RVBA-CTSHConsulting

Cognizant — in detail

Full extracted data, every event in the company's history we've captured, and (soon) external news. The full ratios diagnostic with peer benchmarks lives at /ratios.

Reference sources (4/5)

Source documents
Recent disclosure
Multi-year metrics
Targets
Certifications

External news· 3 ESG-tagged · GDELT

tagged categories: climate · governance · controversy · M&A · regulatory

Source: GDELT 2.0 DOC API · ESG-keyword filtered · 3-month trailing window.

Data by year· every metric + key events per year

Each year shows the firm's reported metrics on the left and the most material events on the right. Up to 10 events per year; the full event log is one click further.

2025

cdp response ↗

P&L highlights (USD)

Headcount (FTE)	351,600people
Revenue	21.1B
Cost of revenue	(14B)
Gross profit	7.1B
Operating expenses (S&M + G&A)	(3.6B)
Operating income	3.5B
Net income	2.2B

Balance sheet highlights (USD)

Property, plant & equipment	1.5B
Right-of-use (leased) assets	552M
Total assets	20.7B
Total debt	1.2B
Cash & equivalents	1.9B
Minority interest	0

Market & shares

Market cap (FY-end)	39.9B
Shares outstanding	481M

2024

cdp response ↗

Climate · carbon footprint (tCO2e)

Scope 1	8,639
Scope 2 (market-based)	59,536
Scope 3	423,026
Cat 1 · Purchased goods	174,199
Cat 6 · Business travel	86,270
Cat 7 · Employee commuting	35,482
Cat 8 · Upstream leased	17,204
Cat 15 · Investments	92
Gross carbon footprint	491,201
Net carbon footprint	491,201

Energy (kWh)

Renewable energy %

46%

P&L highlights (USD)

Headcount (FTE)	336,800people
Revenue	19.7B
Cost of revenue	(13B)
Gross profit	6.8B
Operating expenses (S&M + G&A)	(3.9B)
Operating income	2.9B
Net income	2.2B

Balance sheet highlights (USD)

Property, plant & equipment	1.5B
Right-of-use (leased) assets	611M
Total assets	20B
Total debt	908M
Cash & equivalents	2.2B
Minority interest	0

Market & shares

Market cap (FY-end)	38.1B
Shares outstanding	496M

2023

Climate · carbon footprint (tCO2e)

Scope 1	9,420
Scope 2 (market-based)	67,146
Scope 3	456,488
Cat 1 · Purchased goods	190,530
Cat 6 · Business travel	95,230
Cat 7 · Employee commuting	28,967
Cat 8 · Upstream leased	21,888
Cat 15 · Investments	312
Gross carbon footprint	533,054
Net carbon footprint	533,054

Energy (kWh)

Renewable energy %

52%

P&L highlights (USD)

Headcount (FTE)	347,700people
Revenue	19.4B
Cost of revenue	(12.7B)
Gross profit	6.7B
Operating expenses (S&M + G&A)	(4B)
Operating income	2.7B
Net income	2.1B

Balance sheet highlights (USD)

Property, plant & equipment	1.7B
Right-of-use (leased) assets	876M
Total assets	18.5B
Total debt	639M
Cash & equivalents	2.6B
Minority interest	0

Market & shares

Market cap (FY-end)	38.1B
Shares outstanding	505M

Events 2023· 7

100% renewable electricity by 2026 (RE100 commitment)

Committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity sourcing by 2026. India consumption reached 52% renewable in 2023, up from 44% in 2022.

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Third-party limited assurance by PwC across Scope 1, 2, and 3

PwC provided limited assurance on 100% of reported Scope 1, 2 (location and market), and Scope 3 emissions per AICPA AT-C 105 standards.

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Supplier engagement target on science-based targets

Committed to engaging 90% of top 150 suppliers (representing 72% of supplier-generated emissions) to set science-based targets by 2026. 39% had met expectation in 2023, up from 18% in 2022.

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Switched Scope 3 emission factors from Quantis to U.S. EPA EEIO

In 2023, Cognizant changed the source of emission factors applied to Scope 3 categories (purchased goods, capital goods, upstream transport, business travel) from the 2016 Quantis emission factors to the 2023 U.S. EPA EEIO emission factors. The change was retrospectively applied to 2019–2022 emissions.

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Restated Scope 3 base year and prior years

Base year (2019) Scope 3 emissions and 2019-2022 past years recalculated due to emission factor methodology change.

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SBTi-validated near-term and net-zero targets

Near-term: reduce absolute Scope 1+2 GHG emissions 77% by 2030 from 2019 base year, and reduce Scope 3 by 47% in same timeframe. Long-term: 90% absolute reduction across all scopes by 2040. Net-zero across value chain by 2040. Validated by SBTi as 1.5°C aligned.

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Switched Scope 3 emission factors from Quantis to US EPA EEIO

In 2023, Cognizant changed the source of the emission factors applied from the 2016 Quantis emission factors to the 2023 U.S. EPA Environmentally-Extended Input-Output (EEIO) emission factors. Retrospectively applied to 2019-2022. Affects Scope 3 categories 1, 2, 4, and 6.

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2022

cdp response ↗

Climate · carbon footprint (tCO2e)

Scope 1	9,999
Scope 2 (market-based)	66,624
Scope 3	371,814
Cat 1 · Purchased goods	156,113
Cat 6 · Business travel	72,925
Cat 7 · Employee commuting	14,635
Cat 8 · Upstream leased	24,491
Cat 15 · Investments	1,068
Gross carbon footprint	448,437
Net carbon footprint	448,437

Energy (kWh)

Renewable energy %

44%

P&L highlights (USD)

Headcount (FTE)	355,300people
Revenue	19.4B
Cost of revenue	(12.4B)
Gross profit	7B
Operating expenses (S&M + G&A)	(4B)
Operating income	3B
Net income	2.3B

Balance sheet highlights (USD)

Property, plant & equipment	2B
Right-of-use (leased) assets	933M
Total assets	17.9B
Total debt	646M
Cash & equivalents	2.2B
Minority interest	0

Market & shares

Market cap (FY-end)	29.6B
Shares outstanding	518M

Events 2022· 3

Plan to disclose audited 2019 baseline emissions

Cognizant indicated it will submit an amendment to CDP in August 2022 to release 2019 baseline emissions audited and assured by PwC. Baseline values for Scope 1, 2 location-based, and Scope 3 categories were not disclosed in this filing.

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SBTi-validated net zero target set (2040)

Cognizant set SBTi-validated near- and long-term science-based targets: reduce absolute Scope 1+2 emissions 77% by 2030 and absolute Scope 3 emissions 47% by 2030 from 2019 base year; reduce absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions 90% by 2040 to reach net-zero across the value chain. Also commits to 100% renewable electricity by 2026.

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100% renewable electricity by 2026 (RE100)

Cognizant committed via RE100 to source 100% renewable electricity for its operations by 2026. As of 2024, 46% achieved globally; 56% in India.

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2021

Climate · carbon footprint (tCO2e)

Scope 1	10,600
Scope 2 (market-based)	62,903
Scope 3	1.2M
Cat 1 · Purchased goods	804,834
Cat 6 · Business travel	38,353
Cat 7 · Employee commuting	57,232
Cat 8 · Upstream leased	26,998
Cat 15 · Investments	1,235
Gross carbon footprint	1.3M
Net carbon footprint	1.3M

Energy (kWh)

Renewable energy %

47%

P&L highlights (USD)

Headcount (FTE)	330,600people
Revenue	18.5B
Cost of revenue	(11.6B)
Gross profit	6.9B
Operating expenses (S&M + G&A)	(4.1B)
Operating income	2.8B
Net income	2.1B

Balance sheet highlights (USD)

Property, plant & equipment	2.1B
Right-of-use (leased) assets	1B
Total assets	17.9B
Total debt	664M
Cash & equivalents	1.8B
Minority interest	0

Market & shares

Market cap (FY-end)	46.8B
Shares outstanding	527M

Events 2021· 4

First-time third-party limited assurance by PwC

Cognizant obtained limited assurance over Scope 1, 2 (market-based) and Scope 3 emissions from PwC under AICPA AT105 standards. 100% of reported emissions verified.

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RE100 commitment - 100% renewable electricity by 2026

Joined RE100 with target to source 100% renewable energy for all global offices and facilities by 2026.

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Net Zero Goal set with SBTi-aligned targets

In 2021 Cognizant announced its Net Zero Goal: 100% renewable energy by 2026, 50% absolute emissions reduction by 2030 (Scopes 1, 2, 3), and 90% absolute reduction by 2040 with offsetting of remaining emissions. Targets submitted to SBTi for validation, considered 1.5°C aligned. Baseline year 2019.

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Scope 3 expanded to include purchased goods, capital goods and additional categories

Cognizant significantly expanded Scope 3 reporting in 2021 to include Categories 1 (Purchased Goods), 2 (Capital Goods), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 15. The company notes Scope 3 increased 217.5% per FTE vs prior year due to including more categories. This represents more honest/comprehensive reporting.

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2020

Climate · carbon footprint (tCO2e)

Scope 1	10,542
Scope 2 (market-based)	100,685
Scope 3	446,776
Cat 1 · Purchased goods	170,778
Cat 6 · Business travel	66,121
Cat 7 · Employee commuting	50,117
Cat 8 · Upstream leased	26,577
Cat 15 · Investments	1,296
Gross carbon footprint	558,003
Net carbon footprint	558,003

Energy (kWh)

Renewable energy %

28%

P&L highlights (USD)

Headcount (FTE)	289,500people
Revenue	16.7B
Cost of revenue	(10.7B)
Gross profit	6B
Operating expenses (S&M + G&A)	(3.9B)
Operating income	2.1B
Net income	1.4B

Balance sheet highlights (USD)

Property, plant & equipment	2.3B
Right-of-use (leased) assets	926M
Total assets	16.9B
Total debt	701M
Cash & equivalents	2.7B
Minority interest	0

Market & shares

Market cap (FY-end)	44.3B
Shares outstanding	540M