What Climate Disclosure Standards Board does

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) was an international non-profit consortium, hosted by CDP Worldwide and founded in 2007 at a World Economic Forum meeting, that developed and promoted frameworks for integrating environmental and social information into mainstream corporate financial reports. Its core product was the CDSB Framework, which sets out an approach for reporting environmental and social information with the same rigour as financial information in mainstream reports such as annual reports, 10-K filings, and integrated reports. Supporting offerings included the Climate Change Reporting Framework (released 2010, updated 2012), the TCFD Knowledge Hub (launched 2017) as a central repository for TCFD implementation resources, the Reporting Exchange platform for sustainability reporting landscape mapping, technical guidance on water and biodiversity disclosures, the EU Environmental Reporting Handbook co-published with CDP in 2020, and CDSB Support Services. The CDSB Framework explicitly formed the foundation for the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.

CDSB served corporate report preparers, investors and financial analysts, and regulators and policymakers globally, with documented Framework usage by 374 companies across 32 countries and 10 sectors as of December 2017 and EU LIFE Programme-funded reach extending to approximately 6,000 companies subject to the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive. The organization did not operate a commercial revenue model; it was funded through consortium membership contributions, project grants from bodies such as Defra and the EU LIFE Programme, and partnerships with organizations including the World Economic Forum, SASB, WBCSD, TCFD, and the IFRS Foundation. On 3 November 2021 the IFRS Foundation announced the formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the consolidation of CDSB and the Value Reporting Foundation, and on 31 January 2022 CDSB formally closed, with its team and resources transferred to the IFRS Foundation to support ISSB; the legacy website is preserved for historical reference but no further technical work will be produced.

Name

Climate Disclosure Standards Board

Legal name

Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB)

Website

https://cdsb.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) was an international non-profit consortium, hosted by CDP Worldwide, that developed frameworks for integrating environmental and social information into mainstream corporate financial reports; it was consolidated into the IFRS Foundation in January 2022 to support the newly established ISSB.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Reporting Standards and Frameworks

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD) (EUABAKAH), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Sustainability reporting standards
• Corporate climate disclosure
• Environmental reporting frameworks
• TCFD implementation guidance
• Non-financial reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit organization: CDSB was an international not-for-profit consortium of business, environmental and social NGOs. The organization operated as a special project of CDP Worldwide and was funded through membership, grants and partnerships rather than commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) was an international consortium that developed and published the CDSB Framework — a framework for companies to report environmental and social information in mainstream financial reports (such as annual reports, 10-K filings, and integrated reports) with the same rigour as financial information. CDSB also offered the Climate Change Reporting Framework, the TCFD Knowledge Hub online resource platform, technical guidance on climate, water and biodiversity disclosures, the EU Environmental Reporting Handbook co-produced with CDP, and the Consistency Project database of G20 disclosure standards.

Product overview

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) was an international consortium that provided a framework-based approach for corporate sustainability reporting. The core offering was the CDSB Framework, which enabled companies to report environment and social information in mainstream financial reports with the same rigor as financial information. Supporting products included the Climate Change Reporting Framework (released 2010, updated 2012), the TCFD Knowledge Hub (launched 2017), and technical guidance on climate, water and biodiversity disclosures. CDSB also produced the EU Environmental Reporting Handbook with CDP, managed the Consistency Project for harmonizing G20 disclosure standards, and provided access to the Reporting Exchange platform. The organization was hosted by CDP and has been consolidated into the IFRS Foundation as of January 31, 2022 to support the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CDSB Framework A framework for companies to report environmental and social information in mainstream corporate reports (annual reports, 10-K filings, integrated reports) with the same rigour as financial information. Forms the foundation for TCFD recommendations.
• Climate Change Reporting Framework Framework for companies to disclose risks and opportunities that climate change presents to their business within mainstream financial reports. Released in 2010 and updated in 2012.
• TCFD Knowledge Hub Online platform providing a central repository for guidance, research and resources to support the implementation of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
• Technical Guidance on Water Disclosures Technical guidance on water-related disclosures for companies to report in mainstream corporate reports as part of CDSB's nature-related financial disclosures series.
• Technical Guidance on Biodiversity Disclosures Technical guidance on biodiversity-related disclosures for companies to report in mainstream corporate reports as part of CDSB's nature-related financial disclosures series.
• EU Environmental Reporting Handbook Joint CDSB-CDP handbook helping companies improve environmental disclosure in line with the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive, mapping requirements to the CDSB Framework, TCFD recommendations and the CDP climate change questionnaire.
• Consistency Project Database collecting voluntary and mandatory environmental disclosure standards across G20 countries to support consistency in climate change reporting.
• Reporting Exchange Global platform dedicated to sustainability reporting, providing information about environmental, social and governance reporting requirements and resources.
• CDSB Support Services Support services for organisations seeking to implement the CDSB Framework and climate-related reporting requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 374 companies in 32 countries across 10 sectors used the CDSB Framework for sustainability reporting
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• IFRS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2021On 3 November 2021, the IFRS Foundation announced the formation of ISSB and consolidation of CDSB. The consolidation was completed on 31 January 2022, integrating CDSB's technical expertise, content, staff and resources into the IFRS Foundation to support ISSB.
• Value Reporting Foundation (VRF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2021VRF houses the Integrated Reporting Framework and SASB Standards. Both CDSB and VRF consolidated into the IFRS Foundation by June 2022 to form ISSB.
• Grant ThorntonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Co-authored paper 'Uncharted waters: How can companies use financial accounting standards to deliver on the TCFD's recommendations?' exploring how companies can use existing international accounting standards when implementing TCFD recommendations.
• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2013MOU signed in June 2013 for three-year partnership. SASB utilized CDP data for materiality determinations and referenced CDSB's Climate Change Reporting Framework. CDSB in turn referenced SASB standards.
• World Economic ForummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013CDSB was conceived at a World Economic Forum annual meeting side event in 2007. WEF contributed to ISSB development with its Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics providing basis for technical work.
• CDP Worldwide (host organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007CDP founded in 2000 pioneered environmental disclosure and has operated the global market-led environmental disclosure platform. CDP hosted CDSB since its formation in 2007, fostering its growth and managing the day-to-day work programme on behalf of the consortium.
• Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDSB Framework formed a foundation for TCFD recommendations. CDSB was part of the Technical Readiness Working Group that developed prototype climate disclosure requirements building on TCFD recommendations.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration on Reporting Matters annual report analyzing sustainability reporting effectiveness. Also collaborated on the Reporting Exchange platform and ESG reporting landscape mapping.
• Radley Yeldar (RY)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on the annual Reporting Matters publication analyzing corporate non-financial reporting effectiveness and providing recommendations for improvement.
• Technical Readiness Working Group (TRWG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated by IFRS Foundation Trustees to undertake preparatory work for ISSB. Comprised representatives from CDSB, TCFD, IASB, VRF and World Economic Forum, supported by IOSCO and its Technical Expert Group.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CDP Worldwide: CDP is the parent host of CDSB and operates the leading global environmental disclosure platform for companies and cities. It is the closest comparable as both organizations share the mission of standardized corporate environmental disclosure, and CDP/CDSB historically co-produced frameworks such as the EU Environmental Reporting Handbook.
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): GRI is the dominant global sustainability reporting standards body for multi-stakeholder disclosures. It is directly comparable to CDSB as a parallel non-profit standards setter addressing corporate environmental and social disclosure.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): WBCSD partnered with CDSB on Reporting Matters and the Reporting Exchange platform, both focused on corporate sustainability reporting effectiveness. It is comparable as a business-led organization working on the same corporate reporting ecosystem.
• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB): SASB developed industry-specific sustainability accounting standards and was a core CDSB alliance partner under a 2013 MOU; like CDSB, SASB was consolidated into the IFRS Foundation to support the ISSB, making it the closest peer in mission and trajectory.
• Value Reporting Foundation (VRF / IIRC): VRF housed the Integrated Reporting Framework and was consolidated into IFRS alongside CDSB in 2022. It is a direct peer in the mainstream corporate reporting standards space, with overlapping preparer audiences.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum (WEF): WEF conceived CDSB at its 2007 annual meeting and later contributed Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics to ISSB development. It is comparable as a convener on the same stakeholder-capitalism and mainstream reporting agenda.
• Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD): TCFD's climate-related disclosure recommendations were foundationally built on the CDSB Framework. CDSB hosted the TCFD Knowledge Hub and collaborated on Technical Readiness, making TCFD the closest category peer on climate disclosure content.
• IFRS Foundation / ISSB: ISSB is the global sustainability disclosure standard-setter within the IFRS Foundation that absorbed CDSB. It is comparable as the natural successor entity now setting the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards that build on CDSB's work.

Regional players

• S&P Global / Trucost: Trucost (part of S&P Global) named CDSB a 'Key Player to Watch' in its 2019 State of Green Business Report and operates in the sustainability data/analytics space that overlaps CDSB's preparer/investor audience.

Emerging players

• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD): TNFD is an emerging standard-setter for nature-related financial disclosures, a space where CDSB published early technical guidance on water and biodiversity. It is comparable as a peer standard-setter in the nature-disclosure niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CDSBglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdsb

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Climate Disclosure Standards Board