Which CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) question 7.9 option do I pick if my verification is still underway or only happens every three years?

CDP's guidance says to choose the "in place" option (the drop-down reads "Third-party verification or assurance process in place") when verification is underway or runs every two or three years. If you calculate both Scope 2 figures, CDP currently asks you to verify only one.

The choices, scope by scope

For Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 you pick one of: no emissions data provided; no third-party verification or assurance; third-party verification or assurance process in place.

Underway, or every two or three years

CDP recognises that a verifier's schedule may not match its deadline, and that some processes run every two years (biennial) or three years (triennial). In those cases it says you should select "Verification or assurance process in place". Full version respondents then give details in questions 7.9.1 to 7.9.3.

What counts as verified

CDP regards verification or assurance as a process undertaken by an independent third party accredited to perform verification or assurance of greenhouse gas data, and asks you to state that you have had it only if that is true. It does not prescribe which provider to use.

Scope 2 has two figures

If you operate in a region where you need to calculate both a location-based and a market-based Scope 2 figure, at this stage CDP asks you to verify only one of them. Full version respondents are asked which one.

How much to report as verified (entered in 7.9.1)

• If in Year 3 the data for all sources over the three-year cycle is verified, you can report 100 percent and attach statements covering all three years.
• If one third of the sources is verified each year, that is an annual process and you report 33 percent.
• In 7.9.1 the percentage is of your total reported Scope 1 emissions over which you sought verification, not the verifier's sampling. If all verified, the rows should add to 100 percent and not exceed it.

Example: the verifier covers one of three plants (entered in 7.9.1)

• Scope 1 by plant: A 5,000 tonnes, B 3,000 tonnes, C 2,000 tonnes. Total 10,000 tonnes.
• Only plant A is in this year's verification: 5,000 / 10,000 = 50 percent.
• In 7.9.1, enter 50 percent as the proportion of reported emissions verified.

What Senseible does here

Senseible reads fuel invoices and electricity bills into monthly records, so the litres, kilowatt hours and months are in one place to copy from. It is not a third-party verifier. A verification statement has to come from an independent body.

• CDP: answering when emissions are unverified
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14064-1 verified inventory for a small firm
• Who can verify an ISO 14064-1 inventory in India
• How Senseible checks records

Sources: CDP, Full Corporate Questionnaire Module 7 reporting guidance, April 2025 edition

Last reviewed 2026-11-05. CDP revises its questionnaire and guidance every year. Check the version your customer sent you before you answer.