Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) scores and the level of disclosure on climate change related activities: an empirical investigation of the FTSE 100 companies

This paper attempts to link Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) scores with the actual level of disclosure as published in the UK FTSE 100 companies' sustainability reports. By investigating the level of disclosure on a range of climate change related activities, the findings suggest that disclosure by the top UK companies reveals a considerable awareness that climate change has become a theme of strategic choice. The paper uses a two-stage classification approach to reach this conclusion. The first stage provides a positive response to our research question in terms of: climate change risk, carbon footprint, climate change performance, and climate change forward thinking; but mixed responses for our research question in terms of involvement with regulatory bodies and climate change improvements. The second stage also yields mixed responses in terms of supporting or/contradicting our research hypotheses. The paper concludes by suggesting possible policy insights from using our classification approach.