More than 13,000 companies, representing 64% of global market capitalisation disclosed their data through CDP in 2021
Amundi, Axa, BNP Paribas and Vanguard are among more than 680 financial institutions that will be issuing letters to the boards of nearly 10,400 companies globally, worth $105trn in market cap, requesting they disclose data on their environmental impact this year.
The letters, which are going out to companies from today (14 March), will request that they disclose data on issues such as climate change, deforestation and water security, through non-profit CDP's environmental disclosure system.
CDP said that nearly 100 more asset managers, asset owners, banks and insurers have put their name to the disclosure request this year.
According to CDP, last year nearly 3,200 companies out of 7,176 requested disclosed their environmental information in response to its ‘letter to the board', in addition to the more than 10,100 other companies that disclosed through CDP, either at the request of their business customers through CDP's supply chain program, or "of their own volition".
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However, Berkshire Hathaway, Glencore, Exxon Mobil and Chevron were among the companies that last year failed to disclose any information in response to the request.
In 2021, more than 13,000 companies, representing 64% of global market capitalisation, disclosed their data through CDP, as it aims to grow its global repository of environmental data to cover 90% of the world's highest-impact firms by 2025.
This year, over 3,300 companies are being requested for the first time to disclose environmental data through CDP, up 46% since last year.
The scope of CDP's 2022 questionnaires has also widened this year, with questions on biodiversity impacts being asked for the first time, and more specific questions on company climate transition plans, while further expansions in the future will cover issues around land and oceans, and waste and food.
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Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, said: "While many companies are disclosing, setting targets and taking action across their own business operations and value chains, there is a surprisingly large part of the market still to take the vital first step of disclosure.
"These companies are becoming increasingly out of touch with reality, investor and public opinion, not just because of the regulatory stick that is approaching, but also because there are so many proven benefits to transparency."
He added: "We hope that this request, backed by such an influential group of financial institutions worldwide, will hit home and drive transparency and action even further."
CDP will open its online disclosure platform from mid-April.
