Why CDP Matters
CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) runs the world's largest environmental disclosure system. Over 24,000 companies disclose through CDP, and the data they share is used by 740+ institutional investors managing over $136 trillion in assets to assess climate-related risks and opportunities.
But CDP is not just about investors. Over 300 major buyers - including Walmart, Microsoft, L'Oreal, and Tata Steel - use CDP scores in their procurement decisions through the CDP Supply Chain programme. If your company sells to multinational corporations, a CDP request may already be sitting in your inbox.
Indian companies are increasingly recognizing that a strong CDP score opens doors: better investor relations, access to sustainability-linked finance, supply chain qualification, and a credible climate narrative that goes beyond compliance.
CDP Questionnaires
CDP operates three main questionnaires. Most Indian companies start with Climate Change and add Water Security based on their sector.
Climate Change
The flagship questionnaire covering governance, risks & opportunities, strategy, targets, emissions data (Scope 1, 2, 3), energy, and verification. Aligned with TCFD recommendations.
Water Security
Water withdrawal, consumption, discharge, risks, governance, and targets. Critical for water-intensive sectors like textiles, chemicals, food processing, and power generation.
Forests
Covers commodity-driven deforestation risks for companies sourcing timber, palm oil, soy, cattle, rubber, cocoa, or coffee. Relevant for FMCG and agricultural supply chains.
CDP Scoring Explained
CDP scores companies on a scale from A (Leadership) to D- (Disclosure). Companies that fail to respond receive an F. Scoring evaluates four progressive levels: disclosure quality, awareness of issues, management actions, and leadership practices.
Only about 2% of companies globally achieve an A score. Moving from D to B typically takes 1-2 disclosure cycles with dedicated effort. Our goal is to help you maximize your score by ensuring completeness, consistency, and strategic positioning in every response.
Our CDP Service
Gap Assessment
Data Collection
Response Drafting
Review & QA
Submission & Score Strategy
Gap Assessment
Review your previous CDP response (if any) against current scoring methodology. Identify missing data points, weak answers, and quick-win improvements. Benchmark against sector peers.
Data Collection & Calculation
Collect emissions, energy, water, and governance data required for CDP. Calculate Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions using GHG Protocol. Prepare verification-ready datasets.
Response Drafting
Draft comprehensive answers for every applicable question. Write clear, evidence-based narratives for governance, strategy, risk management, and targets sections. Ensure internal consistency.
Score Improvement Strategy
Develop a multi-year roadmap to progressively improve your CDP score. Identify which management actions and leadership practices will have the highest scoring impact in the next cycle.
Connection to BRSR and GRI
If you are already preparing a BRSR report or a GRI report, you already have a significant portion of the data needed for CDP. Emissions data, energy consumption, water metrics, waste data, and governance disclosures overlap substantially across these frameworks.
O₂log helps you build a unified data collection process that serves BRSR, GRI, and CDP simultaneously. This eliminates duplicate data requests to your operations teams, ensures consistency across disclosures, and reduces overall reporting effort.
Who Should Disclose Through CDP
- Companies receiving CDP requests - from investors or supply chain members requesting disclosure through CDP's platform
- Listed companies - looking to strengthen their ESG credentials and attract sustainability-focused capital
- Export-oriented companies - supplying multinational corporations that use CDP scores in procurement screening
- Companies with science-based targets - SBTi and CDP are closely aligned; CDP disclosure demonstrates progress against approved targets
- Companies preparing for CSRD - CDP's TCFD-aligned framework provides excellent preparation for European sustainability reporting
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CDP?
CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world's largest environmental disclosure system. Over 24,000 companies disclose environmental data through CDP questionnaires on climate change, water security, and forests. CDP scores are used by 740+ institutional investors managing over $136 trillion in assets.
Is CDP mandatory?
CDP disclosure is technically voluntary, but in practice it has become a business requirement. Over 300 major buyers use CDP scores in procurement decisions. Investors representing $136 trillion in assets request CDP disclosures. Many Indian companies receive direct requests from investors or customers to disclose through CDP.
How is CDP scored?
CDP uses a letter scoring system from A (Leadership) through A-, B, B-, C, C-, to D and D- (Disclosure). Scoring assesses four levels: disclosure quality, awareness of environmental issues, management practices, and leadership actions. Companies that do not respond receive an F grade. Only about 2% of companies globally achieve an A.
Can we use BRSR data for CDP?
Yes, there is significant overlap. Emissions data, energy consumption, water withdrawal, and waste data collected for BRSR can be directly used in CDP responses. However, CDP requires additional information on governance, strategy, risk management, and targets. O₂log helps map your existing BRSR data to CDP questions to avoid duplication.
Improve your CDP score
From first-time disclosure to A-list ambition, we help you build a CDP response that investors and buyers trust.
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