Bunzl sustainability score: 36/100
Making progress starts at 46. The highest score on SINK is 71.
Bunzl is a London-based distribution company founded in 1940 that supplies non-food consumables including packaging, cleaning products, PPE, and disposables to businesses across 90+ countries. With over 10,000 suppliers and 99.8% revenue coverage in sustainability reporting, it operates as a critical link in global supply chains.
Head office United KingdomStaff ~27,000Revenue ~£11.8BWebsite ↗
Bunzl reports comprehensive Scope 1 and 2 emissions with third-party assurance and has SBTi-validated targets, but absolute emissions ticked upward in 2024–2025 despite an 18% reduction since 2019. Scope 3 trajectory remains opaque due to methodology shifts. Renewable energy at 28% lags peers; nature and biodiversity impact lacks quantified targets.
Bunzl scores 36/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Nobody can pay to change a score, speed it up or hide it. Last verified August 2026.
That places Bunzl joint 542nd of 1,023 companies scored, and 6th of 22 in Shipping / Logistics.
Limited evidence. This score rests on 12 sources, 83% of them published by the company itself. Every source cited here passed the same quality checks as any other score: all live, none from data aggregators. There is simply less of it.
What is Bunzl doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Targets & Commitments (8/10, 8/10). Weakest on Nature & Biodiversity Impact and Energy Source (3/10, 4/10).
Where Bunzl lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
What would raise this score
- Its effect on natureAssess its effect on nature and publish a basic environmental policy.
- How clean its energy isShow at least half its energy is renewable, with a transition plan.
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations8/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain7/10No full value-chain map or supplier engagement programme.
- Whether its emissions are falling5/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is4/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- Its effect on nature3/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water5/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets8/10No validated long-term net zero target.
- How openly it reports8/10No mission-locked structure, such as B Corp certification.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is Bunzl's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Bunzl's score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
83% of them were published by Bunzl itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Limited data coverage. This assessment is based on 12 sources, 83% of which are self-reported by the company. Scores may change as independent evidence becomes available.
“Total scope 1 and scope 2 emissions market-based (tonnes of CO2e) 141,320* [2019] 116,402 [2025]”
“EHS Assurance Opinion 2025 · EHS Assurance Statement 2025”
“our scope 3 emissions account for around 98% of our total emissions”
“Bunzl received a set of recommendations for ongoing enhancement of its emissions tracking and reporting.”
“Our absolute carbon emissions increased by 0.2% in 2024, mainly due to the impact of recent acquisitions reporting emissions for the first time.”
“The percentage of renewable energy purchased has increased to 28% in 2024.”
“science-based targets by the end of 2027. This target was approved by the SBTi in 2022”
“Our unique sourcing and auditing function based in Shanghai allows us to have a thorough level of oversight over our supply chain.”
“CDP awards Bunzl an 'A score' in engaging its suppliers in climate action.”
“In 2024, we received a B for our response to the CDP climate change questionnaire.”
“MSCI: AA (Leader), Refinitiv: 49/100, Sustainalytics Risk: 16.3.”
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How does Bunzl compare with other shipping / logistics companies?
Where Bunzl sits among shipping / logistics peers.
Among the 22 major shipping / logistics brands we've scored, Bunzl sits 6th of 22.
Who scores higher in Shipping / Logistics?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Bunzl.
Royal Mail has built genuine absolute emissions reductions (25% total, 27% Scope 1&2) backed by SBTi validation and granular supply chain carbon accounting via Watershed.
See the breakdown →Geopost has industry-leading net-zero targets validated by SBTi and three years of absolute emissions reductions, but remains hamstrung by weak nature disclosure, incomplete supply-chain carbon accounting, and a live greenwashing investigation by Poland's UOKiK regulator over unsubstantiated 'green fleet' claims.
See the breakdown →DHL Supply Chain UK discloses operational emissions granularly but lacks third-party verification.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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