• CDP will split into two entities: a charitable foundation and a commercial business.
• Beth Thoren will lead the new CDP foundation after senior roles at Patagonia and ClientEarth.
• The foundation will use CDP data to influence disclosure, policy, business action and climate accountability.

CDP has appointed environmental leader Beth Thoren as CEO of its new charitable foundation, setting up a major governance shift for one of the world’s most widely used environmental disclosure platforms.

The appointment follows CDP’s recently announced evolution into two separate organizations. One will be the CDP foundation, a charitable body. The other will be CDP, a commercial entity led by current CEO Sherry Madera. Both organizations will operate with a shared ambition to strengthen environmental transparency across markets, governments and civil society.

The move comes as companies face rising pressure to provide credible climate, nature and environmental data. Investors are also demanding stronger disclosure as they assess transition risk, capital allocation and long-term value.

A New Structure for Global Disclosure

CDP said Thoren will formally assume the foundation CEO role once the charitable organization is established later this year. The foundation will have its own Board of Trustees.

The commercial CDP business will continue under Madera’s leadership. Its role will focus on disclosure systems, services and data products. The foundation will work alongside it by using CDP data to drive impact through engagement with business, government and civil society.

For corporate leaders, the structure matters. CDP has become a central channel for environmental reporting across global markets. Its data is used by investors, companies, policymakers and procurement teams. As disclosure rules tighten, the separation could sharpen how CDP balances commercial growth with public-interest climate work.

The foundation will also help shape the future of environmental disclosure. CDP said it will provide science-led principles and priorities to the commercial entity. These will inform the strategic evolution of CDP’s question bank and disclosure methods.

That places the foundation in a policy-relevant role. Its influence may affect how thousands of companies report on climate, water, forests and nature-related risks.

Thoren Brings NGO, Legal and Business Experience

Thoren joins from Patagonia, where she served as Environmental Action & Initiatives Director EMEA. In that role, she worked with a coalition of NGOs to protect Europe’s last wild rivers.

Before Patagonia, she was Deputy Chief Executive at ClientEarth. There, she helped lead the organization’s work using law to drive systemic change across climate and nature.

Her background reflects the foundation’s likely direction. CDP is seeking to connect corporate disclosure with real-world environmental outcomes. That requires fluency across business, advocacy, science and regulation.

Over the next six months, Thoren will work with the Board of Trustees, CDP’s leadership team and stakeholder groups. Her task will be to map the foundation’s strategy and define its role in a crowded sustainability landscape.

Sherry Madera, CEO, CDP, said: “I am delighted to welcome Beth to CDP at such a pivotal time for the organization. As CDP enters the next chapter in its evolution, the CDP foundation will play a significant role in partnering with CDP, delivering on our shared ambition. Beth and I are dedicated to working symbiotically – starting today – to deliver an excellent disclosure cycle and the insight needed for a sustainable future.”

What Leaders Should Watch

The appointment gives CDP’s new foundation a leader with experience in both corporate engagement and environmental advocacy. That mix will be important as disclosure moves from voluntary reporting toward regulated accountability.

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Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chair, CDP Board of Trustees, commented: “I’m thrilled that the Board of Trustees has confirmed Beth as the CDP foundation CEO – a passionate and experienced leader, who will have a strong mandate to take forward the foundation’s mission.”

For investors, the split may provide a clearer distinction between data services and mission-led impact work. For companies, it may shape future reporting requirements and expectations. For governments, the foundation could become a stronger partner in aligning corporate disclosure with public climate and nature goals.

Beth Thoren, Designate CEO, CDP foundation, added: “There are few organizations with CDP’s ability to unite business, finance and government leaders around a table on the basis of trusted and standardized environmental data and insights. This puts the foundation in a unique and powerful position to drive systemic change and to work in partnership to deliver real world solutions. As we develop the strategy of the foundation over the coming months, it will be an important time to engage closely with our stakeholders to ensure the new organization plays a truly differentiated role in the sector. I am looking forward to working with the wider team and all of CDP’s stakeholders to harness the full potential of the foundation’s influence and global reach.”

The completion of CDP’s evolution into a commercial business and charitable foundation is expected within the next six months. The outcome will be closely watched by companies, investors and policymakers that rely on CDP’s data to assess environmental performance.

At a time when sustainability claims face tougher scrutiny, the foundation’s mandate will carry weight. Its success will depend on whether it can turn standardized disclosure into sharper accountability and practical climate action across global markets.