Got a CDP request? Here's what it actually involves.
A customer, investor, or bank has asked your company to report its environmental data through CDP. It looks official, it has a deadline, and it probably landed on your desk because nobody else owns it. This page explains what CDP is, what it wants from you, and how to answer it without becoming a sustainability expert.
What CDP actually is
CDP runs an online system that companies use once a year to report their environmental data, mostly their carbon emissions and their plans to cut them. You fill it in once, and the customers, investors, or banks who asked can read your answers in one place instead of emailing you one by one (what CDP is for). So the request on your desk is less a form from one person and more an invitation to publish your environmental data where several of them can see it.
Keslio is independent and not affiliated with CDP. We help companies respond to it.
What CDP asks of you, and by when
Four things are worth knowing before you start. Each one changes how much work the response is.
There are two versions, and a shorter one for smaller companies
CDP has a full questionnaire and a shorter SME version built for smaller suppliers (CDP, how to disclose). Which one you receive decides how much you are asked for, so confirm your version before you spend time on it.
Your answer gets a public score, from A to D-
CDP grades each response with a letter, from A at the top down to D-. If you do not respond, it shows as "did not disclose" (CDP scoring). The score is visible to the companies who asked, which is why your customer is paying attention to it.
The top grade needs your numbers checked by an outside party
To earn an A, CDP requires your environmental data to be verified independently, not just reported by you (CDP verification). Worth knowing early if an A is what your customer is really after, because verification takes planning.
For 2026, the deadline is September 16
CDP works on a yearly cycle. For 2026 the scoring deadline is September 16, 2026, unless CDP announces a different date (CDP terms of disclosure). Your customer may also set an earlier date of their own, so check both.
One more thing that trips people up: a CDP request can come from a customer, an investor, a bank, or an industry group, and one response can answer several of them at once (who requests CDP data). You are answering the platform, not just the person who forwarded you the email.
What to do now
You have two sensible next moves. Send us the CDP request and we will read it and tell you, for free, exactly what it needs and what it will take. Or if you would rather see your own emissions number first, our free calculator gives you a solid one in about ten minutes.
Use the free review when you already have a CDP request, portal instruction, questionnaire, or deadline in front of you.
How Keslio helps
We start with the exact request you received, work out the emissions numbers behind it, organize the proof so the answers hold up, and help draft the response. You keep control of your CDP account and press submit yourself, because it is your company's data. And because CDP comes back every year, we set you up so next year is a refresh, not a fresh start.
Free request review
$0
You have a CDP request, buyer email, or deadline and want a plain read of what it needs and a quote before anything begins.
Emissions numbers and proof
From $3k
You need your Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions worked out (that is your direct fuel use and your electricity), the Scope 3 that matters covered, and the source records organized behind them.
Full CDP response
From $8k
You need the emissions work plus help completing the CDP response, organizing the evidence, and answering the follow-up questions your customer sends.
Ongoing support
From $3k/mo
You get these requests all year, from CDP, EcoVadis, customers, or investors, and want a standing part-time sustainability team instead of a scramble each deadline.
Final price depends on how many company entities you have, how much of your data is ready, and whether you need your numbers independently verified. The free review confirms it before you commit.
Some customers ask for CDP by name
If your request came from one of these companies, we have a page on exactly what they expect.
Microsoft
When Microsoft also asks suppliers for emissions data alongside CDP.
Microsoft supplier GHG reportingIntel
When Intel ties CDP to renewable electricity and environmental scorecards.
Intel supplier CDP and environmental reportingCisco
When the CDP request is driven by Cisco's supplier reporting.
Cisco supplier CDP reportingOfficial materials
CDP source materials
Common questions
Is Keslio part of CDP?
No. Keslio is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by CDP. We help companies respond to CDP requests. We are not CDP and cannot grade or submit on CDP's behalf.
Do I need to be a sustainability expert to do this?
No. That is the point of getting help. You bring what you know about your business, we handle the emissions work and the CDP wording, and we explain anything technical in plain language as we go.
Can you submit the CDP response for us?
We prepare the numbers, the evidence, and the draft answers. You keep control of your CDP account and press submit, because it is your company's disclosure. If you want hands-on help inside the portal, we agree that with you up front.
What data will you need from me?
Mostly your energy and fuel use, electricity bills, business travel, and spending, plus any policies or targets you already have. We give you a clear list of what to gather, and "not sure" is a fine starting point.
How long does it take?
A simple, well-organized response can be a short project. More company entities, a lot of Scope 3, or a tight deadline need more time. The free review gives you a real timeline before you commit to anything.
Keslio is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by CDP. We provide independent sustainability advice to companies responding to customer and platform requests. Your CDP account, final approval, and submission stay with your own authorized users.
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