Palantir Technologies sustainability score: 56/100

Palantir disclosed Scope 1 of 22 tCO₂e and Scope 2 market-based of 1,834 tCO₂e in 2024 under GHG Protocol, covering full global leased office portfolio via proprietary Foundry Carbon Module. Explicitly declined independent third-party verification, citing internal methodology sufficiency. Absence of external assurance caps credibility.

Scope 3 of 21,162 tCO₂e across 8 of 15 GHG Protocol categories: business travel (83%), purchased goods (11%), upstream leased assets (5%). Seven categories excluded; no supplier engagement programme documented. No third-party verification. Partial coverage without verified full value chain map.

Emissions fell 31% absolute from 33,400 tCO₂e (2019 baseline) to 22,783 tCO₂e (2022) and 22,635 tCO₂e (2023), but rose 1.7% year-on-year to 23,018 tCO₂e in 2024 due to increased air travel. Company tracks 4.2% annual absolute reduction target. Long-run baseline-to-2023 trajectory positive; recent uptick weakens credibility.

Palantir owns no data centres, leases all offices. Some Palo Alto locations on carbon-neutral utility supply; stated policy to purchase renewable power 'where available' from providers. Market-based Scope 2 (1,834 tCO₂e) lower than location-based (1,936 tCO₂e), implying partial green tariffs. Not RE100 member; no PPAs or published renewable percentage disclosed.

Software company with no manufacturing; direct nature exposure inherently low. No TNFD alignment, no biodiversity policy, no quantified nature footprint. Offset purchases include forest protection and prairie conservation projects with co-benefits. Environmental Policy references SDG 15 but makes no binding commitments.

No hazardous waste as software business. London office reduced single-use plastic bottles 80-94% via Fooditude partnership; food waste emissions fell 57.5% in 2024. Cloud compute emissions fell 32% year-on-year through workload optimisation. No circular economy targets, no supplier sustainability programme, no company-wide waste reporting.

Palantir explicitly states no physical manufacturing and does not use large amounts of water or industrial chemicals. Commits to assess reduction actions 'where applicable' at office locations. No water stewardship programme, no consumption data published, no watershed engagement. Impact genuinely negligible for software company.

Self-set 4.2% annual absolute linear reduction from 2019 baseline, targeting ~47% by 2029. SBTi-aligned in rate but explicitly rejected by SBTi for validation. Relies on annual offset purchases (wind RECs, SAF, some removal) to claim carbon neutrality. No long-term net-zero framework or 2050 commitment.

Palantir publishes annual Carbon Emissions Reports (2022–2024), Climate Pledge page with offset details, and Environmental Policy (updated February 2024). Uses Foundry Carbon Module for internal monitoring; UK subsidiary publishes Carbon Reduction Plan per government requirements. No TCFD/CSRD disclosure; no sustainability governance structure or executive compensation linkage described.

No environmental fines, ASA rulings, or greenwashing enforcement actions found. No climate policy lobbying obstruction identified. Minor greenwashing flag: 'carbon neutrality' claim relies on offsets to bridge 23,018 tCO₂e unabated emissions; 2024 year-on-year increase contradicts absolute reduction narrative. Major social/governance controversies (ICE contracts, surveillance) fall outside environmental scope.