Start CDP responses by checking the questionnaire enabled in the company’s account, then assign each question to people who can verify the information. Governance statements, emissions figures, water resources, and commodity origins should use consistent boundaries and periods so each answer can be traced to its source records.
Who may need this and when
Companies receiving a supply-chain request, making their first disclosure, or seeking to improve on a prior scorecard can begin with the current questionnaire and deadline. Companies with sustainability reports should still check every question: a public-report summary may not provide the detail requested by the questionnaire.
Climate, water, and forests need different information
Climate information should align with emissions boundaries, energy, and targets; water information should connect to sites and water withdrawal and discharge; forest-related questions require tracing relevant commodities to their origins and management. Governance can be coordinated, but one carbon inventory cannot replace the other topic-specific information.
Questionnaire pathways and current arrangements
CDP uses an integrated corporate questionnaire, while the actual questions depend on company characteristics, sector, and account settings. The full questionnaire and SME questionnaire have separate eligibility conditions; a company cannot choose a pathway solely by describing itself as an SME.
In 2026, CDP added oceans and adjusted forest and plastics content. Plastics, biodiversity, and oceans were not scored that year, and SME climate scoring added an A score. Disclosure content and scoring scope should be checked separately.
As of September 26, 2026, the scored-submission deadline of September 16 has passed. The final non-scored response window is expected during the week of October 26; confirm the exact date and time in the platform notice. Submission availability does not mean a score can be awarded for the year, and the requesting customer’s requirements also need to be confirmed.
A workflow to discuss
- Confirm the account, questionnaire, data period, and deadline; map questions to departments.
- Gather inventory, site, origin-traceability, and governance records; flag gaps and inconsistencies.
- Check answers, calculations, and attachments against the guidance; distinguish management gaps from wording edits.
- Have the company approve disclosure and sharing settings, then arrange submission and follow-up improvements within the authorization given.
Information and outputs
Provide the current questionnaire, invitation, previous scorecard, environmental data, targets, and management actions. Possible agreed outputs include a question-owner matrix, gap list, draft responses, and evidence index. Content preparation does not automatically include account operation or permission to submit externally.
Assessing schedule and fees
Questionnaire pathway, relevant topics, data maturity, and company approval affect the schedule. Inventory work, system improvement, questionnaire preparation, and platform fees should be confirmed separately. A draft finished before the deadline is not the same as an approved formal submission.
Frequently asked questions
Can last year’s answers be reused?
They can be a starting point, but recheck the questions, period, boundaries, actions, and guidance. Information carried into the platform may have become outdated.
Can we enter estimates when emissions data are missing?
First confirm an appropriate method and its basis, and document gaps, estimate sources, and limitations. Do not invent numbers just to fill a field.
Can you guarantee a higher score?
CDP determines scores using the current methodology and evidence. The work focuses on actual management and data quality; rewriting answers cannot guarantee a score.
What should we do after the scored-submission deadline?
Check the current submission status in the platform and ask the requesting customer whether a non-scored response meets its needs. Use the latest official notice for the deadline and time zone.
Official references
These sources support the methodology and scope. The workflow and outputs above are suggestions for project discussion.
Back to the ESG overview | Contact Captain International to discuss your needs