- CDP to become two separate organisations – CDP, a commercial entity backed by Permira, and CDP Foundation, a non-profit, charitable organisation focused on pioneering science*.
- CDP Foundation will remain a shareholder in CDP, with board representation.
- Both organisations will remain united in a shared ambition to support trusted, science-led environmental disclosure.
, /PRNewswire/ — CDP, the global environmental disclosure system, announced today that it will be transforming into two separate organisations: CDP, a commercial entity backed by global investment firm Permira, which will continue to provide environmental data and disclosure services to companies worldwide; and CDP Foundation, a charitable organisation that will drive the strategic principles for disclosure based on the latest environmental science.
Both organisations will be united in a shared ambition: to surface new information, enabling Earth-positive decisions to protect future generations.
For 25 years, CDP has been at the forefront of environmental disclosure, transforming it from the sidelines to the centre of decision-making. To meet the scale and speed of today’s environmental challenges and market expectations, CDP is sharpening its focus, enabling stronger science-led disclosure and greater investment in technology to simplify the disclosure experience and deliver more decision-useful insights.
For disclosers and data users, this means a more focused CDP with greater capacity to invest in the tools, data services and insights they rely on to assess risk, build resilience and inform sustainability strategy.
The CDP Foundation, which will remain a shareholder in CDP with board representation, will lead on translating frontier science into action-ready disclosure methods, informing the evolution of CDP’s question bank. CDP will focus on deploying the world’s most comprehensive disclosure system, surfacing Earth-positive information to drive tomorrow’s economy.
The CDP Foundation will look beyond standard market practice, harnessing frontier environmental indicators aligned to planetary health, to drive impact. This new model provides the Foundation with the agency to focus on the needs of the planet, channelling them through the world’s most comprehensive and pioneering disclosure system.
Transforming into two distinct but symbiotic organisations will enable both the CDP Foundation and CDP to remain as purpose-driven, pioneering, and ambitious as CDP was when it was founded. It will enable both organisations to advance their ambition of using critical data to inform Earth-positive decision-making and for CDP Foundation to continue to advance its charitable purposes.
CDP’s products, services and 2026 disclosure cycle will continue as planned during the transition.
Sherry Madera, Chief Executive Officer of CDP, said: “This is a transformative moment, marking the next chapter of CDP’s evolution in service of global markets. We are deepening our priorities – enabling CDP to deliver stronger science-led, disclosure and leverage new technologies to simplify the disclosure experience.”
“CDP and CDP Foundation will be united in shared ambition. Together they will uphold a pioneering disclosure system that will help unlock greater decision-useful insights to shape an Earth-positive economy. This partnership with Permira will chart a clear path for the future, enabling CDP’s environmental data and insights to deliver greater value to disclosers, companies, financial institutions and wider CDP data users, accelerating meaningful, real-world impact.”
Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chair, CDP Board of Trustees, added: “Innovation and science have been at the heart of CDP since its founding, and it will continue to guide our work – through both the CDP Foundation and CDP. As we embark on this next chapter, alongside our long-standing supporters and new partners, this new model will enable CDP to enhance the vital role its data plays in the world: to drive impact, advance sustainable markets, and protect future generations.”
Permira, the global investment firm, brings significant experience in supporting data-led organisations to innovate and grow, and will support CDP through its strategic transformation with increased investment in people, technology and product development.
This partnership, which will see CDP Foundation remain a shareholder in CDP, with board representation, will strengthen CDP’s ability to deliver for its customers at scale, significantly improving the disclosure experience and data insights for corporates and financial institutions globally.
Permira has a longstanding commitment to sustainability. The firm has established a dedicated Energy Transition investment strategy focused on backing and scaling leaders in this space through bringing deep expertise in building global technology, data and services platforms.
Anish Patel, Partner and Co-Head, and Gabriel Andrews, Managing Director – Energy Transition, at Permira, said: “As environmental risk reshapes global supply chains and investment decisions, the need for trusted data has never been greater, and CDP fulfils that role. As Permira’s first Energy Transition investment, this partnership will strengthen CDP’s ability to support better environmental decision-making at scale, while helping provide a strong platform for the Foundation’s continued work. Permira has a strong track record of backing world-class management teams and organisations, helping them advance their missions and expand their impact. We look forward to partnering with Sherry and the CDP team as they enter this next chapter, and are grateful for their trust.”
Bates Wells and Baker & McKenzie LLP served as legal counsel to the charitable organisation CDP, CDP North America and CDP Japan. Rothschild & Co and Alvarez & Marshal served as financial advisors to the charitable organisation, CDP.
*Completion is subject to receiving regulatory approvals, including from the Charity Commission, and satisfying certain closing conditions. Completion is anticipated in the next six months.
About Permira
Permira is a global investment firm that backs successful businesses with growth ambitions. Founded in 1985, the firm advises funds across two core asset classes, private equity and credit, with total committed capital of approximately €90bn.
Permira established its Energy Transition investment strategy to identify investment opportunities across the underlying value chains. The dedicated investment team will bring the full Permira platform to bear to help market-leading businesses deliver transformational growth at scale.
Permira employs over 500 people in 16 offices across Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. For more information, visit www.permira.com.
For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:
CDP – Samika Meshram-Jasinski / James Steward: [email protected]
Headland (for Permira) – Carl Leijonhufvud / Emma Nyman / Charlie Pepper: [email protected] / +44 20 3805 4822
