CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) runs the world’s largest environmental disclosure system. Thousands of companies, cities, and regions disclose their environmental data through CDP’s questionnaires, which are then scored and made available to investors, customers, and policymakers. For organisations that respond to CDP, or that are asked to by their customers and investors, understanding how e-waste metrics fit into the disclosure framework helps you provide more comprehensive, higher-scoring responses.
How CDP Works
CDP sends annual questionnaires to organisations on behalf of investors and purchasing organisations. The three main questionnaires cover climate change, water security, and forests. The climate change questionnaire is the most relevant for e-waste, as it covers greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks, and environmental management practices.
Organisations receive a score from A (leadership) to D- (disclosure), with F indicating a failure to disclose. Higher scores reflect more complete disclosure, better environmental management practices, and stronger performance. Many Australian organisations respond to CDP, either because they are directly requested by investors or because major customers include CDP scores in their supplier assessment criteria.
Where E-Waste Fits in CDP Climate Disclosure
Several sections of the CDP climate change questionnaire connect to e-waste management. The Scope 3 emissions section requires organisations to report emissions across 15 categories. IT equipment is relevant to Category 1 (Purchased Goods and Services), where the embodied carbon of new IT equipment should be included, and Category 5 (Waste Generated in Operations), where emissions from processing retired IT equipment are reported.
The targets and reduction activities section asks about the actions your organisation is taking to reduce emissions. IT lifecycle management activities, such as extending equipment lifecycles, refurbishing and remarketing retired assets, and improving recycling processes, are valid reduction activities that demonstrate concrete action on Scope 3 emissions.
The value chain engagement section asks how you work with your supply chain on climate issues. Engaging with your ITAD provider on environmental reporting, emissions data, and sustainability practices demonstrates downstream value chain engagement.
E-Waste Metrics to Include
When preparing your CDP response, the following e-waste metrics strengthen your disclosure. For emissions reporting, include the embodied carbon of IT equipment purchased during the reporting year (Scope 3, Category 1), emissions from transporting and processing retired IT equipment (Scope 3, Category 5), and CO2e avoided through refurbishment and reuse (reported as an emissions reduction activity).
For waste and materials reporting, include total weight of IT equipment retired during the reporting year, breakdown by disposition method (refurbished, recycled, destroyed), weight of materials recovered through recycling (by material type where available), and e-waste landfill diversion rate (which should be 100 percent for Victorian organisations given the landfill ban).
For management and strategy reporting, describe your e-waste management policy and governance, your ITAD provider selection criteria and certifications required, targets you have set for e-waste reduction or improved disposition outcomes, and progress against previous year’s targets.
CDP Supply Chain Programme
CDP’s Supply Chain programme allows purchasing organisations to request environmental disclosures from their suppliers. If you supply goods or services to a CDP Supply Chain member, you may receive a specific request to disclose your environmental data, including waste management and emissions information.
For IT-intensive industries, this means your customers may specifically ask about how you manage IT equipment at end of life, what your Scope 3 emissions are from IT procurement, and whether you have targets and programmes to reduce IT-related environmental impacts.
Being prepared with accurate e-waste data positions you well for these requests. Organisations that can demonstrate strong IT lifecycle management and quantified environmental outcomes are more attractive as suppliers to companies that take their CDP supply chain obligations seriously.
Improving Your CDP Score Through E-Waste
Several practical actions related to e-waste management can help improve your CDP score. Setting specific, time-bound targets for e-waste performance shows ambition and planning. Quantifying emissions reductions from IT lifecycle improvements provides evidence of climate action. Engaging your ITAD provider on emissions reporting demonstrates value chain engagement. Implementing circular IT procurement policies shows strategic integration of climate considerations. Tracking and reporting year-on-year progress demonstrates management and accountability.
CDP scoring particularly values evidence of governance (who oversees these activities), integration into business strategy (how they connect to broader climate goals), and verification (whether your data is independently assured or audited).
Connecting CDP to Other Frameworks
CDP has aligned its questionnaires with other major reporting frameworks, including TCFD, GRI, and ISSB. This means that e-waste data you collect for CDP can typically be repurposed for other sustainability reporting obligations, reducing the overall reporting burden.
If your organisation already reports against ESG frameworks or Australia’s mandatory climate disclosure requirements, much of the IT lifecycle data you collect can serve double duty in your CDP response. The key is building a consistent data collection process that captures the metrics needed across all your reporting obligations.
For specific guidance on measuring and reporting Scope 3 emissions from IT equipment, see our practical guide to Scope 3 emissions and IT equipment. For a broader view of measuring environmental impact from IT disposal, our guide on measuring environmental impact covers the full range of metrics you should be tracking.
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