CDP 2025: Manon Beaudaire, Sweep’s ESG expert, breaks down the scores

Manon, you’ve been following CDP reporting for several years. Have you seen changes over time?

Yes, definitely. First, CDP continues to attract a huge number of companies, with more than 22,000 participating again this year. A major shift over the past few cycles is that more companies are now responding across multiple CDP themes Water, Biodiversity, and Forests not just Climate. It is encouraging to see organisations taking a broader view of environmental issues.

Was the 2025 cycle different from previous years?

The biggest difference this year is the rise in top scores. We moved from 2% of companies achieving an A in 2024 (515 companies) to 4 percent in 2025 (877 companies). Another striking point is the number of companies earning a triple A meaning the highest score across Climate, Water, and Forests. That number nearly tripled, from 8 to 23.

How do you explain the increase in A scores?

To me, it signals stronger commitment and greater transparency. Expectations from investors, civil society, and regulators keep rising, and companies are responding year after year. The growth in A scores reflects a positive trend: corporate effort and ambition are continuing to accelerate.

Why does CDP still attract thousands of companies?

It is important to remember that CDP is also a business tool used by investors and customers to assess corporate commitment. As I often say, “commitments only carry weight when data can prove them.”

Decision makers need clear, reliable, consistent data to guide strategic choices. More and more companies understand that demonstrating environmental action with structured, transparent data is not just good practice, it is also good for business.

Why does CDP still attract thousands of companies?

It is important to remember that CDP is also a business tool used by investors and customers to assess corporate commitment.

In 2025, 640 investors managing $127 trillion in assets requested data through the CDP, and more than 270 major corporations asked around 45,000 of their suppliers to share information through the CDP Supply Chain program.

As I often say, “commitments only carry weight when data can prove them.”Decision makers need clear, reliable, consistent data to guide strategic choices. More and more companies understand that demonstrating environmental action with structured, transparent data is not just good practice, it is also good for business.

How do you see the 2026 reporting cycle, which starts in June?

CDP updates its questionnaire every year, and recent trends suggest environmental topics are becoming more prominent. For 2026, CDP has said it will place even more emphasis on nature. For the first time, companies will also be able to respond voluntarily to an “Ocean” module.

CDP is also strengthening interoperability with other widely used frameworks, especially TNFD for nature, as well as GRI and the GHG Protocol. In my view, this is a very positive step forward for nature related reporting.

Last question: if a company wants to get started with CDP, where should it begin?

Start by understanding the scoring system and what CDP expects. Take the time to get clarity before jumping into execution. Our team recently published a guide I contributed to so naturally, my first recommendation is to begin there!