South Africa CDP Disclosures Rise 35% Since 2018 But Nature Reporting Lags

Public environmental disclosures by South African companies through CDP grew 35% between 2018 and 2023, rising from 50 to 84 organisations, according to new CDP-Brundtland analysis. Despite this progress, disclosure on forests and biodiversity remains in early stages, and robust emissions reduction targets across key industries are still lacking.

Forty-five percent of companies in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Top 100 disclosed publicly through CDP in 2023, reflecting growing corporate transparency on climate and water. The report found increasing accountability across all CDP questionnaires, with climate and water disclosures showing the most consistent improvement over the period. However, supply chain engagement remains underdeveloped and needs to scale through greater collaboration and financial incentivisation between large corporates and their suppliers.

South Africa's dependency on water resources makes water security a critical business and societal concern, yet companies still need to demonstrate improved action to sustain anticipated future water demand through circularity and resilience strategies. The business case for emissions reductions is described as clear, but efforts are concentrated in a small number of sectors. Infrastructure companies in particular are urged to set ambitious emissions targets to support South Africa's commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Forests disclosure lags behind other environmental topics, with South Africa's forest-related corporate reporting described as requiring significant development. Biodiversity disclosures, however, show early promise, with some companies beginning to take concrete steps toward biodiversity action. CDP and Brundtland urge key stakeholders — including government, financial institutions, and business leaders — to progress on nature-related disclosure as a foundation for meaningful environmental management.

Key figure — 35% growth in South African CDP disclosures from 2018 to 2023