alternative fuels: gradual shift to electric or hybrid fleets, development of biofuels or CNG.
2. Logistics optimisation: route planning, intermodality, smart load management.
3. Infrastructure energy efficiency: improved insulation, renewable energy use in warehouses.
4. Predictive maintenance and asset management: real-time monitoring to cut consumption and extend equipment lifespan.

Digital tools and environmental data management

Carbon performance increasingly depends on the quality and reliability of the data collected. CDP recommends building a centralised governance and information system covering all three scopes.

Useful tools for this approach include:

• Telematics and on-board IoT systems to measure real vehicle consumption.
• TMS (Transport Management System) to track flows, optimise routes and aggregate data.
• ESG consolidation platforms like Ditto, which bring together policies, evidence and action plans to ensure reporting consistency.

Automation and pre-collection of data reduce the administrative burden, while improving indicator consistency across CDP, EcoVadis and CSRD.

Structuring CDP reporting step by step

1. Governance and oversight: appoint a cross-functional team covering CSR, operations and finance.
2. Data collection: centralise all relevant information by site, fleet and supplier.
3. Target setting: define targets aligned with the SBTi (Science Based Targets) methodology, covering all relevant scopes.
4. Quality control: verify internal data consistency and document the methods used.
5. External verification: get results independently audited where possible — CDP does not individually validate submitted responses.

Benefits and outcomes of strong CDP performance

A solid CDP submission improves both environmental credibility and business performance:

• Easier access to markets that require proof of climate performance.
• Better financing conditions from responsible investors.
• Energy optimisation and lasting reductions in operating costs.
• Stronger reputation and competitiveness in a sector where carbon performance is becoming a commercial criterion.

Companies in the sector have gained in attractiveness by integrating CDP into their ESG strategy, combining emissions reduction with operational performance.

CDP for Logistics and Transport — Key Takeaways