University of Portsmouth sustainability score: 51/100
Better than 45% of Higher Education / Universities
Leading practice starts at 60. The highest score on SINK is 71.
University of Portsmouth is a public research institution in southern England. It operates a city-centre campus in Portsmouth with research strengths in engineering, technology, and marine sciences.
More about University of Portsmouth
As a member of the Million+ group, it sits in the mid-tier of UK higher education.
Head office GBRevenue £303M (HESA EMR 2023/24)Website ↗
Portsmouth has cut operational emissions 61% since 2005 and completed fossil fuel divestment, but Scope 3 emissions remain unmeasured and crude. Supply chain emissions are unquantified and unverified. Net-zero 2030 relies partly on unproven carbon sequestration, and no third-party validation of targets exists.
University of Portsmouth scores 51/100 (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 Portsmouth joint 129th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 31st of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
What is University of Portsmouth 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 Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).
Where University of Portsmouth 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.
- Its effect on natureAssess its effect on nature and publish a basic environmental policy.
- Its effect on waterMeasure its water footprint and set reduction targets.
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 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 is6/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature3/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water4/10No 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 University of Portsmouth's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas University of Portsmouth's score changed?
University of Portsmouth's score has been reviewed 2 times and currently stands where it started, at 51.
- 51 → 517 November 2026
Correction, 7 November 2026: removed an unsourced emissions figure. Score unchanged.
- Scored 5127 September 2026
Initial public score 51 (publish-draft)
What evidence is University of Portsmouth's score based on?
9 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
44% of them were published by University of Portsmouth itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 6,054.9 tCO2e, University of Portsmouth, 2023/24”
“Scope 1 and 2 emissions have been accurately monitored since 2009 (using invoice data)”
“Of the 136 HE providers who submitted data for the past two years, 96 (71%) saw a decrease in emissions”
“replacing the current fossil-fuelled heating plants with all electric air source heat pumps powered by renewable electricity”
“University of Portsmouth was one of the first to sign up to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's (EMF) New Plastics Economy Global Commitment”
“Portsmouth becomes the 101st university to commit to divestment off the back of the long running Fossil Free campaign”
“The whole of the South East of England has been classified as an area of serious water stress”
“award-winning sustainable sports centre”
“Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice”
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How does University of Portsmouth compare with other higher education / universities companies?
Where University of Portsmouth sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, University of Portsmouth is tied =31st of 67, with 6 others.
Who scores higher in Higher Education / Universities?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above University of Portsmouth.
Edinburgh Napier has achieved substantial operational emissions reductions (49% absolute since 2018/19) and maintains transparent public reporting via HESA.
See the breakdown →UAL has verified operational emissions reductions (48% since 2005) but supply-chain emissions remain unquantified and rising.
See the breakdown →Warwick has met interim carbon targets through operational gas phase-out and renewable electricity, but Scope 3 emissions—three-quarters of its footprint—lack annual disclosure and reduction milestones.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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