Leeds Arts University sustainability score: 46/100
Better than 15% of Higher Education / Universities
Leading practice starts at 60. The highest score on SINK is 71.
Leeds Arts University is a specialist arts institution, based in Leeds, England. It educates approximately 2,400 students and staff across a single compact urban campus focused on fine art, design, performance, and creative disciplines.
More about Leeds Arts University
As a small teaching-focused university with no research laboratories or extractive operations, it operates with inherently lower environmental intensity than research-intensive peers.
Head office GBStaff 290 FTE (HESA EMR 2023/24)Revenue £25.3M (HESA EMR 2023/24)Website ↗
Leeds Arts University operates a genuinely small carbon footprint (579 tCO₂e) with verified seven-year reductions of 35%. Supply chain emissions are unmeasured and scope 3 absent. Energy is 49% renewable via green tariff. The institution has set a 2035 net-zero target but lacks third-party validation or scope 3 commitment.
Leeds Arts University scores 46/100 (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 Leeds Arts University joint 258th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 56th of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is Leeds Arts University doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Controversies & Red Flags and Carbon Footprint: Operations (8/10, 6/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).
Where Leeds Arts 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
- Emissions from its supply chainAssess where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- 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.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations6/10Its own emissions aren't independently verified or tracked over several years.
- Emissions from its supply chain3/10No assessment of where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- Whether its emissions are falling6/10No consistent fall over several years across its operations and supply chain.
- 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 waste4/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water4/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets4/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports5/10No 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 Leeds Arts University's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Leeds Arts University's score based on?
11 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
45% of them were published by Leeds Arts University itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 578.9 tCO₂e, UKPRN 10003854, 2023/24”
“Leeds Arts University continues upward trajectory in sustainability performance”
“Reporting to the Higher Education Statistics Agency Estates Management Record (HESA EMR) which accounts for c. 45% of the available score.”
“Leeds Arts University wishes to Contract for the provision of LED Lighting to the University Building”
“Delivering on this will require dedicated internal resource, significant long-term planning and collaboration with our partners and suppliers.”
“Quality criterion - Name: Sustainability / Weighting: 10”
“Board Minutes — Leeds Arts University legal and governance”
“The SDG Accord is a global collective of over 700 universities, colleges and education networks committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
“Recycling Redundant Cameras and Equipment”
“Leeds Arts University is a specialist arts university... established 1846, university status 2017”
“Court for Intergenerational Climate Crimes: the British East India Company on Trial is at Blenheim Walk Gallery, Leeds Arts University”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does Leeds Arts University compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where Leeds Arts University sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, Leeds Arts University is tied =56th of 67, with 1 other.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Leeds Arts University.
Heriot-Watt has reduced operational emissions 38% since 2005 and committed to net-zero by 2035, but lacks SBTi validation and reports no quantified Scope 3 total.
See the breakdown →St Mary's has cut operational emissions 52% since 2005 and recycles 97.9% of waste—genuinely strong numbers for a small campus university.
See the breakdown →University of Stirling has cut operational emissions 42% since 2007 and publishes dual statutory disclosures, but supply chain emissions remain unquantified and renewable energy was zero in 2023/24.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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