OpenAI sustainability score: 25/100
Better than 6% of SaaS / Digital Services
Below expectations starts at 31. The highest score on SINK is 71.
OpenAI develops large language models and AI products including ChatGPT, serving 800 million weekly users. Founded in 2015 as a non-profit, it restructured to a for-profit entity in 2024.
More about OpenAI
The company operates globally with partnerships spanning cloud providers, semiconductor manufacturers, and energy firms, making it a major driver of enterprise AI infrastructure demand.
Founded 2015Head office San Francisco, USStaff ~4,500–7,200Revenue ~$10B (annualized 2025)Website ↗
OpenAI operates massive compute infrastructure with zero disclosed emissions data across Scope 1, 2, or 3. The company dismisses water concerns as 'fake,' relies on unverified renewable claims through Microsoft, and deploys natural gas plants for major new facilities. Rapid expansion to 10 GW by 2029 proceeds without carbon pathway, baseline data, or board-level sustainability oversight.
OpenAI scores 25/100 (Significant gaps) 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 May 2026.
That places OpenAI joint 871st of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 63rd of 69 in SaaS / Digital Services.
What is OpenAI doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Controversies & Red Flags and Energy Source (3/10, 2/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain and Emissions Trajectory (0/10, 0/10).
Where OpenAI 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.
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow its emissions are falling, even from energy bills or mileage.
- Its effect on natureShow it knows its main risks to nature.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations1/10No emissions figures for its own operations, not even an estimate from energy bills.
- Emissions from its supply chain0/10No assessment of where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- Whether its emissions are falling0/10No evidence its emissions are falling, not even from energy bills or mileage.
- How clean its energy is2/10No renewable energy tariff or major efficiency investment shown.
- Its effect on nature0/10No evidence it knows its main risks to nature.
- How it uses materials and handles waste1/10No recycling or waste reduction shown.
- Its effect on water0/10No figures for its water use.
- Its climate targets1/10No emissions reduction targets.
- How openly it reports0/10No sustainability information published.
- 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 OpenAI's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is OpenAI's score based on?
13 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
0% of them were published by OpenAI itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Scored on 6 April 2026 under an earlier version of our method. We're re-checking it under the current method.
13 of 13 sources are independent of the company.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does OpenAI compare with other saas / digital services companies?
Where OpenAI sits among saas / digital services peers.
Among the 69 major saas / digital services brands we've scored, OpenAI is tied =63rd of 69, with 2 others.
Who scores higher in SaaS / Digital Services?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above OpenAI.
C3.ai has a net-zero pledge for 2050 but publishes no emissions figures, so its footprint cannot be checked.
See the breakdown →Startpage publishes virtually no environmental data.
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