CDP (formerly known as “Carbon Disclosure Project”), a global non-profit organisation advocating for the transparency and disclosure of carbon emissions by organisations and companies, makes updates every year to ensure that the scoring criteria reflect the global best practices. Although there are minimal changes in 2020, companies are likely still working on tackling the challenges of extensive changes last year.

 

A smart strategy is to focus on components that can get you most points.

The risks and opportunities section, as one of the most challenging sections of the CDP questionnaire, constitutes a big part of the overall score. You not only need to assess all your climate change related risks and opportunities but also have to show how these issues are embedded in your corporate governance.

If your company has not committed to a measurable emissions reduction target, this should be a priority as top grades won’t be available without a solid answer to this section. Setting a Science Based Target, which aligns your reduction target with climate science, will further allow you to get recognized as a leader.

Finally, tracking your scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and as importantly, seeking third party verification for these, will increase your score but also send a message of transparency and accuracy to your stakeholders.

Score table

If you have been asked to respond or you are seeking advice on boosting your scores, we are here to help.