3i sustainability score: 36/100
Limited independent evidence: only two independent sources cover this company. The score may change as more evidence appears.
3i is a UK-listed private equity and infrastructure investor managing £38.7bn in assets. Founded in 1945 and headquartered in London, it invests in buyouts (retail, healthcare, business services) and infrastructure (renewables, biogas, grid).
More about 3i
A 223-person office-based manager with negligible direct footprint.
Head office United KingdomStaff ~223Revenue ~$1.4BWebsite ↗
3i operates rigorous operational emissions reporting with third-party assurance, but exposes a critical gap: no absolute financed emissions disclosure for a £38.7bn PE portfolio. Portfolio progress tracked only by SBTi coverage percentage, not tonnes. Near-term climate targets exist but lack net-zero commitment. Governance is transparent; controversies absent.
3i scores 36/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score. Last verified August 2026.
That places 3i joint 512th of 934 companies scored, and joint 23rd of 59 in Financial Services / Banking.
Limited evidence. This score rests on 9 sources, 89% of them published by the company itself. Every source cited here passed the same quality checks as any other score: all live, none from data aggregators. There is simply less of it.
What is 3i doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Controversies & Red Flags (8/10, 8/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).
Where 3i lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
- Emissions from its own operations8/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain4/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling3/10No evidence its emissions are falling, not even from energy bills or mileage.
- How clean its energy is6/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature3/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste3/10No active waste reduction, reuse or repair shown.
- Its effect on water3/10No monitoring of water use, or no measures to reduce it.
- Its climate targets7/10Its targets aren't validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports7/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is 3i's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas 3i's score changed?
3i's score has been reviewed 2 times and currently stands where it started, at 36.
- 36 → 3618 August 2026
Direction-blind emissions retrieval (agent-fed): basis not-retrieved->scope-incomplete, scale 0.7->0.7, score 36->36. Primary: 3i Group plc Annual Report 2026 — operational GHG table (KPMG-assured).
- Scored 362 August 2026
Initial public score 36 (publish-draft)
What evidence is 3i's score based on?
10 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
89% of them were published by 3i itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Limited data coverage. This assessment is based on 9 sources, 89% of which are self-reported by the company. Scores may change as independent evidence becomes available.
“Emissions calculations are based on activity data sourced from internal metering systems and invoices issued by energy suppliers”
“our emissions slightly increased by 3.2% from FY2023 (our base year)”
“3i Group's Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services and capital goods totalled 2,271 tCO2e in FY2025”
“we also advanced our understanding of key nature impacts and dependencies within our portfolio through a high-level assessment using open-source tools”
“3i Group plc set near-term science-based emissions targets which were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in March 2024”
“FY2025 Operational Emissions Assurance report · Operational GHG emissions reporting criteria for the year ended 31 March 2025”
“We give due consideration to the sustainability profile of portfolio companies before investing and throughout the holding period”
“By capturing methane from landfill sites and disused coal mines, Infinis fulfils an essential role in helping landfill operators meet their environmental compliance obligations”
“The Board of Directors is responsible for the oversight of the Group's sustainability strategy, approach and policies”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does 3i compare with other financial services / banking companies?
Where 3i sits among financial services / banking peers.
Among the 59 major financial services / banking brands we've scored, 3i is tied =23rd of 59, with 1 other.
Who scores higher in Financial Services / Banking?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above 3i.
Grupo Cajamar's financed emissions rose 8.6% in 2025 to 12.4 MtCO2e as its lending grew.
See the breakdown →Santander operates strong renewable energy and operational emissions reductions but masks systematic financed emissions weakness.
See the breakdown →UBS cut its own operational emissions 48% since 2023 and reports financed emissions of 10.4 MtCO2e under PCAF, covering about 61% of its lending.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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