How to improve your CDP score

Contents

• Part 1: Understanding the CDP scoring system
• Part 2: Your roadmap to an A score
• Part 3: The tools to achieve an A score

The CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world’s most widely used environmental disclosure system. Each year, it collects climate, water, and forest data from companies on behalf of investors, customers, and policymakers. Today, more than 740 institutional investors representing over USD 136 trillion in assets rely on CDP data to assess environmental risks, resilience, and performance across global value chains.

In 2024, more than 23,000 companies worldwide responded to the CDP questionnaire. But among them, only 2% achieved the highest possible rating, an “A” score, in at least one of the three assessed themes: Climate, Water, or Forests.

Achieving a strong CDP score is therefore both a mark of environmental leadership and a strategic advantage. It signals credibility to investors, strengthens customer relationships, and helps organisations structure their sustainability strategy around robust, decision-grade data.

This guide explains how to improve your CDP score and how to move toward the A-List.

Part 1: Understanding the CDP scoring system

The basics

What do CDP scores (A to F) mean?

CDP scores companies from A to D-, with an F for companies that do not provide sufficient information.

A (A List): Environmental leadership A- (Leadership): Strong leadership, but not all A-List criteria met B / B- (Management): Coordinated management of environmental issues C / C- (Awareness): Awareness of impacts and initial action D / D- (Disclosure): Data disclosed, but limited evidence of management F: No response

The three themes assessed by CDP

CDP evaluates companies across three independent themes:

Climate: Greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks and opportunities, and reduction strategy Water: Water management practices and exposure to water stress Forests: Deforestation risks and management of high-risk commodities

Most companies begin with Climate, as it is the most frequently requested by investors and customers.

The CDP scoring methodology

For each question, CDP assesses:

Completeness: Have you answered all parts of the question? Quality: Is your response clear, precise, and well supported? Consistency: Are your responses consistent with one another? Evidence: Can you demonstrate and substantiate your claims?

Each question earns points

Each question in the CDP questionnaire can earn points across several categories at the same time (Leadership, Management, Awareness, Disclosure).

Example:

Let’s take the question: “What are your climate-related risks?”

If you provide a complete response: +8 Disclosure points If you identify specific risks: +3 Awareness points If you explain how you manage them: +1 Management point If you demonstrate anticipation and innovation: +1 Leadership point

Your responses affect the points available

It’s important to keep this in mind: the maximum number of points you can earn depends on how you frame your response.

Example: identifying environmental risks and opportunities

Scenario 1 – You say: “We do not have an identification process.”

Points earned: 0 Points available: 7 Result: 0/7

CDP penalizes you twice here because nothing is disclosed:

Penalty 1: You earn no points Penalty 2: You are assessed against the maximum number of points (7 instead of 3), which significantly lowers your overall score

Scenario 2 – You say: “We have a process to identify risks, but not opportunities.”

Points available: 3 If answered well: up to 1.5/3

Scenario 3 – You say: “We have a process to identify both environmental risks and opportunities.”

Points available: 3 If answered well: up to 3/3

Key takeaway

The more ambitious and comprehensive your response, the more points you can earn.

 

How your final score is calculated

Step 1: Points allocation
Points are awarded for each question based on response quality.

Step 2: Percentage calculation
Points earned ÷ points available = your score per category.

Step 3: Final rating
To reach a given level, you must score at least 80% in all preceding categories.

A (Leadership): ≥80% in Management, Awareness, and Disclosure, plus essential criteria B (Management): ≥80% in Awareness and Disclosure C (Awareness): ≥80% in Disclosure

The “minus” (-)

If your score in your current category is below ~45%, you receive a minus (e.g. B-).

Essential criteria: non-negotiable requirements

Some requirements apply regardless of points scored.

To achieve an A rating, you must have:

Third-party verification of 100% of Scope 1 emissions Third-party verification of 100% of Scope 2 emissions Third-party verification of at least 70% of Scope 3 emissions

Without these, the highest possible score is A-, even with strong performance elsewhere.

Part 2: Your roadmap to an A score

Step 1: Register with CDP

Create your account and pay the fees

Go to the CDP portal (cdp.net) and create an account for your company. You will need:

Your company’s legal information A primary contact for reporting Validation of the administration fees (which vary depending on company size, number of modules selected, status, etc.)

Choose the right modules

Based on investor requests and your industry, CDP will recommend that you respond to one, two, or three of the following modules:

Climate: the most requested by investors and customers Water: for sectors with high water dependency Forests: for companies using at-risk raw materials

Tip: If this is your first year, start with the Climate module.

Step 2: Prepare your reporting

Review what’s new in the questionnaire

The CDP questionnaire evolves every year. Take the time to:

Read the updated reporting guidance Identify new questions Spot changes in scoring criteria Review examples of high-quality responses published by CDP

Set up a timeline

T-12 weeks: build the project team T-10 weeks: launch data collection T-8 weeks: draft qualitative responses T-6 weeks: consolidate data and identify gaps T-4 weeks: thorough review by the project team T-2 weeks: final revision and internal validation T-0: submission

Build your project team

Clearly define roles:

A project lead responsible for the reporting Contributors providing the data Reviewers validating data quality An executive sponsor from senior management

Mobilize the right teams:

Sustainability (CSR/ESG): overall project leadership Finance: financial data, budgets, investments Procurement: supplier data, Scope 3 engagement Operations: energy consumption, waste Risk: scenario analysis, materiality Legal: validation of public commitments Communications: alignment with other disclosures

Step 3: Identify the data you will need

For the Climate module, you will need:

Quantitative data:

Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions (in tCO₂e) Detailed energy consumption Emission factors used Organizational boundary and methodology

Qualitative data:

Climate governance (who, when, how) Reduction targets and pathways Identified risks and opportunities Transition plan and investments Supplier engagement actions

Tip: Precisely map your needs using a data matrix.

CDP section	Required data	Owner	Status
C0 – Introduction	Company info, boundaries	Sustainability	✓
C2 – Governance	Roles, responsibilities, remuneration	HR / Legal	In progress
C6 – Emissions	Scope 1, 2, 3 + factors	Ops/Procurement	To be completed
C7 – Scope 3	15 categories, supplier engagement	Procurement	In progress

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Unclear boundaries: be precise about what is included or excluded
  
• Inappropriate emission factors: use the most recent and geography-relevant factors
  
• Incomplete Scope 3: CDP expects coverage of all 15 categories
  
• Lack of evidence: every claim must be documented
• Inconsistencies: ensure alignment across all responses

Step 4: Collect the data

Set up an efficient data collection system

• Streamline data collection with a standardized questionnaire sent to all data owners
  
• Set intermediate deadlines
  
• Automate reminders to avoid chasing contributors
  
• Hold regular check-ins to track progress
  

Involve the right teams in data collection

For Scope 1 and 2:

• Facilities: site energy consumption
  
• Fleet management: fuel for company vehicles
  

For Scope 3:

• Procurement: supplier data, questionnaires
  
• Logistics: upstream and downstream transportation
  
• HR: business travel, employee commuting
  
• IT: data centers, cloud services, equipment
  

Automate where possible

Priority tasks to automate:

• Energy invoice imports
  
• Recurring supplier data collection
  
• Reuse of data already published in other reports (annual reports, impact studies, etc.)
  
• Emissions calculations using standard factors
  
• Alerts for missing data
  

Step 5: Ensure data quality

Data reliability and traceability are critical to achieving a strong CDP score. Several processes should be implemented.

Put in place human controls:

• Peer review and manager validation
  
• Internal audit before submission
  
• Cross-review between teams
  

Implement automated checks:

• Outliers (e.g. consumption multiplied by 10 compared to the previous year)
  
• Missing data
  
• Inconsistencies between sections (e.g. Scope 1+2+3 ≠ total emissions)
  
• Outdated emission factors
  

Handle missing data transparently

• Be transparent: clearly disclose gaps to CDP
  
• Estimate with documentation: use justifiable methods (sector averages, extrapolation)
  
• Explain: state why the data is missing
  
• Plan ahead: describe how you will address the gap next year
  

CDP values transparency: it is better to acknowledge a gap with an action plan than to say nothing or invent a number.

Overall, for every data point disclosed, you should be able to justify the source, collection method, data owner, and last update date.

Step 6: Demonstrate your climate commitments

Set SBTi targets

Companies with validated SBTi targets consistently achieve higher scores. To do so:

• Submit your targets to the Science Based Targets initiative
  
• Cover 100% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions and at least 67% of Scope 3
  
• Define short-term (2030) and long-term (2050) milestones
  
Publish your targets transparently

If you do not yet have SBTi targets, start now—the process takes several months.

Demonstrate climate governance

CDP expects concrete governance evidence:

• Board level: a board member responsible for climate issues
  
• Executive level: variable compensation linked to climate KPIs
  
• Operational level: dedicated teams, allocated budgets, regular reporting
  

Present your transition plan

Your transition plan must be credible and actionable:

• Quantified pathways: how you will reach your targets year by year
  
• Investments: amounts and projects (CAPEX / OPEX)
  
• Levers: energy efficiency, renewables, supplier engagement, product innovation
  
• Monitoring indicators: clear KPIs to track progress
  
Risk scenarios: how your strategy and business model adapt to climate change

Step 7: Anticipate complex questions

Scope 3: the key to an A score

Scope 3 often represents more than 70% of total emissions. To earn points:

• Full coverage: assess all 15 categories, even if you rely on estimates initially
  
• Supplier engagement: launch data collection campaigns and set engagement targets
  
• Primary data: prioritize actual data over industry averages
  
Concrete actions: show how you reduce Scope 3 (supplier training, purchasing criteria, product innovation)

Climate scenario analysis

CDP requires scenario analysis in line with TCFD recommendations. You must:

• Test at least two scenarios: an optimistic (1.5°C) and a pessimistic (>4°C) scenario
  
• Identify impacts: physical risks (floods, droughts) and transition risks (carbon pricing, demand shifts)
  
• Quantify impacts financially where possible
  
Explain adaptation measures to reduce vulnerability

Risk identification and management

CDP assesses the maturity of your climate risk management:

• Identify key physical and transition risks
  
• Prioritize them by likelihood and financial impact
  
• Implement concrete mitigation plans
  
• Integrate them into enterprise risk management (ERM)
  
Monitor risk evolution over time

Final step: Submit your reporting

Pre-submission checklist:

• Executive validation: have your sponsor approve the content (CSO, CFO, or executive committee member)
  
• Legal review: if needed, have public commitments reviewed by legal
  
• Technical check: ensure all attachments are uploaded and readable
  
• Backup export: save a full PDF copy of your responses for communication purposes
  
Confirmation: verify that you receive a confirmation email from CDP

Score release timeline

CDP publishes scores a few weeks after the submission deadline. You will receive:

• Your overall score (A to F)
  
• A detailed score by section
  
• A feedback report outlining strengths and areas for improvement
  

What to do after receiving your score?

• If your score is strong, communicate it: add it to your website, reports, and investor presentations
• If it can be improved, identify where points were lost and build an action plan for the following year

Part 3: The tools to achieve an A score

Collecting, verifying, and consolidating CDP data requires strong organisation and collaboration.

Why spreadsheets are no longer enough

Managing CDP reporting through spreadsheets and emails leads to:

• Significant time loss
  
• Higher risk of errors
  
• Limited traceability
  
• Inefficient collaboration
  

According to Verdantix, companies spend 1,700+ hours per year on data collection, calculations, and corrections: time that could be spent on decarbonization activity.

The benefits of a dedicated platform

A dedicated sustainability platform enables:

• Centralised data management
  
• Automated data collection and calculations
  
• Full audit trails
  
• Structured workflows and clear ownership
  

Improve your CDP score with Sweep

Sweep connects to your existing systems to automatically import:

Sweep’s AI agents help you to: