SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) sustainability score: 28/100
Better than 82% of Airlines / Aviation
Below expectations starts at 31. The highest score on SINK is 71.
Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) is a Nordic full-service airline operating long-haul and regional routes across Europe and beyond. Founded in 1946 as a consortium of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish carriers, SAS is the dominant carrier in Scandinavia with approximately 12,300 employees.
More about SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System)
The airline competes in a capital-intensive, fuel-dependent sector facing regulatory pressure on emissions.
Head office Sweden / Norway / DenmarkStaff ~10,000Revenue ~SEK 45BWebsite ↗
SAS reports Scope 1 emissions with limited assurance but no quantified Scope 3 inventory. Absolute emissions rose 26% from FY2022 to FY2023 despite net-zero claims. The airline opposed aviation taxes and ETS expansion while expanding capacity by 6.4% in FY2024, undermining credibility. SBTi targets expired; greenwashing findings unresolved.
SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) scores 28/100 (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 July 2026.
That places SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) joint 783rd of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 4th of 23 in Airlines / Aviation.
What is SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Transparency & Accountability (6/10, 6/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Energy Source (1/10, 2/10).
Where SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) 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.
- How clean its energy isMove to a renewable energy tariff or make a major efficiency investment.
- Emissions from its supply chainAssess where its supply-chain emissions come from.
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 falling1/10No evidence its emissions are falling.
- How clean its energy is2/10No renewable energy tariff or major efficiency investment shown.
- Its effect on nature3/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste3/10No active waste reduction, reuse or repair shown.
- 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 reports6/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies5/10Points 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 SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System)'s SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System)'s score changed?
SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System)'s score has been reviewed 2 times and currently stands where it started, at 28.
- 28 → 287 November 2026
Correction, 7 November 2026: removed a related-company note naming a customer, supplier or partner without a source. Score unchanged.
- Scored 2818 August 2026
Re-classified Aerospace[38] -> Airlines / Aviation[28]; score 31->28
What evidence is SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System)'s score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
55% of them were published by SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“In 2023, SAS reported significant carbon emissions, totalling approximately 3,093,000,000 kg CO2e for Scope 1”
“SAS Annual and Sustainability Report – Fiscal Year 2024”
“Aircraft operations often account for more than 95% of the total environmental impact of an airline”
“partnering with corporate customers to expand the use of SAF and reduce Scope 3 emissions from travel and transport”
“SAS now dry washes planes using just 60 liters of water for a long-haul A330, instead of 13,000 liters”
“SAS do not accept waste from palm oil production as a raw material”
“Gevo expects to supply SAS with SAF beginning in 2024 from Gevo's Net-Zero 2 Project”
“The CESO reports directly to the Chief Corporate Services Officer, who reports to the Chief Executive Officer”
“Coordinated CPC-network action against misleading environmental claims by European airlines, incl. SAS.”
“SAS Group opposed Swedish and Norwegian ticket taxes for aviation”
“Scandinavia looks at offsetting as greenwashing. It is not real.”
“SAS is listed among the airlines that committed to stop claiming CO2 emissions can be offset or neutralised by consumer payments.”
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How does SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) compare with other airlines / aviation companies?
Where SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) sits among airlines / aviation peers.
Among the 23 major airlines / aviation brands we've scored, SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System) is tied =4th of 23, with 1 other.
Who scores higher in Airlines / Aviation?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System).
Finnair discloses emissions comprehensively but absolute emissions rose in 2025 despite intensity gains.
See the breakdown →Wizz Air reports verified Scope 1/2 emissions and multi-category Scope 3 data, but absolute emissions are rising as the airline expands its fleet toward 500 aircraft by 2030.
See the breakdown →Icelandair discloses carbon operations and waste data but reports absolute emissions rising 4.8% while promoting only intensity improvements.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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