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Definition

CDP SME questionnaire

The CDP SME questionnaire is a shorter annual environmental disclosure for eligible companies, with simplified climate questions and optional forests and water content selected during questionnaire setup.

What is the CDP SME questionnaire?

The 2026 version has 10 modules and no sector-specific questions. All respondents receive climate questions. Forests and water questions appear only if selected during setup; Supply Chain questions appear only after a member request.

Why does the CDP SME questionnaire matter to you?

A customer, investor, bank or initiative may request your CDP disclosure. More than 1,000 employees or annual revenue above USD 250 million requires the full questionnaire; RE100-requested companies cannot use the SME version. Confirm the Portal assignment, then use Keslio's CDP supplier page to organize the request.

How does the CDP SME questionnaire work?

Complete questionnaire setup, assign each question and keep its source record beside the answer. Questions 20.4 and 20.5 ask for gross global Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in metric tonnes CO2e. Question 20.12 asks you to allocate emissions to requesting customers; 20.17 and 20.17.1 cover active reduction initiatives. Only the Submission Lead, who sends the final response, can submit.

What mistakes should you avoid?

  • Preparing full-questionnaire numbers such as 7.6 and 7.7 when your Portal shows SME Questions 20.4 and 20.5.
  • Leaving mandatory Question 20.12 unanswered when a CDP Supply Chain member requested your disclosure.
  • Entering zero when you did not measure a value. CDP treats zero as a measured result.
  • Copying last year's answer without checking the reporting year, boundary, units and source records.

Is the CDP SME questionnaire the same as the full questionnaire?

No. The SME version has fewer, simplified datapoints and no sector-specific questions. An eligible company may choose the full version, but a company above either eligibility limit must use it.

What should you keep behind your CDP SME response?

Keep the final question export, reporting-boundary list, Scope 1 and Scope 2 calculation files, factor sources, customer-allocation method for 20.12, initiative records for 20.17, approvals and submission confirmation.

Example

Hypothetical example: Suppose a chemicals distributor in France has 180 employees and annual revenue of USD 45 million. Both figures are below CDP's 2026 thresholds and no RE100 request applies, so the company may choose the SME questionnaire.

During setup, it selects climate and water but not forests. The Portal therefore shows climate and water questions, plus Supply Chain Question 20.12 from its customer request, but no forests questions. The team records that setup decision before assigning the displayed questions to owners.

Where it comes up

Related terms

Sources

  • CDP

    2026 SME eligibility thresholds, ten-module structure, issue selection, supply-chain questions and absence of sector-specific questions

    2026-08-21

  • CDP

    2026 SME Questions 20.4, 20.5, 20.12, 20.17 and 20.17.1 and the data each requests

    2026-08-21

  • CDP

    Submission Lead requirement and mandatory SME questions, including 20.12 for Supply Chain requests

    2026-08-21

Last verified 2026-08-21

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CDP SME questionnaire Definition | Keslio