John Lewis Partnership sustainability score: 39/100
Better than 55% of Retail (non-fashion)
Making progress starts at 46. The highest score on SINK is 71.
John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned UK retailer that runs Waitrose supermarkets and John Lewis department stores and online shops; Waitrose brings in about two-thirds of its revenue. John Lewis Partnership plc was incorporated in 1929.
More about John Lewis Partnership
It had about 65,700 Partners on average and £11.7 billion revenue in its year to January 2026.
Founded 1929Head office London, UKStaff ~65,700 Partners (average, FY to Jan 2026)Revenue ~£11.7B revenue (FY to Jan 2026)Website ↗
John Lewis Partnership's own emissions fell to 88,598 tCO2e in its year to January 2026, about 40% below 2020/21, and KPMG assures them; its electricity is renewable under certificates and most of its heavy trucks run on biomethane. But it publishes no current figure for the goods it buys or the energy its products use, about 98% of its footprint, so the size deduction for an incomplete footprint (0.70x) applies. Its targets are SBTi-validated, but it missed its 2025 timber goal and is behind on food waste, and it publishes no water figures for its own operations.
John Lewis Partnership scores 39/100 (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 John Lewis Partnership joint 451st of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 23rd of 54 in Retail (non-fashion).
What is John Lewis Partnership doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Targets & Commitments (8/10, 8/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain and Emissions Trajectory (4/10, 4/10).
Where John Lewis Partnership 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
- Emissions from its supply chainMeasure most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions.
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- Its effect on waterMeasure its water footprint and set reduction targets.
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 chain4/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling4/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is6/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature5/10Its 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 targets8/10No validated long-term net zero target.
- How openly it reports7/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies7/10Points 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 John Lewis Partnership's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas John Lewis Partnership's score changed?
John Lewis Partnership's score has moved from 49 to 39 across 2 recorded reviews, down 10 points.
- 49 → 39-103 November 2026
Re-score under current methodology (brand batch: Christmas adverts); owner rulings 2026-11-03
- Scored 494 April 2026
Initial score at platform launch
What evidence is John Lewis Partnership's score based on?
11 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
55% of them were published by John Lewis Partnership itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Scope 1 and 2 energy and industrial market-based emissions were 88,598* tCO2e, compared to 111,039”
“Total Scope 2 emissions (market-based) 1,515*”
“The Partnership’s scope 3 emissions comprise 98% of our total carbon emissions.”
“51% of Waitrose and 44% of John Lewis emissions from purchased goods and services are from suppliers with SBTi-approved science-based targets.”
“We are proud signatories of the WRAP UK Food and Drink Pact Water Roadmap”
“John Lewis Partnership commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 60% by FY2030 from a FY2020 base year”
“Waitrose scored well across the board, with reasonable GHG and food waste scores, and it uses the least plastic”
“with Sainbury’s and Waitrose scoring the highest marks based on several criteria”
“2. Waitrose 42% – Owned by John Lewis, which is also a co-operative”
“Leckford Estate serves as a distraction from the realities of Waitrose’s supply chains”
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How does John Lewis Partnership compare with other retail (non-fashion) companies?
Where John Lewis Partnership sits among retail (non-fashion) peers.
Among the 54 major retail (non-fashion) brands we've scored, John Lewis Partnership is tied =23rd of 54, with 2 others.
Who scores higher in Retail (non-fashion)?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above John Lewis Partnership.
TJX reports operational emissions with third-party assurance but omits purchased goods and services—its largest footprint.
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