Vale·Mining & Extraction·Rio de Janeiro, Brazil·Founded 1942·Last verified 31 May 2026
22
out of 100
Significant gapsPending Review

Vale reports meaningful absolute emissions reductions and 84% renewable electricity globally, but operates at a scale (466 MtCO₂e total) that dwarfs these gains. Two catastrophic dam collapses—Mariana (2015) and Brumadinho (2019)—killed 289 people and devastated major river systems. An SEC fraud settlement and Brazilian fines for withholding dam safety information reveal systemic transparency failures. Nature impact claims are contradicted by documented environmental devastation.

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.
47 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 15) + (0.7 × 47) = 37.4
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.6
Final score
Rounded. Significant gaps.
22 / 100
The ten questions

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

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (0/10, 2/10).

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]Self-reported
Decarbonization Strategy and Management
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q3Q4Q6
View →
[2]Self-reported
Climate
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q9
View →
[3]Self-reported
Vale Reaches 100 Percent Renewable Energy Consumption Target in Brazil
2023
Q4
View →
[4]Self-reported
Biodiversity
Ongoing
Q5
View →
[5]Third-party verified
TNFD's Toxic Relationship with Vale
Unknown
Q5Q10
View →
[6]Third-party verified
Protest as TNFD Has Vale on Panel
Unknown
Q5
View →
[7]Self-reported
Sustainability Report 2024
2024
Q6
View →
[8]Self-reported
Water and Effluents
Ongoing
Q7
View →
[9]Self-reported
Sustainability
Ongoing
Q7
View →
[10]Public record
Brumadinho Dam Disaster
Unknown
Q10
View →
[11]Third-party verified
Vale and the Rise of Securities-Based Climate Litigation
Unknown
Q10
View →
[12]Third-party verified
Vale Lobbying Activities
Ongoing
Q10
View →

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

Vale in context

Where Vale sits among mining & extraction peers.

Among the 10 major mining & extraction brands we've scored, Vale is tied =5th of 10, with 2 others.

=5/10
Vale's rank
22
Industry average
15
Industry low
28
Industry high
How this score has moved

Vale's score over time.

today

Score history begins 4 April 2026.

As Vale'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 Vale

Vale is a Brazilian multinational mining company founded in 1942 and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. It is the world's largest iron ore producer and a major producer of nickel, copper, and coal. Vale operates mines and processing facilities across Brazil, Indonesia, Zambia, and other regions, supplying steel and battery industries globally.

Founded
1942
Headquarters
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Employees
~67,000
Annual revenue
~$42B
Company website ↗
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