CEZ Group Scores A- in CDP rating, Improving Significantly

CEZ Group continues to gradually improve its ESG rating, i.e. the assessment of non-financial criteria related to the environment, social activities and transparent corporate governance. In recent years, investors, banks and insurance companies have been focusing on these types of parameters because they are an important indicator of whether a company’s business is sustainable in the long term. A better ESG score therefore opens the door to, for example, more favourable financing terms or insurance policies.

CEZ Group’s most recent rating success was achieved with the international non-profit CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), which evaluates more than 22,000 companies from 130 countries and whose data is crucial for hundreds of global investors. In the area of combating climate change, CEZ Group jumped three places, from a C to an A- in 2025. 

“Producing clean and affordable energy better for the environment and better for people is one of the pillars of our strategy. I’m very happy that renowned foreign organisations appreciate our steps. With an A- score, we can proudly compare ourselves to the best-rated European energy companies,” said Michaela Chaloupková, Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Sustainability Officer at CEZ.

The improvement in the “climate grade” was mainly due to information from the 2024 Sustainability Report, prepared in accordance with the new European standards, and the detailed mapping and description of risks and opportunities in relation to the Clean Energy for Tomorrow strategy. CDP also appreciated the more detailed reporting of indirect emissions from energy consumption.

Last year, CDP also evaluated CEZ in terms of efficient and sustainable management of water resources—in this area, the company received a B score, which is also an improvement up from its last rating of C.  The last area evaluated was forest care and protection, where the rating remained unchanged at a C.  CEZ meets all the legal requirements in this category, but focuses primarily on the aforementioned areas of climate protection and water management.

The Successful Year 2025

CEZ Group also performed well with other international rating agencies last year. For example, S&P Global, which rates approximately 4,600 global companies, recognised an improvement of 9 points to 62 out of 100.CEZ also maintained its high AA rating with MSCI and saw a slight improvement with Morningstar Sustainalytics last year. According to CSRHub, which evaluates more than 43,000 companies by aggregating ratings from dozens of agencies and organisations into a single parameter, CEZ currently ranks among the top 6% of the best-rated companies in the world (value published in December 2025).

ESG ratings from international rating agencies and clear plans for decarbonisation are important, for example, for banks. CEZ Group opened its first credit line tied to ESG rating in the summer of 2023, and currently has the opportunity to draw up to CZK 30 billion from six banks under ESG loans. Since 2022, CEZ has also implemented a total of four sustainability-linked bond issues (specifically, a GHG emissions intensity target in 2025 or 2030) with a total value of EUR 2.9 billion.

Last year, CEZ Group also received an ESG Transparency Award 2025 from EUPD Research, an international market research organisation, for the breadth and openness in reporting and communicating sustainability-related data. Thanks to the total score of 97%, CEZ reached the Excellence level, which is for companies with a rating of more than 75%. Moreover, the result means that CEZ has become a Leading Company, i.e. the best company in its category (by region, industry sector and number of employees).