ČEZ Group Moves Up Significantly in International ESG Evaluation by Renowned CDP Organisation

ČEZ Group is continuing to gradually improve its ESG rating, i.e. the assessment of non-financial indicators in the areas of 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 thus opens the door to, for example, more favourable financing terms or insurance contracts.

ČEZ Group’s most recent rating success was with the international non-profit organisation CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), which evaluates more than 22,000 companies from 130 countries and whose data are crucial for hundreds of global investors. In the area of combating climate change, ČEZ Group jumped three places from a C to an A- in 2025. Given the scale from A to D-, the result can be compared to a school grade of 1-.

“Producing clean and affordable energy that is better for the environment and for people is one of the pillars of our strategy. I’m very glad that leading foreign organisations appreciate our actions. With an A- grade we can boldly measure ourselves against the best-rated European energy companies,” said Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Sustainability Officer at ČEZ Michaela Chaloupková.

The improvement of 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 of Tomorrow strategy. CDP also appreciated the more detailed reporting of indirect emissions from energy consumption.

Last year, CDP also rated ČEZ in terms of efficient and sustainable water resource management – in this area, the company received a B grade (equivalent to a 2), also an improvement over its last grade of C. The last area assessed is forest care and protection, where the rating remained unchanged at a C.  ČEZ meets all statutory requirements in this category, but focuses much more on the aforementioned areas of air protection and water management.

A Successful 2025

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

ESG parameter ratings from international rating agencies and clear plans for decarbonisation are important, for example for banks. ČEZ Group opened its first credit line tied to its ESG rating in the summer of 2023, and can currently draw up to CZK 30 billion from six banks under ESG loans. Since 2022, ČEZ 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, ČEZ Group received an ESG Transparency Award 2025 from EUPD Research, an international organisation for market research, for the extent and openness of its reporting and communication of data concerning sustainability. Thanks to a total score of 97%, it reached the Excellence level, which is for companies with a rating of more than 75%. Moreover, the result means that it has become a Leading Company, i.e. the best company in its category (by region, industry sector and number of employees).