In October 2009 the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) published the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) in its annual FTSE 350 Report, highlighting companies which have displayed the most professional approach to climate change disclosure practices.  Reed Elsevier scored 76 out of 100, which places us first in the media sector for the Europe 300, and as a leader in the FTSE 350 and Global 500.

“Companies recognised in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index are rewarded for high quality responses to CDP, which demonstrate a good understanding of how climate change is impacting, and will continue to impact, their business,” said Paul Dickinson, Chief Executive of the CDP.  “Companies that control their risks today, manage their emissions and seize the opportunities to produce low carbon goods and services, will be the best placed to prosper in a low carbon economy of the future.”

To participate, Reed Elsevier completed a lengthy survey on its environmental data management to demonstrate its understanding of the risks and opportunities of climate change for the company.    According to Mark Gough, Reed Elsevier’s Global Environmental Manager, who completed the survey, “It requires extremely detailed data, for example, on different greenhouse gases, split by country and and individual location, with data stretching back over four years.  They also ask for information on our climate change targets, strategy and plans for reduction, direct and indirect emissions as well as forecasts for future emissions.  The results reflect the efforts of our environmental champions throughout the business who provide verifiable data and, who importantly, work toward environmental improvement across Reed Elsevier.”

It is a worthwhile exercise.  The Carbon Disclosure Project, a not-for-profit organisation, represents 475 institutional investors with $55 trillion in assets under management, and provides them with the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world to support their investment decisions.

You can read our CDP submission and find out more about the Carbon Disclosure Project here.

For our most recent environmental data see the 2008 Corporate Responsibility report here.