Harper Adams University sustainability score: 31/100
Better than 6% of Higher Education / Universities
Making progress starts at 46. The highest score on SINK is 71.
Harper Adams University is a specialist agricultural and land-based higher education institution, based in Shropshire, England. It operates a 635-hectare working farm as a teaching resource and employs staff across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in agriculture, sustainable food systems, environmental management, and related disciplines.
Head office GBRevenue 59,723,000 GBP (FY2025)Website ↗
Harper Adams has documented 36% emissions reductions through 2019 but provides no recent verified data. Scope 3 emissions remain unquantified despite acknowledged significance. Water management is invisible. The university's low-carbon infrastructure is substantial but grid electricity supply verification is absent.
Harper Adams University scores 31/100 (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 September 2026.
That places Harper Adams University joint 698th of 1,023 companies scored, and 63rd of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is Harper Adams University doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Controversies & Red Flags and Carbon Footprint: Operations (8/10, 5/10). Weakest on Water Impact and Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain (2/10, 3/10).
Where Harper Adams 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
- Its effect on waterMonitor its water use and take measures to reduce it.
- Emissions from its supply chainAssess where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations5/10No full Scope 1 and 2 figures worked out to the GHG Protocol.
- Emissions from its supply chain3/10No assessment of where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- Whether its emissions are falling4/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is5/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- Its effect on nature4/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste4/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water2/10No monitoring of water use, or no measures to reduce it.
- Its climate targets4/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports4/10No dedicated sustainability role, board oversight or public report.
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 Harper Adams University's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Harper Adams University's score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
58% of them were published by Harper Adams University itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Since 2005, the University has been measuring and reducing its scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint”
“140 HE providers submitted Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions data to HESA through the Estates management record for the year 2023/24”
“Harper Adams operates a 635 hectare (1569 acres) commercial farm on campus”
“Of the 132 HE providers who submitted data for the past two years, 73 (55%) saw a decrease in emissions”
“tasked to baseline biodiversity on the University's Future Farm to support its sustainable transition to Net Zero by 2030”
“green roofs which can alleviate flooding by absorbing rainwater and can also enhance biodiversity”
“Our 494-hectare farm acts as a living lab, where you can see sustainable land management in action”
“Our current waste contractor operates a Zero Waste to Landfill”
“Institutionally Harper Adams University is in its initial phase of embedding sustainability into its campus, curriculum and community”
“The tables include data for the academic years 2015/16 to 2023/24”
“Harper Adams University has pledged to be Net Zero by 2030 for emissions, predominantly related to gas consumption, electricity usage and fuel for university managed vehicles”
“Harper Adams University is seeking to develop a decarbonisation strategy which will allow its campus buildings and vehicle fleet to be operationally net zero carbon by 2030”
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How does Harper Adams University compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where Harper Adams University sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, Harper Adams University sits 63rd of 67.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Harper Adams University.
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See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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