CDP S&P 500 Report 2011

The CarbonDisclosure Project (CDP) sent its 2011 questionnaire to the S&P 500 companies on behalf of 551 signatory institutional investors representing $71 trillion of assets. The corporations were asked to measure and disclose their climate change related- activities.

The responses indicate that US corporations are integrating greenhouse gas (GHG) management into their near- and long-term business strategies. Specifically:

• 87% (292) of S&P 500 respondents reported board or senior executive oversight of their company’s climate change programs, up from 68% (226) in 2010. With two-thirds of the S&P 500 index participating in this year’s questionnaire, this translates
to at least 58% of the index viewing climate change as a mission-critical issue.

• 65% (219) of respondents reported that climate change issues are integrated into their overall business strategy, up from 35% (116) in 2010.

• 54% (183) of respondents provided monetary incentives for managing climate change issues, up from 35% (116) in 2010.

• 91%(306)of2011S&P500 respondents disclosed GHG emissions, up from 88% (294) in 2010. Responses show a marked improvement in GHG emissions measurement and reporting.

• 64% (214) of 2011 respondents disclosed absolute and/or intensity emissions reduction targets, up from 51% (170) in 2010.