Investors controlling US$127 trillion in assets are increasingly demanding clear, comparable environmental data, and businesses are responding. CDP, a global, non-profit environmental disclosure platform, has released its 2025 ‘A List’, showcasing companies, cities, and regions leading the way by climate, forests, and water security.
Looking ahead, the report highlights how environmental disclosure is becoming a core expectation of global markets that businesses must keep pace with. Here are the key takeaways.
Investors and buyers drive disclosure momentum
Demand for environmental disclosure remained strong throughout 2025. A total of 640 investors, representing US $127 trillion in assets, requested companies to disclose environmental data through CDP. At the same time, more than 270 major buyers sought environmental information from around 45,000 suppliers via CDP’s supply chain program.
This signals a clear shift in markets: environmental data is increasingly viewed as essential for managing risk, identifying opportunities and supporting long-term business resilience.
Over 800 companies achieve top-tier recognition
In 2025, more than 23,100 companies, cities, states and regions disclosed environmental information through CDP. Over 22,100 of these were companies, representing more than half of global market capitalisation.
From those assessed, 877 companies achieved a place on the Corporate A List, around 4% of all companies scored, with 23 awarded the highest ‘Triple A’ status for leadership across climate, forests, and water security.
Asia and Europe emerged as hubs of corporate environmental leadership. Countries with the highest proportion of A List companies included Japan, Taiwan, France, Portugal and Spain.
Cities and regions turn disclosure into action
Sub-national governments also continued to strengthen environmental governance. More than 1,000 cities, states, and regions, representing over one billion people, disclosed environmental data in 2025.
A total of 122 cities, state and regions achieved an A score, with strong representation from Europe and North America alongside consistent participation from cities in the Global South. This highlights how environmental transparency is supporting practical action and investment planning at a local level worldwide.
Why this matters for business
CDP’s 2025 results show that environmental disclosure has become a core business expectation. For businesses, transparent reporting is increasingly tied to investor confidence, supply chain relationships and access to capital.
As markets place greater value on high-quality environmental data, organisations that invest early in robust disclosure and environmental performance are better positioned to manage risk, meet stakeholder expectations and unlock new opportunities in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
If you’d like to strengthen your environmental disclosures or improve the quality and credibility of your reporting, contact Sustainable Energy First to discuss how we can help.
