TL;DR
Reaching the CDP A-List requires clearing all four scoring tiers (Disclosure to Awareness to Management to Leadership) and then passing six A-list-specific essential criteria. CDP’s provisional 2026 essential criteria, released 30 April 2026, scaled back two risk-and-opportunity gates that previously applied at Management and Leadership tiers (now Awareness-only) and shifted the rest of the gates toward auditable response-option specifications.
Six A-list-specific essential criteria in 2026:
- 100% of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions verified, plus at least 70% of Scope 3 (Leadership tier accepts 95% Scope 1+2 plus at least one Scope 3 category)
- Near-term Scope 1 and 2 targets: validated by SBTi, or meeting at least a 4.2% absolute annual reduction
- Temperature-aligned transition plan with board governance integration
- Climate-linked executive monetary incentives tied to transition-plan performance metrics
- Value chain engagement on climate (suppliers for non-financial-services; clients and investees for financial services)
- No relevant emissions exclusions from any scope
What Is the CDP A List?
CDP runs the world’s largest environmental disclosure system. Every year, more than 24,000 companies submit the CDP climate change questionnaire, covering climate change, water security, and forests. CDP scores each response on a scale from F (failure to disclose) up through D, C, B, and A. Companies that reach the A band earn a spot on the CDP A List.
In 2025, 877 companies achieved A List status across the three environmental themes. That represents roughly 4% of all scored organizations. Only 23 companies achieved Triple A, meaning they reached the top score on climate, water, and forests simultaneously.
CDP aligned its questionnaire with IFRS S2, the global baseline for climate disclosure, in 2025. The 2026 cycle continues this alignment and refines the essential-criteria gates further (see “What’s New for the 2026 Cycle” below). Companies already familiar with the CDP reporting process will notice new questions on transition plans, scenario analysis, and physical risk quantification that mirror ISSB requirements.
Why do companies pursue A List status? Three reasons drive most efforts. Institutional investors use CDP scores to screen portfolios. Supply chain programs require suppliers to disclose through CDP, and a low score can trigger follow-up audits. And the A List itself carries brand value. Schneider Electric, for example, has maintained A List status for 13 consecutive years, using the recognition in investor communications and sustainability marketing.
The CDP A List sits at the top of CDP’s four-level scoring system: Disclosure (D), Awareness (C), Management (B), and Leadership (A). For the full mechanics of how percentages roll up into letter grades and what each gate threshold requires, see our guide to how the CDP score is calculated. This article focuses on what reaching the A band requires once the underlying methodology is clear.
What’s New for the 2026 Cycle
CDP released the provisional Climate Change Scoring Essential Criteria 2026 on 30 April 2026 (v1.0). Three changes affect what reaching the A List requires this cycle.
The risks-and-opportunities gate softened
Old EC-CC1 (general) and EC-CC2 (Financial services), the essential criteria covering whether an organization has a process for identifying, assessing, and managing climate risks, now apply at Awareness level only. CDP removed these criteria at Management AND Leadership levels for 2026, calling it:
“the most significant change to the 2026 Climate Change essential criteria”
The reason CDP gives, in their own words: the criteria were considered to be
“having a high scoring impact on some organisations who demonstrate high environmental stewardship throughout their response, as a result of the inflexibility it imposed in risk/opportunity reporting”
Practical implication: companies whose broader climate work is strong but whose risk-and-opportunity disclosure formalities are lighter face less scoring penalty in 2026 than in 2025. The risk-assessment depth that earlier CDP cycles required at Management or Leadership is no longer a gate. It still earns points in the broader scoring methodology, but it no longer caps your overall score.
Wording shift to specific response options
Where 2025 essential criteria described the actions each scoring level rewarded, the 2026 criteria specify the exact response options that must be selected within each named question. Auditors and self-assessors can now verify gate compliance mechanically: did the organization select ‘Yes’ in column X of question Y? CDP added tags to the 2026 Full Corporate questionnaire to signpost which questions are part of essential criteria.
Provisional status
The April 2026 release is labelled v1.0 provisional. CDP may revise before the 2026 cycle response window opens. Final-version differences should be checked against the live 2026 cycle release before submission.
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The Essential Criteria Gate System
Starting in 2024, CDP introduced essential criteria at every scoring level: each band has mandatory checks a company must pass before its score can advance, and failing one caps the final grade at the level below. The criteria act as floors, not ceilings.
The full essential criteria checklist for every level is documented in our CDP score calculation guide. The rest of this section focuses on what changes at the A-List tier specifically.
The toughest jump for most companies is from Management (B) to Leadership (A). That transition demands multi-hazard physical risk assessment across multiple time horizons, both acute and chronic hazards, and scenario analysis using qualifying climate pathways. Many companies plateau at B because their risk assessment covers only one or two hazards over a single time frame, or because their scenario analysis does not meet CDP’s Leadership-tier requirements for a 1.5°C-aligned transition pathway and a physical scenario at 3°C or above.
One important note: essential criteria apply only to companies responding to CDP’s full corporate questionnaire. Organizations using the SME questionnaire are exempt from the gate system, though their scoring ceiling is also lower.
Six Requirements Every A-List Company Meets
Clearing the Leadership gate gets a company to the B band. Reaching the A List requires six additional categories of performance that CDP evaluates through A-list-specific essential criteria.
1. Verification at A-list thresholds. Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions must be 100% verified by a third party. Scope 3 emissions must be at least 70% verified. Leadership tier requires 95% Scope 1+2 verification and at least one Scope 3 category verified. A-list raises both bars. Self-reported figures or partial verification block A-list eligibility.
2. Near-term emissions targets validated by SBTi or meeting a 4.2% absolute annual reduction. A-list requires a near-term Scope 1 and Scope 2 target that has either been approved as science-based by the Science Based Target initiative, or meets at least a 4.2% absolute annual emissions reduction between the base year and the target year. Companies with only long-term net-zero pledges and no near-term target meeting one of these two routes do not qualify. The 4.2% route is the linear annual reduction needed to halve emissions by 2030 from a 2020 base, consistent with a 1.5°C pathway.
3. Climate transition plan with board-level governance integration. A-list requires a temperature-aligned climate transition plan (or commitment to develop one within two years) at Leadership tier, plus board governance integration: the board’s climate-issue agenda must include “Overseeing and guiding the development of a climate transition plan” or “Monitoring the implementation of a climate transition plan”. The executive position with environmental responsibility must also be tasked with “Developing a climate transition plan” or “Implementing a climate transition plan.” Vague sustainability strategy without these specific governance hooks does not meet the A-list bar.
4. Climate-linked executive monetary incentives tied to transition-plan KPIs. A-list requires that monetary incentives provided to a board or executive position cover at least one of CDP’s listed climate transition-plan performance metrics: board approval of climate transition plan, achievement of transition plan, implementation of an emissions reduction initiative, reduction in emissions intensity, increased renewable energy share, reduction in absolute emissions, or reduction in absolute emissions in line with a net-zero target. A general “ESG bonus” without a specific climate transition-plan-related metric does not satisfy the gate. Companies legally restricted from providing executive incentives qualify via an alternative route.
5. Value chain engagement on Climate Change. Non-financial-services A-list companies must engage with suppliers on Climate Change. This is an A-list-specific gate with no Leadership-tier requirement. Financial services companies face a separate gate on engagement with clients and investees in their relevant portfolios. The expectation goes beyond requesting disclosures.
6. No relevant emissions exclusions from any Scope. A-list requires that the organization have no relevant exclusions from any Scope, unless those exclusions are due to a recent acquisition or merger. Selectively excluding parts of operations or value chain emissions from the inventory is an A-list disqualifier.
Why “comprehensive risk assessment” is no longer in the six
CDP’s 2025 cycle treated detailed risk and opportunity disclosure as load-bearing for Management and Leadership scoring. The 2026 essential criteria removed those gates at the Management and Leadership tiers. Risk-assessment depth still earns points in CDP’s broader scoring methodology, for the multi-hazard, multi-horizon, scenario-analyzed risks that A-list companies typically disclose. But it no longer caps your overall score, and the A-list scoring criteria do not list it as a gate. A company can clear all six A-list requirements above without disclosing exhaustive risk-by-risk physical-impact tables, and a company that disclosed exhaustive tables but missed any of the six above will not reach A.
Sector-conditional gates beyond the six
Some sectors face additional A-list-specific or Leadership-specific gates beyond the six. Oil and gas + Coal companies must have zero CAPEX in new oil/gas exploration or new coal mine development for the reporting year and the next five years (EC-CC9, Leadership). Energy utilities and power generators must have at least 90% of CAPEX on low-carbon power generation (EC-CC10, A-list). Cement, Capital Goods, Chemicals, Metals & Mining, Steel, Construction & Real Estate, Coal, Energy utilities, Oil & gas, Aviation, Transport services, and Transport OEMs must demonstrate investment in low-carbon R&D (EC-CC8 family, Leadership). Construction & Real Estate companies undertaking new construction or major renovation must complete life-cycle emissions assessment of buildings (EC-CC29, Leadership), and Real Estate must manage net zero carbon buildings (EC-CC30, Leadership). Sector-specific gates flow into A-list eligibility because Leadership criteria are A-list prerequisites.
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Where Physical Risk Depth Is Rewarded in 2026 Scoring
Physical risk has only one direct gate in CDP’s 2026 essential criteria. At Awareness tier, EC-CC1 (or EC-CC2 for Financial services) requires that the organization have a process for identifying, assessing, and managing risks, with at least one row covering Climate Change risks in question 2.2.2. That is a low floor. Most submitting organizations clear it by default. Physical-risk depth, the kind that distinguishes a useful CDP response from a check-the-box one, lives in the broader points-based scoring methodology, in questions 3.1 (risk identification), 3.1.1 (detailed risk row), 5.1 (scenario analysis), and 5.1.1 (scenario detail). For the full structure of these questions, see our CDP score methodology guide. This section walks through the two dimensions where most A-list candidates lose physical-risk points.
How Financial Quantification Drives Your Score
Financial quantification is what carries a physical-risk row from Management into Leadership: a qualitative-only row forfeits the Management-tier financial-quantification points that A-list candidates cannot afford to lose. For the exact mechanic (which figures must be provided, and in which columns), see our CDP score methodology guide.
Which Scenarios Earn Points
At the Leadership tier, scenario analysis is where A separates from B. Our CDP score methodology guide walks the full tier-by-tier scoring; the scenario combinations that matter for the A List are the Leadership rows below:
| Requirement (Leadership) | Points | Accepted Scenarios |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5°C-aligned transition scenario | 1 | IEA NZE 2050, BNEF NEO, IRENA, or bespoke 1.5°C scenario |
| Physical scenario at 3°C or above | 1 | RCP 6.0, RCP 7.0, RCP 8.5, or bespoke physical scenario at 3°C+ |
| Timeframes extending to 2050 or beyond | 0.5 | Both physical and transition rows must include 2050+ |
The scoring methodology lists RCP pathways by name. IPCC SSP scenarios are not listed explicitly but qualify through the temperature alignment column: SSP2-4.5 falls in the 2.0-2.4°C band and SSP5-8.5 falls in the 4.0°C+ band, satisfying both Management and Leadership physical scenario requirements. Companies using SSP-based climate scenario analysis can map their outputs to CDP’s scoring framework through these temperature equivalences.
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Leadership-tier scoring on question 3.1.1 requires scenario analysis under at least two climate pathways. CDP accepts IPCC scenarios, including SSP2-4.5 (moderate emissions) and SSP5-8.5 (high emissions), which align with the TCFD framework recommendations for forward-looking risk assessment.
Common Mistakes That Block A-List Achievement
Sustainability teams often identify specific scoring gaps after receiving a B or C grade. Eight patterns account for most of the shortfall between Management and Leadership tiers.
Single time horizon risk assessment. A company that evaluates flood risk for the next five years but ignores 2040 and 2050 projections forfeits the Leadership-tier scoring points that reward disclosure across short, medium, and long-term horizons. While not a binary essential-criteria fail in 2026, single-horizon disclosure makes Leadership-tier scoring on questions 3.1.1 and 5.1.1 effectively unreachable.
Only acute hazards disclosed. Reporting on heat waves and floods without addressing chronic shifts like changing temperature patterns, sea level rise, or water stress costs Leadership-tier scoring points on the detailed risk-row question (3.1.1), which rewards disclosure of both acute and chronic physical hazards.
Missing third-party verification at A-list thresholds. A-list requires 100% of reported Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and at least 70% of reported Scope 3 emissions verified or assured by a third party. Leadership tier accepts 95% Scope 1+2 plus at least one Scope 3 category. Companies that meet Leadership-tier verification but not A-list thresholds will reach Leadership (A or A-) but stop short of A-list. Self-reported emissions block A-list eligibility regardless of how complete the rest of the response is.
No near-term emissions target meeting either route. A-list requires near-term Scope 1 and Scope 2 targets that either (a) are validated as science-based by the Science Based Target initiative, or (b) meet at least a 4.2% absolute annual emissions reduction over the target horizon. A 2050 net-zero pledge without a near-term target meeting one of these two routes does not satisfy the gate. Sector-specific variants apply: Energy utilities, power generators, and Aviation companies face Scope-1-only target evaluation; Coal and Oil & gas have stricter best-practice alignment required.
Vague transition plan or no governance integration. A temperature-aligned transition plan (or a commitment to develop one within two years) clears the Leadership gate. A-list adds governance hooks: the board must oversee plan development or monitor implementation, and an executive position must carry the responsibility of developing or implementing the plan. A free-standing PDF labelled “transition plan” without these governance integrations falls short of A-list.
Leaving questions blank. CDP’s scoring uses a “non-disclosure route” when key fields are empty. Forfeiting a question means losing access to all points allocated to it across every scoring tier. An incomplete risk identification question (Q3.1) forfeits up to 15 points; an incomplete scenario analysis question (Q5.1) forfeits up to 11.5 points. Selecting “evaluation in progress” with an explanation is always better than leaving a field blank.
Restricting response visibility. EC-CC32 requires submitting a public response to clear Leadership tier. Since A-list scoring is gated by clearing Leadership first, companies that share their CDP response only with requesting stakeholders cannot reach A or A-list, regardless of how complete the response is.
Assuming the 2025 risk-assessment-depth gate still applies. Until the 2025 cycle, EC-CC1 and EC-CC2 (Risks and opportunities) gated Management and Leadership scoring on risk-process depth. In 2026, these criteria apply only at Awareness tier. Companies that deprioritize risk and opportunity disclosure on the assumption that “deep enough is no longer required” still need to satisfy the Awareness floor (process in place, Climate Change Risks marked in question 2.2.2), and risk-disclosure depth still earns Leadership-tier points in the broader scoring methodology even though it no longer caps the score.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get an A on CDP?
Achieving a CDP A score requires meeting all essential criteria at the Awareness, Management, Leadership, and A-list levels. Key requirements include 100% third-party verified Scope 1 and 2 emissions plus 70% Scope 3, science-based or 4.2%-absolute-reduction-aligned near-term targets, a temperature-aligned climate transition plan with board governance integration, climate-linked executive monetary incentives tied to transition-plan performance metrics, value chain engagement on climate, and no emissions exclusions from any scope.
What are CDP score levels?
CDP scores companies on a scale from F to A across four tiers. F means the company did not respond to the questionnaire or responded too late to be scored. D and D- represent the Disclosure tier, where the company has provided basic environmental data. C and C- indicate the Awareness tier, where the company acknowledges climate-related risks and impacts on its business. B and B- reflect the Management tier, where the company is taking concrete action on environmental issues. A and A- represent the Leadership tier, the top scoring band, and earn a company a place on the CDP A List. Each tier has essential criteria that must be met before a company can progress to the next band.
What is a CDP A rating?
A CDP A rating means the company reached the Leadership band and passed all additional A-List checks, including verified emissions, science-based targets, and a transition plan. Only about 4% of scored companies achieve A List status. In 2025, 877 companies earned the distinction across climate change, water security, and forests.
Is a CDP score of B good?
A B score places a company in CDP’s Management tier, which is a strong result. Most companies score in the C or D range, so B represents above-average environmental performance. The jump from B to A requires additional rigor: 100% third-party verified Scope 1 and 2 emissions plus 70% Scope 3, near-term targets validated by SBTi or meeting a 4.2% annual reduction, a transition plan with board governance integration, climate-linked executive incentives, value chain engagement, and no emissions exclusions.
What does CDP stand for?
CDP originally stood for the Carbon Disclosure Project. The organization rebranded to just CDP in 2013 as its scope expanded beyond carbon to include water security and forests. CDP now operates the world’s largest environmental disclosure system, with over 24,000 companies and 1,100 cities reporting annually.
How many companies are on the CDP A List?
In 2025, 877 companies achieved CDP A List status across climate change, water security, and forests. Only 23 companies achieved Triple A, meaning they scored an A on all three environmental themes. The A List represents approximately 4% of all scored organizations.
What is the CDP climate change questionnaire?
The CDP climate change questionnaire is an annual disclosure request sent to companies by CDP on behalf of investors and customers. In 2025, over 24,000 companies received the questionnaire, which covers emissions data, climate risk identification, scenario analysis, transition planning, and governance across 13 modules. Responses are scored on an F-to-A scale and published for requesting stakeholders and investors.
What scenarios does CDP accept for climate risk assessment?
CDP’s 2025 scoring methodology explicitly accepts RCP pathways (RCP 4.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.5) and IEA scenarios (NZE 2050, SDS, APS) for physical and transition risk analysis. IPCC SSP scenarios qualify through the temperature alignment column. For Management-tier scoring, companies need at least one transition scenario aligned to 2°C or below and one physical scenario above 2°C. Leadership requires a 1.5°C-aligned transition scenario and a physical scenario at 3°C or above, both with timeframes to 2050 or beyond.
What changed in CDP’s 2026 essential criteria?
CDP released the provisional 2026 Climate Change Scoring Essential Criteria on 30 April 2026. Three changes matter for A-list candidates. First, EC-CC1 and EC-CC2 (Risks and opportunities) were removed at Management and Leadership levels; they now apply at Awareness only. CDP called this “the most significant change to the 2026 Climate Change essential criteria.” Second, the wording shifted from describing actions to specifying exact response options that must be selected within named questions, making essential criteria mechanically auditable. Third, tags were added to the 2026 Full Corporate questionnaire to flag which questions are part of essential criteria. The 2026 release is provisional v1.0. Final-version differences should be checked before submission.
Is comprehensive risk assessment still required for the CDP A List in 2026?
Not as a gate. CDP’s 2025 essential criteria treated risk-assessment depth as load-bearing at Management and Leadership tiers. The 2026 essential criteria removed those gates. Risk and opportunity disclosure still earn points in the broader scoring methodology, and a multi-hazard, multi-horizon, financially-quantified risk assessment is still what differentiates a useful disclosure from a perfunctory one. But it no longer caps your overall score in 2026. The Awareness-tier floor (process in place, Climate Change Risks marked in question 2.2.2) is the only direct essential-criteria gate on risk identification.
Building Your Path to the A List
The CDP A List criteria reward companies that treat environmental disclosure as a strategic function, not a compliance exercise. The essential criteria gate system means there are no shortcuts. A company must build capability at each level before advancing to the next.
For companies currently at the B or C band, the most actionable step is mapping existing gaps against the 2026 essential criteria: verification thresholds, near-term targets, transition plan with governance integration, climate-linked incentives, value chain engagement, and emissions exclusions. The Management-to-Leadership jump still drives the largest performance shift because Leadership tier rewards points-based depth (multi-hazard physical risk assessment, qualifying climate scenarios, financial quantification of risks) that the lower tiers do not. Closing those gaps, whether through internal capability or external platforms, is the single biggest lever for improving a CDP score.
CDP’s 2026 essential criteria are provisional as of writing. Final-cycle differences should be checked against the live 2026 release before response submission.
