CDP Software: Which Tools to Manage and Respond to the CDP Questionnaire?

Why Choose CDP Software?

CDP software is a solution designed to help companies prepare their CDP questionnaire, prior to submitting it through the official CDP portal.

These tools do not evaluate companies on behalf of CDP and do not replace the official reporting platform. Their purpose is to structure the preparation process, making it easier to:

• collect environmental data;
• organize responses according to the CDP questionnaire structure;
• ensure consistency between governance, strategy, targets, actions, and KPIs;
• improve maturity year after year across the Disclosure, Awareness, Management, and Leadership levels.

Key Steps in Preparing a CDP Questionnaire

Effective CDP reporting relies on a structured approach aligned with the framework’s evaluation logic.

1. Identify Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities (IROs)

CDP expects companies to identify and assess their environmental impacts, risks, and opportunities, particularly in relation to climate, water, and forests.

This analysis must be consistent with:

• the company’s overall strategy,
• the governance described,
• the actions and targets presented in the questionnaire.

2. Collect and Consolidate Environmental Data

Declared data must be consistent, documented, and comparable, especially regarding:

• Greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and, where relevant, Scope 3), calculated according to the GHG Protocol;
• water management and exposure to water stress;
• forest-related and land-use policies and actions.

CDP does not systematically require external verification, but internal consistency and traceability are critical in scoring.

3. Structure Responses According to CDP Logic

The CDP questionnaire is organized into precise sections and categories.

Responses must progressively demonstrate:

• data transparency (Disclosure),
• understanding of issues (Awareness),
• the existence of formalized processes, policies, and targets (Management),
• and, where applicable, advanced and integrated practices (Leadership).

Isolated actions are not enough: CDP primarily evaluates the quality, level of detail, and consistency of responses.

4. Submit Responses via the CDP Portal

Final submission takes place through the CDP portal, the official environment for questionnaire disclosure.

Responses can be entered directly into the portal or, when using an integrated partner solution, transmitted from that tool to the CDP platform.

What Types of Tools Exist to Prepare a CDP Disclosure?

There is no single “CDP software” solution, but rather different categories of tools, more or less suited depending on company size, maturity, and available resources.

1. CDP Reporting Structuring and Management Platforms

These solutions allow companies to:

• centralize the data used to respond to the questionnaire;
• structure answers according to CDP sections;
• identify maturity gaps relative to expected levels;
• ensure consistency with other ESG frameworks (CSRD, ESRS, EcoVadis, ISO 14001).

2. Specialized ESG / Climate Consulting Firms

Consulting firms and consultants support companies on broader scopes such as:

• climate strategy,
• decarbonization pathways,
• scenario analysis,
• organizational transformation.

They can be relevant for complex or highly exposed organizations but generally involve:

• higher costs,
• longer timelines,
• and significant internal resource mobilization.

In some cases, these approaches can be complementary to a dedicated CDP reporting tool.

3. The CDP Portal

The CDP portal remains essential for official disclosure, but it is not an internal management tool. It comes at the end of the process, once responses have been prepared.

How CDP Software Improves Response Quality

A suitable tool or support solution directly enhances the quality of the submitted questionnaire by strengthening:

Choosing CDP Software for SMEs and Mid-Sized Companies

The most relevant selection criteria include:

• strict alignment with the CDP methodology;
• the ability to guide teams through the questionnaire logic;
• the possibility of reusing data for other reporting exercises;
• the availability of human support, beyond the tool itself.

CDP Software: What Are the Concrete Benefits?

Using an appropriate solution to prepare your CDP disclosure enables:

• a better understanding of the scoring methodology;
• progressive maturity improvement year after year;
• reduced time spent structuring responses;
• stronger consistency between CDP and the overall ESG strategy.

CDP Software – Key Takeaways