Glasgow Caledonian University sustainability score: 51/100
Better than 45% of Higher Education / Universities
Leading practice starts at 60. The highest score on SINK is 71.
Glasgow Caledonian University is a Scottish public research institution headquartered in Glasgow. It operates a seven-hectare urban campus and conducts research across engineering, business, health, and social sciences.
More about Glasgow Caledonian University
Subject to statutory UK and Scottish climate reporting requirements.
Head office GBStaff 1,570 FTE (HESA EMR 2023/24)Revenue £178M (HESA EMR 2023/24)Website ↗
Glasgow Caledonian University reports comprehensive Scope 1+2 emissions data with a verified 27.7% reduction since 2005, but remains entirely gas-powered with zero renewable energy. Supply chain emissions lack a full quantified 2023/24 Scope 3 inventory. Strong waste and water management, but energy transition strategy is absent.
Glasgow Caledonian University scores 51/100 (Making progress) 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 September 2026.
That places Glasgow Caledonian University joint 129th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 31st of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is Glasgow Caledonian University doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Controversies & Red Flags and Carbon Footprint: Operations (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Energy Source and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (2/10, 4/10).
Where Glasgow Caledonian University 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
- How clean its energy isMove to a renewable energy tariff or make a major efficiency investment.
- Its effect on natureMeasure its effect on nature and have it independently verified.
- Its climate targetsMake its targets science-based, or commit to the Science Based Targets initiative.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations7/10Its own emissions aren't independently verified or tracked over several years.
- Emissions from its supply chain5/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling6/10No consistent fall over several years across its operations and supply chain.
- How clean its energy is2/10No renewable energy tariff or major efficiency investment shown.
- Its effect on nature4/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste6/10No verified figures for reuse and recycling across the business.
- Its effect on water6/10No water stewardship programme or verified fall in water use.
- Its climate targets4/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports6/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
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 Glasgow Caledonian University's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Glasgow Caledonian University's score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
75% of them were published by Glasgow Caledonian University itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“HESA Table-3, 2023/24: total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 5,592,900 kgCO2e for UKPRN 10007762”
“18.15% are direct emissions (scope 1); 5.79% indirect emission from purchased electricity (scope 2)”
“It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from travel to below 13,000 tCO2e per year by 2025-26”
“each of these guides has, where appropriate, its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction targets for all scopes”
“In 2018-19, our emissions were 31.5% lower than in 2014-15 (the University's baseline)”
“7% of the campus is available as soft planting and the University has sought to achieve a planting scheme that emphasises colour and biodiversity”
“In 2022-23 the University produced 726 tonnes of waste”
“Maintain GHG emissions from waste management below 1% of total reported emissions”
“Since then, the University's water consumption has fallen by 34%”
“staff full time equivalent (FTE) and 300 litres per m2 Gross Internal Area (GIA) by 2029-30”
“Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) declared a climate emergency and committed to carbon neutrality by 2050. The date for carbon neutrality has since been brought forward to 2040”
“GCU was externally audited by NQA, a global certification company, on behalf of EcoCampus”
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How does Glasgow Caledonian University compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where Glasgow Caledonian University sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, Glasgow Caledonian University is tied =31st of 67, with 6 others.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Glasgow Caledonian University.
Edinburgh Napier has achieved substantial operational emissions reductions (49% absolute since 2018/19) and maintains transparent public reporting via HESA.
See the breakdown →UAL has verified operational emissions reductions (48% since 2005) but supply-chain emissions remain unquantified and rising.
See the breakdown →Warwick has met interim carbon targets through operational gas phase-out and renewable electricity, but Scope 3 emissions—three-quarters of its footprint—lack annual disclosure and reduction milestones.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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