An inside perspective on carbon disclosure

Part of the vision underlying CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) is to enhance firms’ climate change strategies by encouraging them to measure their emissions and corresponding risks and opportunities. Drawing on interviews with 38 firms in 7 countries that disclosed to CDP, we find that the benefits firms experience from the measurement and disclosure process are more diverse in nature than expected. They can be both operational and strategic, and internal as well as external. From our analysis of the firms’ experiences, we draw several implications for managers. First, managers should beware of various biases that may inhibit investments in profitable emissions reduction opportunities. Second, participating in a disclosure-oriented process can be beneficial, even for a firm that ultimately decides not to disclose. Third, when disclosing GHG-related information, managers need to address multiple groups of stakeholders, not just investors. Fourth, when searching for emissions reduction opportunities, and in organizing the disclosure process, managers should not neglect opportunities that exist elsewhere in the supply chain.