Next plc·Apparel (Durable / Outdoor)·Leicester, United Kingdom·Founded 1982·Last verified 31 May 2026
36
out of 100
Below expectationsPending Review-1 since last review

Next plc reports comprehensively on climate but relies on intensity-based Scope 3 targets that mask absolute emissions growth. Scope 1 increased in recent years. Nature and water impacts remain largely unquantified and unverified. No net-zero pathway published despite SBTi validation.

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
Apparel (Durable / Outdoor) sector ceiling.
30 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
50 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 30) + (0.7 × 50) = 44.0
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.82
Final score
Rounded. Below expectations.
36 / 100
The ten questions

Where Next plc is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (6/10, 6/10). Weakest on Nature & Biodiversity Impact and Water Impact (3/10, 4/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

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

[1]Self-reported
Corporate Responsibility Report 2025

47% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions against a 2016/17 baseline

2025
Q1Q3Q4Q8Q9
View →
[2]Self-reported
SASB Disclosure 2024

directly used 345,032m3 (2023: 295,837m3) in our UK and Eire operations

2024
Q5Q7
View →
[3]Self-reported
Corporate Responsibility Report 2024 — Environment
2024
Q2Q7
View →
[4]Self-reported
Corporate Responsibility Report 2024 — Our Customers and Products

11% of wool (2022/23: 4%) was RWS sourced

2024
Q5Q7
View →
[5]Self-reported
Next plc — Climate

In July 2021 our scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon reduction targets were approved by the SBTi

Ongoing
Q8
View →
[6]Self-reported
Next plc — Responsible Sourcing

supporter of Canopy's Next Generation Vision for Viscose which supports the end of sourcing from ancient and endangered forests

Ongoing
Q5
View →
[7]Third-party verified
Good On You — Next

there's no evidence it is on track

Ongoing
Q3Q8Q10
View →
[8]Third-party verified
Statista — Next plc Emissions

supply of products generated over 1.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in financial year 2023

Unknown
Q2
View →
[9]Third-party verified
Net Zero Tracker — Next plc

There is no net zero target recorded in our database

Ongoing
Q8
View →
[10]Third-party verified
Ethical Consumer — Next plc

it did not adequately explain how it had cut emissions or planned to in the future

Ongoing
Q10
View →

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

Next plc in context

Where Next plc sits among apparel (durable / outdoor) peers.

Among the 35 major apparel (durable / outdoor) brands we've scored, Next plc is tied =28th of 35, with 1 other.

=28/35
Next plc's rank
43
Industry average
23
Industry low
58
Industry high
How this score has moved

Next plc's score over time.

today

Score history begins 4 April 2026.

As Next plc'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 Next plc

Next plc is a UK-based fashion retailer founded in 1982, headquartered in Leicester. Operating retail stores and online channels globally, it sources apparel, footwear, and homeware from 35+ countries. A mid-sized player in fast fashion, competing with Inditex and H&M on volume and price.

Founded
1982
Headquarters
Leicester, United Kingdom
Employees
~50,000
Annual revenue
~£6.1B
Company website ↗
Track Next plc

We'll let you know when the score moves.

Email alerts when a rubric question is verified, a challenge is resolved, or the overall score changes.

THE SUNDAY RUNDOWN

Which companies moved this week, and why.

One email, every Sunday. Score changes, new research, the stories behind the numbers. Free.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.

HOW SINK STAYS INDEPENDENT

Readers and institutions support our work. Companies can pay to submit evidence we couldn't find. Neither type of payment changes a score.