We just completed our framework reporting mini webinar series, starting with CDP, you can see the blog recap here. CDP’s 2025 disclosure cycle emphasizes continuity, but don’t mistake that for status quo. While the structure and number of data points remain largely stable, there are strategic refinements that every company should be aware of, especially when it comes to how your performance is scored.
If your business reports environmental data through CDP, or works with clients that do, here’s what you need to know.
1. Scoring: Stability with subtle shifts
CDP will continue to score companies separately across climate change, forests, and water security in 2025. Plastics and biodiversity disclosures remain unscored, but companies are encouraged to start tracking and reporting this data in preparation for future accountability.
The scoring methodology itself is holding steady, but refinements for clarity and consistency have been introduced. That means the bar isn’t necessarily higher, but it’s becoming clearer, and easier to measure against.
Companies that receive C or higher scores should be especially alert. Many now must meet expectations for essential criteria previously reserved for top-tier responders. If you’ve been aiming for a B or A score, now’s the time to refine your disclosures and verification practices accordingly.
2. Questionnaire integration: A unified format
Following the 2024 consolidation of CDP’s climate, forests, and water questionnaires into a single integrated structure, the 2025 version retains this format. While that simplifies reporting, it also demands cross-functional coordination across teams (e.g., finance, operations, procurement) to ensure consistent, accurate responses.
Not every company is required to respond to every environmental theme:
- All full disclosers must report on climate change, plastics, and biodiversity
- Forests and water are requested based on industry classification, supply chain requests, or self-assessment.
Notably, opting out of a relevant module when eligible can negatively affect your CDP score, so alignment across teams and early decision-making is key.
3. Module-level changes that matter
While most modules remain structurally consistent, several updates may affect how companies prepare and present data:
- Module 1: Introduction
- Currency reporting (Q1.2) is now mandatory
- Clearer guidance on aligning CDP reporting boundaries with financial statements.
- Module 5: Business strategy
- CDP now recognizes questionnaire responses as evidence of a climate transition plan, though mainstream reporting is still preferred.
- New guidance on targets, capital expenditure, and capacity building.
- Module 7: Climate performance
- Improved alignment with the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM).
- Verification questions now allow multiple document uploads for ease.
- Modules 8 & 9: Forests and water
- Only minor guidance updates and better dropdown logic, but these still affect scoring if disclosures are incomplete or misaligned.
- Module 12: Financial services
- Scoring questions remain unchanged but are now more tailored to relevant portfolios with enhanced definitions (e.g., taxonomy-aligned assets, deforestation, nature-based solutions).
4. SME questionnaire: Still an on-ramp, but standards are tightening
The simplified SME questionnaire remains available for companies below the headcount and revenue thresholds (typically under $250 million in annual revenue). While the format is stable, the expectations for future readiness are rising.
If you’re currently using the SME version, consider this your signal to begin preparing for the full corporate questionnaire in the near term, especially as clients and investors demand more complete data.
What it means for businesses
For companies already engaged in environmental disclosure, the 2025 CDP updates won’t feel seismic. But they do reflect a maturing framework, one where consistency, completeness, and verification are no longer aspirational; they’re expected.
Whether you’re aiming for a better score, preparing to transition out of SME status, or just want to ensure compliance, now’s the time to review:
- Your internal reporting boundaries
- Third-party verification of Scope 1 and 2 (and ideally Scope 3)
- Readiness to disclose across plastics and biodiversity, even if not yet scored
And as always, maintaining an accurate carbon inventory, and being ready to tell a coherent story with your data, remains your best defense against reputational and regulatory risk.
Greenplaces’ comprehensive CDP reporting support
Greenplaces offers end-to-end assistance throughout the CDP reporting 2025 cycle:
Data collection and management: Our platform streamlines the gathering of emissions data, utility information, and sustainability metrics required for comprehensive CDP responses.
Module 7 integration: Direct mapping of carbon footprint data from the Greenplaces platform to CDP’s Energy and Emissions module, ensuring consistency and accuracy in environmental performance reporting.
Response development support: Expert guidance for crafting effective responses that address scoring methodology requirements while accurately reflecting your sustainability initiatives.
Gap analysis and strategy enhancement: Identification of disclosure weaknesses and strategic opportunities for program development to improve future CDP performance.
Direct submission assistance: Technical support throughout the submission process, ensuring complete and timely filing through CDP’s integrated portal.
More resources from Greenplaces
[Merged from #21] CDP disclosures 2025: what's new and how to prepare
We’ve kicked off our mini webinar series on disclosure frameworks with an in-depth session on CDP reporting. Corinne Hanson, Greenplaces VP of Sustainability, and Andrew Rizkallah, Greenplaces Director of Sustainability Reporting, shared valuable insights on what companies need to know for the upcoming reporting cycle.
This session marks the beginning of our comprehensive series that will continue through June, exploring essential sustainability frameworks that matter most to growing businesses.
Key updates for CDP reporting 2025
After a year of transformative changes in 2024, CDP is prioritizing stability for the 2025 reporting cycle. Companies preparing for CDP reporting in 2025 should understand these critical developments:
Commitment to stability and consistency: CDP has confirmed minimal changes to the questionnaire structure and portal interface for 2025, allowing companies to build on their previous submission experiences without navigating significant new technical challenges.
Refined scoring methodology: The complete scoring methodology for 2025 will be released in early May, providing essential guidance for companies aiming to improve their environmental disclosure ratings and demonstrate year-over-year progress.
SME questionnaire continuation: The streamlined questionnaire option for small and medium enterprises remains available, offering an accessible entry point for companies new to environmental disclosure while still allowing them to meet stakeholder expectations.
Enhanced essential criteria: Building on the expansion of essential criteria to B and C scoring levels in 2024, these critical questions will continue to be important gatekeepers for score advancement, particularly in governance and risk management modules.
Critical CDP reporting 2025 deadlines
The CDP disclosure cycle follows a structured timeline that companies must adhere to for successful submission:
Scoring criteria publication: Early May 2025, This documentation will provide crucial insights into assessment standards and point allocation.
Official reporting portal opening: June 16, 2025, Companies can begin inputting their environmental data and responses once the portal launches.
Final submission deadline: September 15, 2025, All responses must be completed by this date to receive official scoring and recognition.
CDP scoring landscape and competitive analysis
Environmental disclosure standards continue to evolve as sustainability reporting becomes increasingly mainstream across global markets:
Growing participation with limited excellence: While 95% of the world’s largest companies now publish carbon targets, achieving leadership status remains exclusive, only about 2% of reporting companies receive an A rating, highlighting the rigorous standards of truly exemplary environmental disclosure.
Broader success distribution: Companies achieving an A score in at least one environmental category (climate, water, or forests) increased by approximately 30% in 2024, demonstrating incremental progress across disclosure themes.
Extended essential criteria framework: The expansion of essential criteria scoring to management (B) and awareness (C) levels has created more structured pathways for improvement while raising the bar for advancement beyond disclosure-only ratings.
Comprehensive CDP questionnaire structure
#1: Introduction
#2: Risks & opportunities assessment process
#3: Material risks & opportunities
#4: Governance
#5: Business strategy
#6: Consolidation approach
#7: Energy & emissions
#8: Forests
#9: Water
#10: Plastics & biodiversity
SME questionnaire: Making CDP reporting 2025 accessible
Recognizing varied organizational capacities, CDP maintains tailored options for smaller companies:
Clear eligibility guidelines: Companies with revenue up to $50M and headcount up to 500 are automatically recommended for the SME questionnaire, while those with revenue up to $250M and headcount up to 1,000 have flexibility to choose between questionnaire formats.
Streamlined response requirements: The SME questionnaire contains a maximum of 57 questions, substantially fewer than the full corporate questionnaire, significantly reducing the resource investment required for participation.
Strategic entry point: For companies beginning their sustainability reporting journey, the SME questionnaire provides a structured framework for gradual capability development while still meeting baseline disclosure expectations.
Greenplaces’ comprehensive CDP reporting support
Greenplaces offers end-to-end assistance throughout the CDP reporting 2025 cycle:
Data collection and management: Our platform streamlines the gathering of emissions data, utility information, and sustainability metrics required for comprehensive CDP responses.
Module 7 integration: Direct mapping of carbon footprint data from the Greenplaces platform to CDP’s Energy and Emissions module, ensuring consistency and accuracy in environmental performance reporting.
Response development support: Expert guidance for crafting effective responses that address scoring methodology requirements while accurately reflecting your sustainability initiatives.
Gap analysis and strategy enhancement: Identification of disclosure weaknesses and strategic opportunities for program development to improve future CDP performance.
Direct submission assistance: Technical support throughout the submission process, ensuring complete and timely filing through CDP’s integrated portal.
Stay connected for ongoing CDP insights
Maintain your competitive edge in sustainability disclosure by connecting with Greenplaces’ ongoing resources:
Scoring methodology analysis: Detailed breakdown of 2025 scoring criteria immediately following official publication (coming late April 2025).
Continuing education series: Join our comprehensive framework webinar series, with the next session covering EcoVadis reporting on May 15, 2025.
Implementation support: Connect with our sustainability experts for personalized guidance on integrating CDP best practices into your environmental management approach.
For more detailed guidance on CDP reporting 2025 preparation, explore these additional Greenplaces resources:
- CDP reporting 2024: Key updates & best practices
- What is CDP and why does it matter?
- CDP framework overview