Carbon Disclosure Project: Press

Press

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organisation which acts as an intermediary between shareholders and corporations on all climate change related issues, providing primary climate change data from the world’s largest corporations, to the global market place. The data is obtained from responses to CDP’s annual Information Request, sent on behalf of institutional investors and purchasing organisations.

CDP’s role is to facilitate and promote an ongoing dialogue between institutional investors, purchasing organisations and senior corporate management regarding the business implications of climate change. The detailed greenhouse gas emissions data and corporate climate strategy information collected by CDP is provided to facilitate a rational response to climate change.

In 2008 CDP’s annual Information Request is signed by over 385 international institutional investors (Signatory Investors / signatories) with $57 trillion in assets under management. CDP’s corporate supply chain Information Request is signed by more than 30 major multi-national companies and eight public sector organisations (supply chain members / signatories) and the Information Requests are sent to more than 7,000 companies worldwide. The authority of the CDP signatories has encouraged corporations globally to report, measure and manage their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies.

Since its formation in 2000, CDP has become the gold standard for carbon disclosure methodology and process. The CDP website is the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world. All public responses to CDP’s Information Requests are available via this website.

CDP initiatives include:

The CDP Supply Chain project designed to enable corporate management to ascertain the impact of climate change in relation to its entire supply chain; and
The CDP Cities Programme, whereby more than 30 American Cities, including New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami and New Orleans, will utilise CDP’s systems to assess their respective carbon footprints and
The CDP Public Sector Supply Chain project, designed to enable government bodies and public sector organisations ascertain the impact of climate change in relation to its supply chain.

CDP Overview:

Through the promotion of an ongoing dialogue between institutional investors and senior corporate management in relation to climate change, CDP plays a vital role in encouraging private and public sector organisations to measure, manage and reduce emissions and climate change impacts.
The data collected by CDP provides investors with valuable insight into the strategies deployed by many of the largest companies in the world in relation to climate change. It also provides investors with a better understand of risks and opportunities from climate change in their portfolios.
CDP provides the private and public sectors with a clear framework within which to report and discuss the development of climate change strategies.
CDP’s data is made available to as wide an audience as possible including policymakers and their advisers, investors, corporations, academics and the public to raise awareness and advance expertise.
CDP’s Information Request has encouraged thousands of corporations to engage in climate change issues for the first time.
CDP’s visibility and credibility provides a neutral forum for reporting companies to demonstrate their commitment to carbon disclosure and emissions management to a wide range of stakeholders.
CDP’s corporate data permits companies to benchmark against their peer group and represents a resource in terms of strategic ideas.
Climate change programmes related to risk, opportunity and GHG management can yield various internal benefits, particularly in terms of cost savings.

All companies are encouraged to report their emissions data using the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol: the most widely used international accounting tool in respect of emissions and one which global governments and industrialists are familiar with.

CDP has assembled the largest corporate greenhouse gas emissions database in the world and its analyst reports, published annually, provide a detailed analysis of how the largest companies around the globe are responding to climate change.

CDP is committed to the provision of the best information available in respect of business related climate change risks and opportunities to all interested parties including policymakers and their advisers, the investment community, corporate management, academics and the public.

The Carbon Disclosure Project, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England (no. 05013650), is a Registered Charity (no. 1122330). In the United States, CDP’s fiscal agent and sponsor liaison is Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which provides CDP with 501(c)3 charitable status.