What Is the CDP Supply Chain Program?
The CDP Supply Chain Program is a global initiative that enables large companies to request environmental data from their suppliers. In 2023, more than 280 member companies requested environmental disclosures from over 40,000 suppliers (CDP Supply Chain Report, 2023).
If one of your customers is a CDP Supply Chain Program member, they may send you a disclosure request through the CDP platform. Responding is voluntary, but failing to respond can have commercial consequences.
Why Should You Respond?
Strengthens Commercial Relationships
Your customers are required to report their supply chain emissions — under CSRD, CDP's own scoring, and increasingly under ISSB frameworks. When they calculate Scope 3 Category 1 (purchased goods and services), they need emissions data from their suppliers. Suppliers who provide this data directly — rather than forcing their customers to rely on spend-based estimates — become strategic partners. The quality and specificity of the data you provide directly improves your customer's Scope 3 reporting quality and CDP score.
For Turkish exporters serving European multinationals, this dynamic is particularly relevant. As CSRD wave 2 brings thousands more EU companies into mandatory sustainability reporting scope, the demand for supplier-level emissions data is scaling rapidly.
Provides Competitive Advantage
Suppliers who make CDP disclosures can stand out in procurement processes. According to CDP's 2023 Global Supply Chain Report, 56 percent of supply chain member companies stated that CDP performance is or will be a factor in their procurement decisions (CDP Supply Chain Report, 2023). Some major purchasers — including automotive OEMs, consumer goods companies, and technology firms — have begun setting minimum CDP score thresholds for their strategic suppliers.
In competitive industries where multiple suppliers offer similar products at similar prices, CDP performance is becoming a differentiator. A Turkish automotive parts supplier with a CDP score of B will be preferred over a competitor without any CDP disclosure — all else being equal.
Builds Your Own Carbon Management Capacity
The CDP questionnaire systematically evaluates your GHG emissions, risk management, and climate targets. Completing the questionnaire for the first time forces an organization to gather data it may never have collected before — Scope 1 and 2 emissions, energy consumption by source, climate risk identification, governance structure, and emission reduction targets. This process is valuable for internal capacity building, far beyond the CDP response itself. The data collected for CDP feeds directly into TSRS compliance, CSRD data requests from customers, and SBTi target-setting processes.
Questionnaire Structure
The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire consists of 12 main sections:
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| C0 | Introduction |
| C1 | Governance |
| C2 | Risks and opportunities |
| C3 | Business strategy |
| C4 | Targets and performance |
| C5 | Emissions methodology |
| C6 | Emissions data (Scope 1, 2, 3) |
| C7 | Emissions breakdown |
| C8 | Energy |
| C9 | Additional metrics |
| C10 | Verification |
| C11 | Carbon pricing |
In the supply chain program, the SC (Supply Chain) module is also completed (CDP Questionnaire Guidance, 2024).
Step-by-Step Preparation
Step 1: Understand the Request
Review the CDP request email carefully. Identify which of your customers made the request, which questionnaires are covered (climate change, water security, forests), and the response deadline.
Step 2: Assemble Your Internal Team
Completing the CDP questionnaire requires a cross-functional team:
- Sustainability/Environment team: Emissions data and targets
- Finance: Investment data, carbon pricing information
- Operations: Energy consumption, production data
- Risk management: Climate risks and opportunities
- Senior management: Governance structure approval
Step 3: Collect Data
The most critical data points:
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions (tCO2e)
- Energy consumption (MWh or GJ)
- Emission reduction targets
- Climate risk assessment
- Governance structure (responsible board member)
Step 4: Complete the Questionnaire
Use CDP's online platform to complete the questionnaire. Provide the most detailed response possible for each question — scoring is based on response quality (CDP Scoring Methodology, 2023).
Step 5: Submit and Follow Up
Submit the questionnaire by the deadline. Results are typically published at year-end. Share your score with your customers and identify improvement areas for the following year.
How to Improve Your Score
| Score Level | Focus Area | Typical Actions |
|---|---|---|
| D → C | More comprehensive data, answering all mandatory questions | Ensure all mandatory questions are completed; provide Scope 1 and 2 emissions data; demonstrate awareness of climate risks |
| C → B | Setting emission reduction targets, risk management processes | Set quantitative emission reduction targets; implement climate risk assessment; establish climate governance structure |
| B → A | Third-party verification, science-based targets, board-level oversight | Obtain third-party verification of emissions data; set SBTi-validated targets; demonstrate board-level climate oversight; report on Scope 3 |
The jump from B to A is the most challenging — it requires not just disclosure but demonstrated leadership. Companies with SBTi-validated targets, independently verified emissions data, and comprehensive Scope 3 reporting consistently achieve A-list status.
Action Plan
- Notify your internal team within 48 hours of receiving a CDP request
- Compile the previous year's emissions data
- Start filling out the questionnaire at least 4 weeks before the deadline
- Do not worry about a low score in the first year — the improvement trend matters more
- Proactively inform your customers that you have responded
Action Item: Responding to the CDP questionnaire marks the beginning of your climate transparency journey. Instead of aiming for a perfect score in the first year, focus on making a comprehensive and honest disclosure.