Canonical Mapping Packs (CMP)

Canonical Mapping Packs (CMPs) document how Canonical Disclosure Intents (CDIs) are interpreted by specific sustainability reporting frameworks.

CMPs make interpretation explicit, transparent, and reviewable ā€” without asserting authority, compliance, or endorsement.

They answer the question:

How does a reporting framework interpret a given disclosure intent?

CMPs do not define what must be disclosed, how data should be calculated, or whether a disclosure is sufficient.

Purpose of CMP

Sustainability reporting frameworks often request similar disclosures using different:

  • terminology,
  • structure,
  • scope,
  • aggregation rules,
  • presentation formats.

Interpreting these requirements involves professional judgement.

CMPs exist to:

  • document interpretation decisions explicitly,
  • make assumptions and limitations visible,
  • reduce undocumented and inconsistent interpretation,
  • support reuse of disclosure meaning across frameworks,
  • improve traceability and auditability of reported information.

CMPs are non-authoritative interpretation artefacts.

Relationship to Canonical Disclosure Intents (CDI)

Canonical Mapping Packs are explicitly anchored to Canonical Disclosure Intents (CDIs).

Each CMP:

  • references one or more CDI identifiers,
  • does not redefine disclosure meaning,
  • documents how existing disclosure intent is interpreted by a specific reporting framework.

CDIs provide the stable semantic layer that enables CMPs to be versioned, reviewed, and compared even as reporting frameworks evolve.

ā†’ Learn more about Canonical Disclosure Intents

Position in Canonical ESG

Canonical ESG separates sustainability reporting concerns into three layers:

  • CERM defines how sustainability data is structured
  • CDI defines what a disclosure means
  • CMP documents how disclosure meaning maps to specific frameworks

CMPs sit at the boundary between semantic meaning and framework-specific requirements.

They must not modify or extend CERM or CDI.

CMP Domains

CMPs are organised by sustainability topic domain.

Each domain may have one or more CMPs, depending on framework coverage and versioning.

Climate Canonical Mapping Packs

Climate CMPs document interpretations of climate-related disclosure intents, including:

  • governance and strategy disclosures,
  • climate-related risks and opportunities,
  • policies and commitments,
  • targets and transition planning,
  • greenhouse gas emissions,
  • energy and mitigation actions,
  • methodology and assumptions.

Climate CMPs reference Climate CDIs (CDI v1) and map them to frameworks such as:

  • ESRS E1,
  • GRI 305,
  • CDP Climate Change questionnaires.

ā†’ View Climate CMP examples

Energy Canonical Mapping Packs

Energy CMPs document interpretations of energy-related disclosure intents, including:

  • energy consumption,
  • energy sources and mix,
  • energy procurement and generation,
  • energy intensity and efficiency,
  • energy boundaries and methodologies.

Energy CMPs reference Energy CDIs (CDI v1) and map them to energy-related requirements in sustainability reporting frameworks and energy standards.

Energy CMPs are distinct from climate CMPs and do not address greenhouse gas emissions.

CMP Registry

Canonical ESG maintains a CMP Registry that records all published Canonical Mapping Packs.

The registry provides:

  • a machine-readable index of available CMPs,
  • topic domain and framework coverage,
  • CDI version referenced,
  • CMP version and status,
  • links to human-readable and machine-readable representations.

The registry is intended for:

  • software tools that need to discover CMPs programmatically,
  • auditors and reviewers validating interpretation provenance,
  • implementers tracking CMP versions over time.

ā†’ View CMP Registry (JSON):
/cmp/registry

What CMPs Do and Do Not Do

CMPs Do

  • Map Canonical Disclosure Intents to framework requirements
  • Document interpretation choices and assumptions
  • Enable traceability and review
  • Support consistency across reporting outputs
  • Allow multiple interpretations to coexist transparently

CMPs Do Not

  • Define reporting obligations
  • Determine materiality
  • Assert compliance or sufficiency
  • Replace professional judgement
  • Provide regulatory or assurance advice

Status and Versioning

CMPs are versioned artefacts.

Each CMP documents:

  • the CDI version referenced,
  • the reporting framework version interpreted,
  • known limitations and gaps,
  • a clear change history.

Frozen CMPs remain referenceable for historical use.

Non-Authority Statement

CMPs:

  • are not endorsed by any standards-setting body,
  • do not represent official interpretations,
  • do not carry regulatory or legal authority.

All use of CMPs requires professional judgement.