The Wendy's Company·Food Service / Restaurants·Sandy Springs, United States·Founded 1890·Last verified 31 May 2026
36
out of 100
Below expectationsPending Review

Wendy's has cut operational emissions 37% since 2019 but masks stagnant total progress through intensity metrics. Scope 3—99% of emissions—barely moved in absolute terms. Renewable energy covers ~200 of 7,200+ restaurants. Supply chain biodiversity risks remain unquantified and largely unaddressed despite beef's dominance.

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.
54 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 45) + (0.7 × 54) = 51.3
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.7
Final score
Rounded. Below expectations.
36 / 100
The ten questions

Where The Wendy's Company is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain (7/10, 7/10). Weakest on Energy Source and Resource Use & Waste (3/10, 4/10).

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.

[1]Third-party verified
DitchCarbon: Wendy's emissions profile
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q3
View →
[2]Self-reported
Wendy's 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report
2024
Q1Q5Q6Q9
View →
[3]Self-reported
Wendy's Climate & Energy: Carbon Footprint
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q3
View →
[4]Self-reported
Wendy's 2024 Corporate Responsibility Progress Update
2024
Q2Q5Q8
View →
[5]Self-reported
Expanding Solar Energy Sourcing at Wendy's
Unknown
Q4
View →
[6]Public record
ESG Dive: Wendy's Solar Deal
Unknown
Q4
View →
[7]Public record
Microgrid Knowledge: Wendy's Microgrid Pilot
Unknown
Q4
View →
[8]Self-reported
Wendy's CSR: Footprint Overview
Ongoing
Q6
View →
[9]Self-reported
Wendy's Water Conservation
Ongoing
Q7
View →
[10]Public record
DOE Better Buildings Solution Center: Wendy's Water Goal Achievement
Unknown
Q7
View →
[11]Self-reported
Wendy's Investor Relations: 2023 Corporate Responsibility Progress
2024
Q9
View →
[12]Public record
OpenSecrets: Wendy's Co Lobbying
Ongoing
Q10
View →

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

The Wendy's Company in context

Where The Wendy's Company sits among food service / restaurants peers.

Among the 46 major food service / restaurants brands we've scored, The Wendy's Company sits 17th of 46.

17/46
The Wendy's Company's rank
34
Industry average
19
Industry low
50
Industry high
How this score has moved

The Wendy's Company's score over time.

today

Score history begins 5 April 2026.

As The Wendy's Company'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 The Wendy's Company

The Wendy's Company operates a global network of quick-service restaurants, primarily in North America. Founded in 1969 as a hamburger chain, it has grown to over 7,200 locations across the US and internationally. Wendy's business model relies heavily on franchised operations and a beef-centric menu, making supply chain emissions reduction central to any credible climate strategy.

Founded
1890
Headquarters
Sandy Springs, United States
Employees
~14,500
Annual revenue
~$2.2B
Company website ↗
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