CDP
Overview
The Carbon Disclosure Programme (CDP) is a non-profit organsansations which goals is to make the worlds carbon emission reporting transparent and and accesible to everyone. A mission to remove greenwashing and make big players more accountable for their polluting actions and make our planet a better place. In 2023 they set out to build a modern, self-serve carbon reporting platform, called GreenStar. Which will help scale their operation and bring CDP into the modern digital era.
I joined this project as a Product Designer alongside my team at BCGX to kickstart and build the first MVP of this platform. I was design lead for one of 4 product squads which made up the Greenstar Project.
Challange
Lack of a self-service platform forced CDP customers to manually manage supplier lists in Excel, leading to outdated data and inefficient reporting workflows.
No verification mechanism for supplier information, resulting in data accuracy challenges and a cumbersome validation process.
Bureaucratic and fragmented reporting process complicated submissions, leading to customer frustration and loss of trust in CDP.
High customer support demand due to the absence of self-service capabilities, consuming significant resources and stalling innovation.
Lack of transparency in the 9-month reporting process further eroded customer confidence in CDP.
No structured information architecture or digital-first design system, making it difficult to streamline workflows and optimize the user experience.
Urgent need for a UX design overhaul to introduce efficiency, accuracy, and user-friendliness into the carbon emission reporting process.
Solution
Introduced a user-friendly, self-service platform, allowing CDP customers to effortlessly manage their supplier lists.
Integrated the platform with CDP’s extensive company & public sector database, ensuring supplier information remained accurate and up to date.
Developed a supplier dashboard, providing a comprehensive overview of suppliers' progress in the disclosure process and identifying those requiring further engagement.
Designed a centralized home hub, enabling users to track progress, receive updates, and stay informed throughout the 9-month carbon emissions reporting process, reducing missed deadlines and confusion.
Streamlined the reporting workflow with a clear information architecture, improving usability and transparency for companies managing their carbon footprint.
Implemented a triple AAA, digital-first design system, modernizing CDP’s platform with an accessible, engaging, and user-friendly experience.
Empowered CDP customers by simplifying the reporting process, enhancing communication, and promoting a proactive platform.
Approach
Adopted an agile, iterative approach, working sprint by sprint to build a user-centric self-service platform that met end-user needs from the first MVP.
Conducted continuous user research, gathering feedback from end users during every sprint to refine and improve the platform in real time.
Collaborated closely with subject matter experts to deeply understand the carbon footprint reporting process, identify inefficiencies, and streamline workflows.
Led a three-week initiative to develop a robust information architecture, conducting multiple workshops with clients, users, and engineers to map out and optimize the reporting process.
Worked cross-functionally with product leadership and marketing teams over five weeks to refresh CDP’s digital branding and update the design system, ensuring a modern and cohesive look.
Drove the redesign of CDP’s design system, experimenting with accessible color schemes (overcoming the challenge of CDP’s red branding) and developing a scalable, AAA-compliant component library.
Ensured that the updated design system modernized CDP’s platform, enhancing both aesthetics and usability, making it more engaging and accessible to users.
Decisions
Consolidated overlapping and duplicate legacy processes, simplifying the method for creating and managing supplier lists within a single, user-friendly interface.
Worked closely with product leadership and subject matter experts to ensure that the streamlined process was both user-focused and aligned with CDP’s bureaucratic requirements.
Redesigned the Information Architecture (IA) to better reflect the carbon emission reporting process, ensuring clear navigation and intuitive workflows for users.
Mapped out all reporting steps and structured the new IA to guide users efficiently, addressing the challenge that many users only engage with the platform periodically.
Led the redesign of the home page, transforming it into a central hub for updates, progress tracking, and key actions, making the reporting process more transparent and actionable.
Established a scalable design approach for the home page, which was later adopted by other designers across different product areas, ensuring consistency and usability across the platform.
Result & Impact
Successfully launched the GreenStar MVP in January 2024, now used by over a million companies, streamlining the carbon emission reporting process.
Transformed CDP’s platform into a modern, self-serve digital solution, significantly reducing the time and resources spent on customer support and manual processes.
Improved efficiency and user experience, enabling CDP’s customers to manage supplier lists with ease and navigate the reporting process more effectively.
Introduced a clear information architecture and a AAA-compliant, digital-first design system, modernizing CDP’s presentation and enhancing accessibility.
Empowered CDP’s customers to take proactive steps in environmental stewardship, reinforcing CDP’s mission of transparency and accountability in carbon reporting.
Positioned CDP as a forward-thinking organization, providing a strong foundation for future product development and innovation.
Contributed to a more sustainable planet by increasing efficiency, accuracy, and engagement in carbon emission reporting.
