Subway·Food Service / Restaurants·Shelton, Connecticut, USA·Founded 1965·Last verified 31 May 2026
21
out of 100
Significant gapsPending Review-13 since last review

Subway has no emissions data, no climate targets, and no sustainability reporting despite operating ~37,000 restaurants globally. The company publishes only vague aspirational language while shifting accountability to franchisees. Animal welfare controversies and greenwashing complaints compound a record of near-total environmental opacity.

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
Food Service / Restaurants sector ceiling.
45 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
18 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 45) + (0.7 × 18) = 26.1
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.82
Final score
Rounded. Significant gaps.
21 / 100
The ten questions

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

Strongest on Resource Use & Waste and Water Impact (3/10, 3/10). Weakest on Transparency & Accountability and Targets & Commitments (1/10, 1/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

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

7 of 12 sources are third-party verified or public record.

[1]Self-reported
Subway Sustainability — Climate and Conservation
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q4Q7
View →
[2]Public record
Subway's Climate-Friendly Program Comes with a Major Caveat
Unknown
Q1Q8Q9
View →
[3]Self-reported
Subway Sustainability — Responsible Sourcing
Ongoing
Q2Q5
View →
[4]Public record
Subway Slowed Its Closures Last Year—Not Much
Unknown
Q3
View →
[5]Public record
Subway Introduces New Sustainability Efforts
Unknown
Q4Q7
View →
[6]Self-reported
Subway Cares Foundation 2024 Annual Report
2024
Q5
View →
[7]Self-reported
Sustainable Subway
Ongoing
Q5Q6
View →
[8]Public record
Subway Restaurant Chain Continues to Live Green with Salad Bowls Made from 95 Percent Recycled Materials
Unknown
Q6
View →
[9]Self-reported
Subway Sustainability
Ongoing
Q9
View →
[10]Public record
Subway Sandwiches Fuel Major Public Health Crisis
Unknown
Q10
View →
[11]Public record
Subway's Sustainability Rules Aren't as Great as They Want You to Think
Unknown
Q8Q10
View →
[12]Public record
Subway (restaurant) — Wikipedia
Ongoing
Q10
View →

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

Subway in context

Where Subway sits among food service / restaurants peers.

Among the 46 major food service / restaurants brands we've scored, Subway sits 45th of 46.

45/46
Subway's rank
34
Industry average
19
Industry low
50
Industry high
How this score has moved

Subway's score over time.

today

Score history begins 8 February 2026.

As Subway'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 Subway

Subway is a global quick-service restaurant chain founded in 1965, headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut. With approximately 37,000 locations across 100+ countries, it is one of the world's largest restaurant networks by unit count. The chain serves customizable submarine sandwiches and operates primarily through a franchise model.

Founded
1965
Headquarters
Shelton, Connecticut, USA
Employees
~10,000 corporate (+ ~400,000 franchise employees)
Annual revenue
~$10B system-wide sales (2023)
Company website ↗
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