• CDP’s AI-powered Suggested Response feature will become available to all disclosing organizations from 23 July 2026.
• Early users cut disclosure preparation time by 40% and increased response and completion rates by 25%.
• Companies retain full responsibility for reviewing and submitting responses, keeping human oversight central to the reporting process.

CDP is introducing an artificial intelligence tool designed to reduce the growing administrative burden of environmental disclosure while preserving data quality and comparability.

The Suggested Response feature will be available to all organizations participating in CDP’s 2026 disclosure cycle from 23 July. CDP developed the technology with sustainability AI specialist Briink.

The tool analyzes existing corporate documents, including annual reports and sustainability reports. It then identifies relevant information, maps that information to CDP questions and prepares suggested responses within the disclosure platform.

Use of the service will remain optional. Companies must still review, edit and approve all information before submission.

Early testing delivers faster, deeper responses

Almost 800 CDP customers received early access ahead of the wider launch. Testing showed that organizations reduced disclosure preparation time by an average of 40%.

Response and completion rates increased by 25%. CDP also reported a 60% improvement in the depth and coverage of answers.

Those gains could carry material value for companies managing several reporting frameworks, investor requests and regulatory obligations at the same time. Sustainability teams increasingly face pressure to provide detailed climate, water and nature data across different jurisdictions.

CDP said the tool is intended to reduce repetitive work without weakening the rigor of corporate reporting.

Sherry Madera, CEO of CDP, said: “CDP was created 25 years ago to bring clarity and comparability to environmental disclosure, and that work has helped shape disclosure practices across global markets. The introduction of CDP’s new AI-powered disclosure tool represents the next phase of that journey – harnessing the power of AI to support organizations at scale, increase reporting simplicity, and deliver greater value from Earth-positive decision making.”

Disclosure demand continues to expand

More than 23,000 organizations disclosed environmental data through CDP in 2025. Together, those organizations represented nearly two thirds of global market capitalization.

The total also included more than 1,000 cities, states and regions.

That scale has made CDP data an important resource for investors, lenders, procurement teams and policymakers assessing climate exposure and transition readiness.

However, expanding disclosure requirements have also increased compliance costs. Companies must collect, verify and explain environmental information across operations, suppliers and business units.

Automated document analysis may allow reporting teams to spend less time locating existing information. It could also help companies identify gaps before disclosure deadlines.

Antonia Wanner, Chief Sustainability Officer at Nestlé, commented: “At Nestlé, the quality and consistency of environmental disclosure is paramount. We welcome CDP’s investment in innovation to strengthen the disclosure process, bringing improved efficiency, allowing us to focus more of our attention on driving impact. As the importance of disclosure continues to grow, harnessing AI to enhance the functionality of CDP disclosure will provide tangible benefits and meaningful time savings. We are pleased to collaborate with CDP as these new capabilities are explored and further developed, ensuring they support robust and reliable reporting for companies now and in the future.”

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Matthias Berninger, EVP Public Affairs, Sustainability & Safety at Bayer AG, said: “AI will make CDP reporting more consistent and efficient. Team Bayer will be empowered to focus more on where we can improve our performance by eliminating busy-work which makes disclosure an even more powerful tool of advancing the transformation.”

Human accountability remains central

CDP said artificial intelligence will support human judgement rather than replace it. Organizations will remain accountable for the accuracy, completeness and final approval of their disclosures.

That distinction is critical for executives and investors. AI-generated reporting can improve efficiency, but it may also introduce governance risks if outputs are accepted without sufficient review.

Companies will therefore need clear controls over source documents, verification processes and management sign-off. Boards and audit committees may also need greater visibility into how AI is used in sustainability reporting.

“Climate disclosure only matters if it leads to action,” said Tomas van der Heijden, CEO and co-founder of Briink. “AI should help lift the reporting burden so sustainability teams can devote more time to improving environmental performance. That’s what we’re building together with CDP.”

CDP plans to introduce further capabilities focused on disclosure preparation, data quality and decision-making. For global companies, the launch offers a test of whether AI can lower reporting costs without reducing confidence in environmental data.

Its broader significance will depend on that balance. Faster disclosure has value, but investors and regulators will continue to judge the reliability of the information behind it.