Loughborough University sustainability score: 53/100
Better than 64% of Higher Education / Universities
Leading practice starts at 60. The highest score on SINK is 71.
Loughborough University is a research-led institution in the East Midlands, UK, teaching across engineering, science, and business disciplines. It operates a substantial campus with research facilities including aerospace and vehicle engineering centres.
Head office GBStaff 3,425 FTE (HESA EMR 2023/24)Revenue £374M (HESA EMR 2023/24)Website ↗
Loughborough has published specific decarbonisation targets and joined the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, but lacks independent validation of climate goals and Scope 3 quantification. Gas heating dominates energy use; renewable energy figures reflect grid decarbonisation, not institutional generation. Governance sits at executive level, not board level.
Loughborough University scores 53/100 (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 Loughborough University joint 86th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 16th of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is Loughborough University doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Controversies & Red Flags and Carbon Footprint: Operations (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain and Energy Source (4/10, 4/10).
Where Loughborough 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 chainMeasure most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions.
- How clean its energy isShow at least half its energy is renewable, with a transition plan.
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
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 chain4/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling5/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is4/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- Its effect on nature6/10No verified restoration beyond its own footprint, or supply chain not mapped for nature risk.
- How it uses materials and handles waste6/10No verified figures for reuse and recycling across the business.
- Its effect on water5/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets5/10Its 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 Loughborough University's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Loughborough University's score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
67% of them were published by Loughborough University itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“HESA Estates Management Record 2023/24, Table-3: Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 21,875.3 tCO2e (UKPRN 10004113)”
“No category specific targets have been set but we cannot waste time as S3 represents the largest by size”
“this Strategy is not a policy commitment endorsed by the University Council and IC”
“electricity consumption represents 33% of the consumption... increase in consumption of 26.5%”
“Loughborough University is a founding member of the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, having signed the pledge in December 2022”
“Environment Bank has supplied off-site Biodiversity Units to Loughborough University supporting new accommodation development housing up to 552 students”
“R.A.I.S.E. Nature Plan was launched... with the aim of enhancing nature to improve biodiversity”
“Our Environmental Management System is accredited to ISO14001”
“Provision of Waste Collection & Recycling Services — Loughborough University, contract award notice 2024”
“Loughborough University Sustainability Committee — terms of reference and meeting records published”
“LobbyMap tracks 1,000 companies and 330 industry associations — Loughborough University has no profile”
“reduction in Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2035 and Scope 3 by 2045”
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How does Loughborough University compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where Loughborough University sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, Loughborough University is tied =16th of 67, with 9 others.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Loughborough University.
Strathclyde has cut absolute emissions 40% since 2018/19 and publishes credible HESA-verified data, but missed its own 70%-by-2025 interim target by half.
See the breakdown →Bristol has cut Scope 1+2 emissions 56% since 2005 and publishes verified data.
See the breakdown →Birmingham City University has documented operational carbon cuts of 59% since 2005, backed by statutory HESA data and ISO 14001 certification.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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