Barclays·Financial Services / Banking·One Churchill Place, United Kingdom·Founded 1690·Last verified 31 May 2026
39
out of 100
Below expectationsPending Review-3 since last review

Barclays reports comprehensive operational emissions data with 97% Scope 1+2 reductions, yet remains Europe's largest fossil fuel financier at $35.4B in 2024—increasing year-over-year. The bank lobbies against climate regulation, greenwashes 'sustainable finance' through fossil fuel inclusion, and faces NGO complaints over deforestation-linked bond underwriting. Operational progress masks financed emissions deterioration.

The calculation

Every score shows its working.

Same formula for every company. No curve. No private weighting.

SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale
Industry base impact
Financial Services / Banking sector ceiling.
50 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
46 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 50) + (0.7 × 46) = 47.2
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.82
Final score
Rounded. Below expectations.
39 / 100
The ten questions

Where Barclays is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Water Impact (1/10, 3/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

14 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which rubric questions it informed.

7 of 14 sources are third-party verified or public record.

[1]Self-reported
Barclays Net Zero Operations
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q6
View →
[2]Self-reported
2024 Barclays ESG Reporting Framework
2024
Q1Q6Q7
View →
[3]Public record
ESG Today: Barclays Sustainable Finance Revenues
Unknown
Q2
View →
[4]Self-reported
Barclays Climate Strategy
Ongoing
Q3
View →
[5]Third-party verified
Rainforest Action Network Banking on Climate Chaos 2025
2025
Q3Q10
View →
[6]Self-reported
Barclays Power Purchase Agreement Press Release
2022
Q4
View →
[7]Self-reported
H1 2025 Sustainability Investor Presentation
2025
Q4
View →
[8]Self-reported
Barclays Nature and Biodiversity
Ongoing
Q5Q7
View →
[9]Third-party verified
Mighty Earth: Barclays Billions Bankrolling JBS
Unknown
Q5Q10
View →
[10]Third-party verified
KnowESG: Barclays ESG Ratings
Unknown
Q8Q9
View →
[11]Third-party verified
Tracenable: Barclays Climate Targets
Unknown
Q8
View →
[12]Self-reported
Barclays Sustainability Resource Hub
Ongoing
Q9
View →
[13]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap 2025: Big Four UK Banks
2025
Q10
View →
[14]Public record
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism: Barclays Sustainable Finance Greenwash
2024
Q10
View →

If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.

Barclays in context

Where Barclays sits among financial services / banking peers.

Among the 29 major financial services / banking brands we've scored, Barclays is tied =15th of 29, with 3 others.

=15/29
Barclays's rank
40
Industry average
23
Industry low
65
Industry high
How this score has moved

Barclays's score over time.

today

Score history begins 8 February 2026.

As Barclays's score updates, the trajectory will appear here.

We're backfilling historical scores for FTSE 100 and S&P 100 companies over the coming weeks.

What's being contested

This score is not currently being contested.

Every challenge is published. We'd rather be corrected than wrong — that's the whole point.

No challenges submitted yet. If you have evidence that contradicts this score, you can challenge any question above — cite a public source and we'll review it.

About Barclays

Barclays is a multinational investment and retail bank headquartered in London, operating across Europe, North America, and Asia. Founded in 1690, it is one of the UK's largest financial institutions by assets, employing approximately 79,900 people. The bank provides commercial, investment, and consumer banking services globally.

Founded
1690
Headquarters
One Churchill Place, United Kingdom
Employees
~90,000
Annual revenue
~£26.7B
Company website ↗
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