In this article, Ysabela Noggle, CEMAsys US Associate Manager shares her biggest takeaways from CDP 2025 and practical ways to strengthen your data quality, streamline processes, and prepare for even stronger CDP scores in 2026.
In this article, Ysabela Noggle, CEMAsys US Associate Manager shares her biggest takeaways from CDP 2025 and practical ways to strengthen your data quality, streamline processes, and prepare for even stronger CDP scores in 2026.
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Every year, when CEMAsys dives into CDP with our clients, we uncover new lessons about what it really takes to manage sustainability effectively. This year, working through the 2025 questionnaire with our clients, we saw just how important it is to move beyond treating CDP as a once-a-year exercise. Instead, it is the outcome of strong governance, solid systems, and integrated processes that connect risks, opportunities, impacts, and dependencies. Some of our biggest takeaways from the 2025 CDP season are:
Governance Structure:
One of the clearest themes we saw was strong governance strucutres. Companies with clear-defined roles, responsibilities, and oversight mechanisms were the ones able to execute effectively on their sustainability strategies. It isn’t just about having the board review a policy or having a sustainability committee, it is about making sure accountability flows throughout the organization so that strategies turn into measurable actions. Without that foundation, even the best climate ambitions risk remaining theoretical.
Carbon Accounting System:
Another big differentiator is having a proper GHG Emissions Accounting system. Having a GHG inventory is important, of course, but when it comes to CDP, especially for Module 7, what really matters is how organized and accessible that data is. We’ve seen companies spend countless hours piecing together spreadsheets and trying to track down emission factors, only to end up frustrated when CDP asks for details they can’t easily provide. By contrast, for companies with centralized systems like CEMAsys.com, reporting becomes far less painful. Data is centralized, emissions factors are applied consistently, and outputs are already aligned in a CDP-friendly format. That shift from manual to systemized isn’t just a time-saver, it enables accuracy, transparency, and credibility in reporting.
IFRS and TNFD - Connect Risks, Opportunities, Impacts, and Dependencies:
Another key takeaway was CDP’s closer alignment with IFRS sustainability standards and TNFD. This is where risks, opportunities, impacts, and dependencies all come together. Companies that treat these elements in isolation struggle to build a coherent narrative. But when they’re approached as an integrated process, understanding how risks and opportunities tie to financial impacts, how operations depend on natural resources, and how those dependencies create exposure, disclosure becomes more efficient and more meaningful. CDP is making it clear that companies need to take this integrated approach seriously, and those that do will find themselves ahead of the curve in both compliance and strategy.
So, what’s our big takeaway from 2025? CDP continues to raise expectations, but not in ways that should feel overwhelming. Instead, the message is clear
When these foundations are in place, CDP shifts from being a compliance hurdle to a platform that demonstrates real progress and strategy.
As we look toward next year’s cycle, the smartest preparation for next year is to start now. Waiting until the questionnaire opens only makes the process harder. Companies should focus on strengthening governance, streamlining carbon accounting, and embedding risk and opportunity analysis directly into business planning.
Once those fundamentals are in place, the next area of focus should be Climate Transition Planning. While more companies are disclosing that they have a 1.5 °C-aligned transition plan, only a small portion are reporting against all of CDP’s transition plan indicators. This gap highlights that many organizations still treat transition planning as a compliance checkbox, rather than embedding it as a strategic tool.
Proper transition planning doesn’t replace the foundational work; it builds on it. It is the bridge from demonstrating readiness to demonstrating a credible, forward-looking strategy. Companies that use 2025 to strengthen their foundations will be best positioned in 2026 to show not just compliance, but ambition and long-term resilience.
I’m passionate about driving meaningfulsustainability progress through data-driven strategy and actionable solutions. As an Associate Manager, I focus on helping organizations translate complex environmental challenges into clear, measurable outcomes, supporting everything from emissions accounting to long-term climate transition planning. I’m motivated by the opportunity to create strategies that turn sustainability goals into tangible results.
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