University of Bristol sustainability score: 54/100
Better than 79% of Higher Education / Universities
Leading practice starts at 60. The highest score on SINK is 71.
University of Bristol is a research-intensive institution in southwest England. It ranks among the UK's top 10 research universities and operates across 13 academic schools with significant global research programmes.
More about University of Bristol
As a higher education provider, it manages substantial campus infrastructure, supply chains, and research portfolios.
Head office GBStaff 9,180 FTE (HESA EMR 2023/24)Revenue £1.09B (HESA EMR 2023/24)Website ↗
Bristol has cut Scope 1+2 emissions 56% since 2005 and publishes verified data. But Scope 3 remains unmeasured and unverified, masking 70% of its true footprint. Supply chain emissions are unquantified. More damaging: the university accepted over £3M in research funding from BP, Shell, Total, Equinor, Chevron, and others since its 2020 divestment pledge, with no formal policy restricting fossil sector money.
University of Bristol scores 54/100 (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 University of Bristol joint 71st of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 11th of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is University of Bristol doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Emissions Trajectory (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain and Energy Source (3/10, 5/10).
Where University of Bristol 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.
- How clean its energy isShow at least half its energy is renewable, with a transition plan.
- Its effect on natureMeasure its effect on nature and have it independently verified.
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 chain3/10No assessment of where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- Whether its emissions are falling7/10No consistent fall over several years across its operations and supply chain.
- How clean its energy is5/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- 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 water5/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets6/10Its targets aren't validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports7/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies6/10Points 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 University of Bristol's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas University of Bristol's score changed?
University of Bristol's score has been reviewed 2 times and currently stands where it started, at 54.
- 54 → 547 November 2026
Correction, 7 November 2026: corrected a figure from the university's position paper; over 130,000 tonnes was its total footprint, not Scope 3. Score unchanged.
- Scored 5427 September 2026
Initial public score 54 (publish-draft)
What evidence is University of Bristol's score based on?
15 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
60% of them were published by University of Bristol itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions: 22,153.2 tCO₂e; reduction vs 2005 baseline: 55.7% (HESA EMR 2023/24, Table-3)”
“Our greenhouse gas emissions calculations are certified to ISO 14064.”
“Environmental Sustainability Annual Report 2024-25 (PDF, 6,701kB)”
“Scope 3: All other indirect 'value chain' emissions, e.g. purchased goods and services, construction and business travel.”
“ambitious new target for emissions related to its value/supply chain (Scope 3) to reduce emissions by 42% by 2030”
“the University has a contract for the greenest energy tariff available”
“estate expands well beyond our urban campus and spreads over 1000 acres, including two farms...four habitat types which are of local and national importance”
“the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office is being redeveloped into the University of Bristol's new £500million campus, and will feature landscaping and tree planting”
“Where we can't reuse or recycle, we use offsite recovery and energy generation technologies, meaning that less than 5% of our overall waste ends up in landfill.”
“the Procurement team has earned the CIPS Ethical mark and appears on its Ethical Register.”
“Bristol has taken £3m from oil, gas and mining companies since 2017, according to a recent report by investigative outlet openDemocracy.”
“Climate academics at the University of Bristol have drawn attention to the £3 million taken from oil, gas and mining companies including from BP, Shell, Total, Equinor, Chevron and Petrobras.”
“Some of the university's top climate academics spoke out after this funding came to light, branding it 'hypocritical and unacceptable'.”
“from 2030 allow us to start exploring concepts such as water neutrality in future developments, where future expansion would place no additional strain on local water supplies.”
“reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions under ISO 14064 from 46,919tCO2e in 2007-8 to 28,905tCO2e in 2021-22”
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How does University of Bristol compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where University of Bristol sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, University of Bristol is tied =11th of 67, with 4 others.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above University of Bristol.
Aberystwyth has cut Scope 1+2 emissions 50% from 2005 baseline and publishes statutory HESA data annually, backed by £10m renewable investment.
See the breakdown →DMU has cut operational carbon 62% since 2005 via efficiency gains, but supply chain emissions are rising 40% above baseline.
See the breakdown →Edinburgh has cut operational carbon intensity 35% over a decade and acquired 5,035 hectares for habitat restoration, but leaves Scope 3 emissions unquantified.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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