CDP 2026: Key Updates and How Your Company Can Benefit

What is the CDP and why is it important?

CDP is a nonprofit organization that operates a global disclosure system for companies, cities, and regions to help them manage their environmental impact. A good CDP rating is more than just a regulatory exercise: it sends a strong signal to the market. Investors and customers use CDP scores to assess a company’s sustainability and risk management. A high rating accordingly facilitates access to capital, strengthens brand reputation, and secures competitive advantages. You can find a detailed explanation here.

By participating in the CDP, you will not only identify risks but also uncover opportunities for efficiency and innovation within your value chain.

The most important changes in the 2026 CDP questionnaire

The CDP is constantly refining its standards. Several changes are planned for 2026 to make reporting more relevant and efficient:

• More complex requirements driven by new areas of focus: With the addition of topics such as biodiversity, plastics, and the oceans, expectations for reliable data, clear definitions, and expert classification are rising. This also presents an opportunity to gain a more complete picture of one’s own environmental impact and to better manage both risks and opportunities.

• Greater need for coordination due to international standard harmonization: Increased alignment with the TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures), GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), or the GHG Protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol) requires consistent, well-coordinated information across different departments. This offers the advantage that harmonized data can be used more efficiently and applied to multiple reporting requirements simultaneously.

• More precise assessments and rising demands for data quality: Despite a clearer structure, expectations regarding accuracy, completeness, and a clear strategic context for the data are on the rise. As a result, higher data quality not only minimizes assessment risks but also enables better scores and more informed decisions.

Professional CDP support from ecos

The CDP process can be complex and tie up internal resources. As long-standing experts in sustainability reporting, we guide you efficiently and effectively through the entire cycle. We help you understand the new requirements for 2026, collect the right data, and formulate your responses in a way that best showcases your actions and progress. Our tailored support ranges from the initial status quo analysis through data collection to the final submission. Together, we ensure that you not only meet the requirements but also identify and leverage opportunities to improve your rating and sustainability performance.