J Sainsbury·Retail (non-fashion)·London, United Kingdom·Founded 1869·Last verified 31 May 2026
45
out of 100
Below expectationsPending Review

Sainsbury's has cut operational emissions 52.8% since 2018 and switched to 100% renewable electricity, backed by SBTi validation. Scope 3 accountability lags: while targets exist, absolute reduction evidence is sparse. A 2019 deforestation link and unresolved supply chain traceability remain material weaknesses.

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
Retail (non-fashion) sector ceiling.
48 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
71 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 48) + (0.7 × 71) = 64.1
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.7
Final score
Rounded. Below expectations.
45 / 100
The ten questions

Where J Sainsbury is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (8/10, 8/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Resource Use & Waste (6/10, 6/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

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

9 of 18 sources are third-party verified or public record.

[1]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Scope 1 & 2 Emissions Reduction
Ongoing
Q1Q3Q4
View →
[2]Third-party verified
Ditchcarbon Sainsbury's Emissions Profile
Unknown
Q1Q3
View →
[3]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Sustainability Performance Reports
Ongoing
Q1Q9
View →
[4]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Scope 3 Emissions Reduction Approach
Ongoing
Q2
View →
[5]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Net Zero Carbon & Scope 3 Strategy
Ongoing
Q2
View →
[6]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Net Zero Carbon Roadmap
Ongoing
Q4
View →
[7]Public record
Capital Dynamics Pines Burn Wind Farm PPA
2024
Q4
View →
[8]Public record
The Grocer: Sainsbury's Eighth Wind Farm
Unknown
Q4
View →
[9]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Nature & Biodiversity Protection
Ongoing
Q5
View →
[10]Third-party verified
Woodland Trust Sainsbury's Partnership
Ongoing
Q5
View →
[11]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Annual Report & Financial Statements 2024
2024
Q6
View →
[12]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Water Stewardship & Impact
Ongoing
Q7
View →
[13]Third-party verified
Waterscan: Sainsbury's Water Journey
2022
Q7
View →
[14]Third-party verified
Net0 Tracker: J Sainsbury SBTi Targets
Unknown
Q8
View →
[15]Self-reported
Sainsbury's Accelerated SBTi Targets Press Release
2024
Q8
View →
[16]Public record
MarketScreener: Sainsbury's Plan for Better Report 2024-25
2025
Q9
View →
[17]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap: Sainsbury's Climate Policy Engagement
Unknown
Q10
View →
[18]Public record
Mongabay: UK Supermarkets Implicated in Amazon Deforestation
2019
Q5Q10
View →

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

J Sainsbury in context

Where J Sainsbury sits among retail (non-fashion) peers.

Among the 43 major retail (non-fashion) brands we've scored, J Sainsbury is tied =11th of 43, with 3 others.

=11/43
J Sainsbury's rank
39
Industry average
18
Industry low
55
Industry high
How this score has moved

J Sainsbury's score over time.

today

Score history begins 4 April 2026.

As J Sainsbury'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 J Sainsbury

J Sainsbury is a UK-listed supermarket chain founded in 1869, operating over 1,400 stores across the United Kingdom. It is the country's second-largest grocery retailer by market share, selling food, drink, clothing, and general merchandise through its core Sainsbury's brand and Nectar loyalty program.

Founded
1869
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Employees
~141,500
Annual revenue
~£36.7B
Company website ↗
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