University of Edinburgh sustainability score: 55/100
Better than 86% of Higher Education / Universities
Leading practice starts at 60. The highest score on SINK is 71.
University of Edinburgh is Scotland's largest research university, headquartered in Edinburgh. A research-intensive institution.
More about University of Edinburgh
Operates significant estate and research facilities including the Roslin Institute. Major research and teaching commitments across sciences, medicine, humanities, and professional disciplines.
Founded 1583Head office GBStaff 12,940 FTE (HESA EMR 2023/24)Revenue £1.43B (HESA EMR 2023/24)Website ↗
Edinburgh has cut operational carbon intensity 35% over a decade and acquired 5,035 hectares for habitat restoration, but leaves Scope 3 emissions unquantified. Energy remains 85% fossil-dependent. The institution publishes strong governance data but lacks third-party verification on core climate figures.
University of Edinburgh scores 55/100 (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 Edinburgh joint 56th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 8th of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is University of Edinburgh 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 University of Edinburgh 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 nature7/10No 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 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.
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 Edinburgh's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas University of Edinburgh's score changed?
University of Edinburgh's score has been reviewed 2 times and currently stands where it started, at 55.
- 55 → 557 November 2026
Correction, 7 November 2026: removed an unsourced emissions figure. Score unchanged.
- Scored 5527 September 2026
Initial public score 55 (publish-draft)
What evidence is University of Edinburgh's score based on?
15 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
80% of them were published by University of Edinburgh itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 61,200.1 tCO2e; carbon intensity 0.0658 tCO2e/m²; 2023/24 EMR”
“Scope 1 describes direct emissions from University activities on campus, such as gas heating”
“Products and services that we purchase account for over half of the University's emissions”
“extension of emissions measurement in UK universities to include Scope 3 emissions generally represents a very large (>400%) increase”
“We will return our carbon emissions to 2007/08 baseline year levels by 2025 (achieved)”
“We have made a lot of good progress, but we are also off track on some of our targets”
“Over £30m has been invested in low carbon technology on campus”
“The solar farm will provide 15 per cent of the Easter Bush site's electricity consumption”
“By October 2025 the programme has secured 5035ha of habitat restoration in Scotland through peatland restoration and woodland creation”
“NatureScot Peatland ACTION funding will be used to build on baseline monitoring funded by the University”
“The Strategy sets out how University will achieve its vision to becoming a zero waste University by embedding Circular Economy thinking”
“We will regenerate ecological systems across a land footprint at least five times the size of our campuses by 2040”
“Since it became the first university to sign up to the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment in 2013”
“Annual Report and Accounts for the Year to 31 July 2024 — University of Edinburgh”
“In 2021, the University completed full divestment from fossil fuels, becoming the largest university endowment in the UK to be free of direct fossil fuel investment”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does University of Edinburgh compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where University of Edinburgh sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, University of Edinburgh is tied =8th of 67, with 2 others.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above University of Edinburgh.
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