What is the CDP?

The CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is a global non-profit organization that provides a standardized system for companies, cities, and governments to disclose their environmental data. It focuses on three key issues: climate change, water security, and deforestation.

Founded in the UK in 2000, CDP has become one of the most recognized frameworks for environmental transparency. In 2024, over 23,000 companies worldwide responded to its questionnaire.

Since 2024, CDP has implemented a unified questionnaire covering all three environmental domains. This form generally contains over 150 questions, with adjustments based on sector and company activities. A simplified version is available for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises).

⚠️ CDP focuses exclusively on environmental topics. Companies wishing to also report on social or governance performance (such as human rights, diversity, anti-corruption, etc.) should refer to alternative frameworks like GRI, SASB, or ESRS.

Why respond to CDP?

Filling out the CDP questionnaire brings numerous strategic and operational benefits:

✅ Meet client or investor requests
📘 Stay ahead of regulatory requirements
🌱 Enhance reputation through greater transparency
🚀 Competitive advantage with a strong score
💸 Increased visibility with investors
📈 Continuous improvement and identification of areas for progress

How does the CDP process work?

1. The questionnaire

Since 2024, CDP uses a single questionnaire covering climate, water, and forests. The content is tailored based on sector and organization size. SMEs can access a lighter version. CDP also provides definitions and guidance notes to help companies respond.

2. Submission

Responses are submitted via the CDP Online Response System (ORS) platform.

Key dates for 2025:

Platform opens: ⚠️ June 16, 2025 (new date)
Scoring deadline: September 15, 2025

Accepted languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese.

⚠️ French is not accepted.

3. Assessment

Questionnaires are evaluated by CDP-trained scoring partners using a published methodology. Answers are assessed for completeness, quality, and demonstrated environmental ambition.

4. Scoring

Organizations receive a grade from A to D- for each area (climate, water, forests), reflecting their level of transparency, analysis, action, and leadership.

Understanding the CDP Scoring System

The evaluation grid is based on four levels of performance:

Disclosure – Has the company provided the requested information?
Awareness – Does it know its environmental impacts and risks?
Management – Has it implemented concrete policies and actions?
Leadership – Is it applying exemplary and innovative practices?

Key Scoring Principles:

Pyramid structure: Each level must be validated before moving to the next (e.g., a score above 79% in Disclosure is required to reach Awareness).
16 categories: Each area is broken down into subcategories scored individually.
Final score = lowest category score: This encourages companies to address all issues, not just their strongest ones.
Weightings: At the Management/Leadership level, some categories carry more weight depending on sectoral priorities.

Get Ready for Disclosure with Ditto

How Ditto Simplifies the CDP Process

Ditto offers several advantages to make the process simpler, faster, and more efficient:

♻️ Interoperability: All your environmental documents (policies, KPIs, action plans) can be reused across other frameworks and questionnaires, preventing duplication.
⏱️ Time savings: Ditto can pre-fill 20–40% of the questionnaire using documents already uploaded.
🎯 Expert guidance: Each question comes with clear and targeted explanations.
🧩 Simplified support: Complex CDP requirements are translated into concrete actions.
📆 Long-term vision: Ditto provides prioritized recommendations to help you improve your score year after year.

Prepare the Right Materials Ahead of Time

Here are the documents you should gather before getting started:

Environmental policies and action plans
Objectives, internal processes, and value chain mapping
Impact, risk, and opportunity analysis (Double Materiality)
European Taxonomy alignment
Climate transition plan + climate scenario analysis
Supplier engagement strategy
Carbon and biodiversity management plans
Internal or external environmental reports
Previous CDP scores (category-level if possible)

Best Practices and Key Points to Note

❌ External links or attachments are not considered in the scoring, except where specifically noted.
✔️ Answers are scored, but not third-party verified: the company is responsible for their accuracy.
📘 CDP publishes a comprehensive scoring methodology for each question.
🏭 The questionnaire is customized for each industry sector.
🛠️ It is possible to challenge a score if the company shows that the methodology was misapplied. The request must be submitted before the end of December, with supporting documents.

In Summary

CDP offers a robust and credible framework for evaluating and communicating your environmental performance. Although it does not cover social or governance dimensions, it is a key tool for companies that want to: