Preparing for 2025 CDP Success: Scoring Methodology and A-List Criteria Themes
How to make an early start on your 2025 CDP submission and maximise your score.
Although the CDP Portal does not officially open until w/c 16th June, companies can now make an early start on their 2025 CDP disclosure since the 2025 Questionnaire, Reporting Guidance and Scoring Methodology documents are now available. With this now available, understanding the CDP A List criteria and scoring methodology early is key to maximising your performance.
When it comes to scoring, CDP has released a whole range of documents that support response preparation, particularly if you are looking to obtain a particular score.
What are the key CDP scoring documents?
- Scoring Introduction – an informative introduction to how the scoring at CDP works, including the scoring process, principles and disclaimers.
- Scoring Methodology – informs how each question will be scored (i.e., what points will be given) at each scoring level.
- Essential Criteria – the specific minimum criteria that must be met at each scoring level for the climate theme.
- Scoring Category Weightings – details the different scoring categories and the weightings applied to each for scoring.
- Scoring Changes – a list of the key changes in scoring methodology compared to 2024.
All CDP scoring documents can be found here.
What are the big scoring changes this year?
In alignment with the questionnaire, CDP is focused on stability this year, and therefore, changes mainly relate to improvements and corrections made in wording for the clarity and consistency of scoring criteria, rather than any major scoring updates. This should hopefully mean there is less to learn this year for seasoned CDP responders.
A word on Essential Criteria
CDP introduced Essential Criteria last year, below the A level, which we believe may have tripped up a few companies who were not aware of its importance to the overall soring process.
What does Essential Criteria stand for?
The essential criteria are additional requirements – beyond a minimum score at each level. Even if a responder has passed the scoring threshold at a particular scoring level, they will not be eligible for that level if they do not meet all of the essential criteria.
This means that in addition to the CDP Scoring Methodology, responders must also follow the Essential Criteria document, as this could make all the difference to your score.
- For climate change, essential criteria remains in place at the Awareness, Management, Leadership and A-List scoring levels.
- For forests and water, essential criteria remains in place for the Leadership and A-List scoring level only.
Essential criteria is only applicable to those responding to the full corporate questionnaire.
Key leadership and A-list criteria themes
To meet the 2025 CDP A List criteria, organisations must align their climate disclosures with a set of key leadership themes that reflect high-impact actions and transparent reporting.
- Transition Plan – disclosing a public, credible transition plan aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5°Candincludes financial planning, capital allocation, and decarbonisation levers.
- Reduction targets – has set an SBTi-approved target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions or discloses a target that is fully aligned with a 1.5⁰C scenario.
- Verification of all emissions – has obtained third-party verification for all disclosed emissions, including Scope 3.
- Value chain engagement – discloses proactive engagement with suppliers/customers to manage and reduce emissions. This may include specific supplier requirements, training, or incentives.
- Incentives for climate action – has climate-related performance metrics linked to executive compensation.
- Transparent public reporting – publishes climate data in mainstream financial or sustainability reports and demonstrates progress tracking against goals.
Maximising your score in 2025
In addition to following the Essential Criteria closely, we recommend paying careful attention to the following, no matter what score you are going for:
- Ensure all questions that you can answer are answered – unanswered questions will be scored zero out of the maximum available points for that question or set of questions.
- For questions where multiple rows are being disclosed, put your best row first – for some questions, CDP scores your best row, look out for this throughout the questionnaire and as a general rule, always put your strongest row first.
- Look out for cross-scored questions – if you are conducting a mock score of your response, be sure to also check the cross-scored questions to ensure you have maximised all points.
- Tailor open text questions and ensure they relate to each environmental issue – if you plan to copy and paste qualitative responses, remember to review them and edit so they make sense for each environmental issue.
Pay attention to the Scoring Categories Weighting document – this is worth a read to understand where you should spend most of your efforts when it comes to developing your responses.