International Business Machines Corporation sustainability score: 42/100
Better than 24% of Consulting / Professional Services
Making progress starts at 46. The highest score on SINK is 71.
IBM sells software, consulting and infrastructure, and provides financing for clients buying them. Software brought in US$29,962 million, consulting US$21,055 million and infrastructure US$15,718 million in 2025.
More about International Business Machines Corporation
International Business Machines Corporation was incorporated in the State of New York in 1911, as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. It had about 264,300 employees at IBM and its wholly owned subsidiaries at the end of 2025, and US$67.5B revenue in 2025.
Founded 1911Head office Armonk, United StatesStaff ~264,300 (31 December 2025, IBM and wholly owned subsidiaries)Revenue ~US$67.5B (2025)Website ↗
Read International Business Machines Corporation's own report ↗
IBM's footprint was 9,196,000 t in 2025, up on 2024 because purchased goods and capital goods were counted for the first time; Scope 1 and market-based Scope 2 fell to 191,000 t. It claims 84.5% renewable electricity: 73.4% contracted directly from power suppliers or obtained via landlords, and 11.1% already in the grid mix, with no published split of the contracted part between PPAs, supplier tariffs and same-region certificates. Its net zero 2030 goal is self-set and covers Scope 1 and 2 only, with no Scope 3 target found. State-supervised contamination clean-up continues at Endicott and other sites, with $250 million accrued.
International Business Machines Corporation scores 42/100 (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 November 2026.
That places International Business Machines Corporation joint 362nd of 1,023 companies scored, and 23rd of 30 in Consulting / Professional Services.
What is International Business Machines Corporation doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain (9/10, 6/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Targets & Commitments (0/10, 3/10).
Where International Business Machines Corporation 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
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow its emissions are falling.
- Its climate targetsSet specific targets with dates.
- Its record on controversiesDeal with the findings under question 10, in public.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations9/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain6/10No full value-chain map or supplier engagement programme.
- Whether its emissions are falling0/10No evidence its emissions are falling.
- 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 waste6/10No verified figures for reuse and recycling across the business.
- Its effect on water4/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets3/10No specific targets with dates.
- How openly it reports6/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies3/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
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 International Business Machines Corporation's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas International Business Machines Corporation's score changed?
International Business Machines Corporation's score has moved from 56 to 42 across 3 recorded reviews, down 14 points.
- 56 → 42-147 November 2026
AI supply chain batch: re-scored from pre-v2.5 under v2.5 and owner rulings 2026-11-06/07 (unbundled certificates earn no Q4 credit; categories 1 and 2 material for chipmakers and data centres)
- 56 → 5625 April 2026
Session 2a cleanup: recomputed performance from sum(questions[].score). performance 56→57, score 56→56.
- Scored 568 February 2026
Initial score at platform launch
What evidence is International Business Machines Corporation's score based on?
20 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
25% of them were published by International Business Machines Corporation itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Scope 2, 2025: market-based 134,000 t, location-based 512,000 t. The score uses market-based.
15 of 20 sources are independent of the company.
“Scope 1 (direct emissions) 78,000 78,000 71,000 66,000 57,000”
“inventory obtains third-party limited assurance in accordance with AICPA AT-C Section 105”
“Direct GHG emissions: 66,000 tCO e”
“98% of these suppliers have set such targets”
“73.4% contracted directly from power suppliers or obtained via landlords and 11.1% already in the electricity mix”
“74 percent of energy consumed by its data centers in 2023 came from renewable sources”
“four IBM sites obtaining WHC Conservation Certification in 2025 and more than 65 pollinator gardens maintained globally”
“Yet, IBM has declined to take similar steps.”
“Total revenue $ 67,535 $ 62,753 $ 61,860”
“IBM has not published a fully transparent account of its climate policy engagement”
“no Organization Score has been assigned”
“The state designated the facility as a superfund site in 2004”
“It is anticipated that contamination will decrease and meet drinking water standards in a period of 10 years”
“Endicott is accusing IBM of contaminating its groundwater and municipal wells with substances including 1,4-dioxane and PFAs.”
“sued the tech giant in federal district court for contaminating its water supply”
“There were releases from underground storage tanks and industrial waste sewer systems, which contaminated groundwater and subsurface soil.”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does International Business Machines Corporation compare with other consulting / professional services companies?
Where International Business Machines Corporation sits among consulting / professional services peers.
Among the 30 major consulting / professional services brands we've scored, International Business Machines Corporation sits 23rd of 30.
Who scores higher in Consulting / Professional Services?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above International Business Machines Corporation.
EY's climate disclosure is comprehensive but undercut by rising absolute emissions since FY22 and heavy reliance on offsets to claim 'carbon negative' status.
See the breakdown →KPMG's total footprint fell 3% in FY25 and is 30% below its FY19 baseline after a re-baselining, against a 50% cut targeted for 2030; its own Scope 1 and 2 are down 57%.
See the breakdown →Deloitte reports comprehensive multi-scope emissions data with SBTi-validated net-zero targets, but absolute emissions reduction is glacial at 7% over five years.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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