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The corporate disclosure season has officially arrived. Whether your organization is an experienced contributor or navigating this environmental framework for the very first time, welcome to the cycle.
The online disclosure portal opened the week of June 15. To ensure your company receives an official scored response, you must submit your final questionnaire by September 14, 2026. While timelines can occasionally shift later in the season, it is best to lock September 14 into your team calendar today to keep your compliance process on track.
At This Rock ESG, we serve as dedicated partners to businesses worldwide as they navigate complex environmental disclosures. The Carbon Disclosure Project remains a premier global standard. It allows organizations to share transparent climate, water, and forest data with their corporate clients, financial investors, and market stakeholders.
Today, this framework aligns tightly with major international reporting systems. Your submission will naturally overlap with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS S2), the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and the widely recognized GHG Protocol corporate standard. Because of this close alignment, the environmental data your team already collects will serve as the ideal foundation for your disclosure.
Understanding Carbon Disclosure Project Reporting in 2026
Many corporate leaders seek our guidance because they are facing disclosure requests for the very first time, or they want to improve a disappointing score from a previous cycle. The primary driver behind this growing interest is almost always supply chain demand.
Global buyers are evaluating their vendors more closely than ever before. When a major client requests environmental data, participating becomes a critical business requirement to preserve that revenue.
The corporate landscape has evolved rapidly over the past few seasons. In 2025 alone, more than 4,400 companies submitted data for the first time. Small and medium enterprises now represent nearly half of all global disclosures. Supply chain requirements are no longer reserved just for massive corporations. Smaller organizations are choosing to participate voluntarily to protect their client partnerships and win new contracts.
While frameworks like an EcoVadis business certification offer rolling submission windows, this cycle follows a strict annual timeline. Waiting until August to gather your utility bills and operational data will lead to stressful late nights and lower scores. Beginning your preparation immediately is the smartest way to ensure data accuracy.
Key Changes to the 2026 Questionnaire
The annual disclosure framework introduces regular updates to remain aligned with climate science and changing global regulations. Our environmental consulting team has highlighted the four most significant shifts you need to prepare for this season.
New Ocean-Related Metrics
This year introduces specialized ocean-related questions into the platform. While these entries are currently unscored, they are designed to prepare your organization for upcoming nature-related financial reporting standards. Completing them now helps future-proof your internal tracking systems.
Scored Commodities in the Forest Module
If your business handles global supply chains involving cocoa, coffee, or rubber, you face new scoring metrics. These raw materials are now actively scored commodities under the forest module. This shift reflects global efforts to eliminate deforestation and requires deeper visibility into your raw material sourcing.
Enhanced Adaptation and Resilience Questions
Corporate buyers and institutional investors want to know how your operations will withstand the physical realities of severe weather and climate shifts. Expect to navigate expanded questions regarding your formal climate risk assessments and business resilience planning.
Leadership Scores Opened for SMEs
Historically, smaller organizations faced platform limitations that blocked them from achieving top-tier recognition. This year, the platform has unlocked an official leadership stage specifically for small and medium enterprises. Your smaller business can now successfully earn a prestigious “A” score.
Three Actionable Tips to Elevate Your Score
To help your team maximize its score and demonstrate clear environmental leadership, implement these three proven strategies during your preparation.
1. Answer Every Single Question
Leaving sections completely blank is a frequent mistake that severely damages your final rating. Blank fields can instantly redirect your application into a non-disclosure scoring pathway, which strips points away across multiple categories.
If your company does not have a specific environmental program established yet, utilize the provided open text boxes to explain your situation. Be honest about your current status and outline your future plans rather than leaving the field empty.
2. Prioritize Credible Climate Targets
When environmental auditors review your application, corporate goals represent one of the highest-weighted scoring categories. To elevate your rating from a C into a solid B or A range, you must showcase clear, credible reduction goals. For comprehensive guidance on setting these baselines, review our introductory guide to carbon accounting frameworks.
3. Verify Cross-Question Consistency
Before clicking the final submit button, audit your entire questionnaire for absolute consistency. Ensure your greenhouse gas inventory numbers match perfectly across every corporate module. Your governance statements must fully support the climate strategies you outline elsewhere.
Auditors look for a cohesive corporate narrative. If a statistic in your emissions section directly contradicts a statement in your governance text, your final score will suffer.
Bonus Tip: Confirm your team portal permissions early. The individual responsible for sending the final submission must hold full administrative access in the digital workspace. If your main administrator is out of the office during deadline week and you only hold contributor access, you will be unable to complete the submission.
Ready to Start? Maximize Your Carbon Disclosure Project Reporting
Whether you are building your first emissions inventory or refining your existing program, we can help.
I am Lindsay Hampson, President of This Rock. We are a sustainability consulting firm that supports businesses in developing robust environmental and social strategies. Our team guides you through the entire process so you can stay focused on your daily operations.
Our dedicated CDP reporting services include comprehensive gap assessments. We compare your current reporting with the latest scoring guidance to identify where stronger narratives, better evidence, or clearer metrics can improve your performance. We also provide hands on data collection support and help you craft clear, scoring aligned answers.
We help clients implement practical processes as part of a complete corporate strategy. This hands on approach allows you to earn top sustainability certifications, satisfy strict supplier mandates, and communicate your results with total confidence.
Learn how we can support your sustainability goals today.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 deadline for carbon disclosure project reporting?
The online submission portal for the 2026 reporting cycle opened during the week of June 15. To receive an official scored response from the review committee, your company must submit its completed questionnaire by September 14, 2026. Final scores are scheduled for release during the week of November 30, 2026.
How can small businesses excel at carbon disclosure project reporting this year?
Smaller businesses can excel by taking advantage of the newly unlocked leadership tier for small and medium enterprises. Focus heavily on setting credible greenhouse gas reduction goals, answering every text block transparently, and keeping your emissions data consistent to compete for an official “A” rating.
Why are my corporate buyers requesting carbon disclosure project reporting?
Enterprise corporations face strict regulatory and investor pressure to measure, track, and reduce their Scope 3 supply chain emissions. By requesting that you participate in standardized reporting, your corporate clients can accurately calculate the collective environmental footprint of their commercial vendors.
