Rio Tinto·Mining & Extraction·Melbourne, Australia·Founded 1873·Last verified 31 May 2026
20
out of 100
Significant gapsPending Review+1 since last review

Rio Tinto reports comprehensive operational emissions data but remains the highest Scope 1 & 2 emitter among mining peers globally. The company has no Scope 3 reduction target despite Scope 3 representing 95% of emissions and rising since 2020. Active anti-climate lobbying contradicts public commitments; the Juukan Gorge destruction and multiple regulatory violations expose systemic environmental and cultural harm.

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
Mining & Extraction sector ceiling.
15 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
40 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 15) + (0.7 × 40) = 32.5
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.6
Final score
Rounded. Significant gaps.
20 / 100
The ten questions

Where Rio Tinto is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (7/10, 6/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Targets & Commitments (0/10, 3/10).

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.

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

[1]Self-reported
Sustainability Report & Climate Reporting
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q5Q6Q9
View →
[2]Self-reported
Climate Action Plan & Climate Change Strategy
Ongoing
Q8Q9
View →
[3]Self-reported
Climate Reporting & Emissions Methodology
Ongoing
Q2
View →
[4]Self-reported
Environmental, Social & Governance Disclosure
Ongoing
Q9
View →
[5]Self-reported
Biodiversity Strategy & Reporting
Ongoing
Q5
View →
[6]Self-reported
Industrial Environment Disclosure
Ongoing
Q6
View →
[7]Self-reported
Rio Tinto Signs Australia's Biggest Renewable Power Deal for Gladstone Repower
2024
Q4
View →
[8]Public record
Rio Tinto Signs 15-Year Renewable Energy Agreement for US Mining Operations
Unknown
Q4
View →
[9]Public record
Rio Tinto H1 2025: Profit Falls 14%, Copper Projects and Sustainability Efforts Stand Out
2025
Q1Q3Q7
View →
[10]Third-party verified
ACCR Rio Tinto 2025 Climate Action Plan Analysis
2025
Q1Q2Q3Q8
View →
[11]Public record
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. Ordered to Pay $2 Million for Fisheries Act Violations
2025
Q7Q10
View →
[12]Public record
Evaluating a Company's Impact: The Case of Rio Tinto
Unknown
Q5Q6Q7
View →
[13]Third-party verified
World Benchmark Alliance: Nature Disclosure Assessment — Rio Tinto
Unknown
Q5Q6Q8Q9
View →
[14]Third-party verified
ACCR: Rio Tinto Climate Hypocrisy — Disengagement Notice Following Lobbying Revelation
Unknown
Q10
View →
[15]Third-party verified
ANTAR: Cultural Heritage — The Destruction of Juukan Gorge
Unknown
Q10
View →
[16]Public record
Violation Tracker: Rio Tinto Environmental & Regulatory Violations
Ongoing
Q10
View →
[17]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap: Rio Tinto Climate Action Scorecard
Unknown
Q9Q10
View →
[18]Public record
Why Big Companies Are Struggling to Meet SBTi Climate Targets
Unknown
Q8
View →

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

Rio Tinto in context

Where Rio Tinto sits among mining & extraction peers.

Among the 10 major mining & extraction brands we've scored, Rio Tinto sits 8th of 10.

8/10
Rio Tinto's rank
22
Industry average
15
Industry low
28
Industry high
How this score has moved

Rio Tinto's score over time.

today

Score history begins 8 February 2026.

As Rio Tinto'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 Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a diversified mining company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, operating globally in iron ore, copper, aluminium, diamonds, and other commodities. Founded in 1873, it is one of the world's largest mining corporations by market capitalisation and production volume. It faces significant environmental and social liabilities from its extractive footprint.

Founded
1873
Headquarters
Melbourne, Australia
Employees
~60,000
Annual revenue
~$54B
Company website ↗
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