RBS recognised for climate change transparency

The CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), an international not-for-profit organisation, has today awarded RBS a position on the FTSE 350 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). RBS has earned its position in the index by disclosing high quality carbon emissions and energy data through CDP’s climate change programme. Only organisations with scores in the top 10%  make up the CDLI.

The reported data has been independently assessed against CDP’s scoring methodology and marked out of 100 for transparency. This year RBS scored 99 out of 100 on the index, an improvement on last year’s score. The banks Performance score which reflects actual performance in reducing emissions from our operations and value chain remained at ‘B’.

At the request of 822 investors who represent US$95 trillion in assets, thousands of companies submit annual climate disclosures to CDP.  A top score indicates a high level of transparency in the disclosure of climate change. High scores also provide investors with the ability to assess corporate accountability and preparedness for changing market demands and emissions regulation.

The news comes three weeks ahead of COP21, the UN climate change conference, where national leaders will meet to agree a global deal to reduce carbon emissions and limit temperature warming.

Paul Dickinson, executive chairman and co-founder of CDP said:

“As the world looks beyond the Paris climate change negotiations and prepares for a low carbon future, reliable information about how companies are responding to the transition will be ever more valuable.  For this reason we congratulate those businesses that have achieved a position on CDP’s Climate Disclosure Leadership Index.”

CDP’s annual global climate change report, along with the climate scores of all companies publicly taking part in CDP’s climate change program this year, can be viewed here.