Associated British Foods sustainability score: 28/100

·FMCG / Consumer Goods·Last verified 12 September 2026
28
out of 100
Significant gapsPending ReviewMixed evidence· 15 src

Associated British Foods scores 28/100 (Significant gaps) on SINK's independent climate assessment — scored from public data only, no company payment can change a number. Last verified September 2026.

That places Associated British Foods joint 518th of 675 companies scored, and 42nd of 45 in FMCG / Consumer Goods.

ABF discloses operational emissions clearly but refuses to publish group-level Scope 3, the dominant carbon source across sugar, cotton, and soya supply chains. Subsidiary-level climate targets exist but no group SBTi commitment. Primark faces third-party criticism for synthetic fibre reliance and deforestation commitments remain weak.

Is this your company?

This score is built from public data only. If your practice is stronger than your disclosure, submit evidence for review — or challenge any question, free.

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The calculation

How is Associated British Foods's SINK score calculated?

Same formula for every company. No curve. No private weighting.

SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale
Industry base impact
FMCG / Consumer Goods sector ceiling.
30 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
44 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 30) + (0.7 × 44) = 39.8
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.7
Final score
Rounded. Significant gaps.
28 / 100
The ten questions

What is Associated British Foods doing well, and where does it fall short?

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Controversies & Red Flags (7/10, 6/10). Weakest on Targets & Commitments and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).

Where the evidence comes from

What evidence is Associated British Foods's score based on?

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

[1]Self-reported
ABF Annual Report 2025

ABF Group scope 1 & 2 (market based) 2,410kt (2024: 2,627kt)

2025
Q1Q3
View →
[2]Self-reported
ABF Responsibility Data 2025

EY has provided limited independent assurance over the 2025 metrics

2025
Q1
View →
[3]Self-reported
ABF Responsibility Report 2023

Primark where its supply chain's carbon emissions dwarf those that originate from within the business

2023
Q2
View →
[4]Self-reported
ABF Sugar Decarbonisation Targets SBTi Validation

ABF Sugar has announced the approval of its near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets with SBTi

2024
Q2Q8
View →
[5]Self-reported
ABF Annual Results 2025 Announcement

Sugar's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions (market-based) decreased by 9% compared to 2024 and by 23% against its 2018 baseline

2025
Q3Q4
View →
[6]Self-reported
Primark Responsibility — Carbon & Climate

Primark is committed to secure 100% of electricity from renewable sources for owned and operated (Scope 2) emissions by 2030

Ongoing
Q4
View →
[7]Self-reported
ABF CDP Forests Report 2022

ABF's palm consumption has been supported through RSPO sustainable supply chain routes since end of 2015

2022
Q5Q6
View →
[8]Self-reported
ABF Agriculture and Farming Practices Report 2024

74% of the soya products AB Agri bought worldwide were certificated to FEFAC benchmark for responsibly sourced soya

2024
Q5
View →
[9]Third-party verified
Ethical Consumer — ABF/Primark Assessment

This company received a score of 16.1%

2024
Q5Q6Q7Q9Q10
View →
[10]Self-reported
ABF ESG Insights — Climate Change 2022

AB Sugar represents some 96% of the Group's water abstracted

2022
Q4Q7
View →
[11]Self-reported
ABF CDP Climate Change Questionnaire 2023

AB Sugar has a detailed plan to achieve its 30% absolute reduction, which it manages through its robust profit improvement system

2023
Q8Q9
View →
[12]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap — ABF Climate Policy Engagement

this company has a zero or very low Engagement Intensity score on climate policy

Ongoing
Q9Q10
View →
[13]Third-party verified
Hermes EOS — ABF Stewardship Case Study

We urged the company to set clear, time-bound targets to increase the proportion of sustainable cotton used in its products

2024
Q10
View →
[14]Self-reported
AB World Foods Environment Policy

near-term science-based emissions reduction targets on 16 September 2024

2025
Q8
View →
[15]Self-reported
ABF Responsibility — Sugar Division

in January 2024, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated its near-term and net zero GHG emissions targets

Ongoing
Q8
View →

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

Associated British Foods in context

How does Associated British Foods compare with other fmcg / consumer goods companies?

Where Associated British Foods sits among fmcg / consumer goods peers.

Among the 45 major fmcg / consumer goods brands we've scored, Associated British Foods sits 42nd of 45.

42/45
Associated British Foods's rank
39
Industry average
23
Industry low
56
Industry high
How this score has moved

Has Associated British Foods's score changed?

today

Score history begins .

As Associated British Foods'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

Has Associated British Foods's score been challenged?

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 Associated British Foods

Associated British Foods is a FMCG conglomerate with 102,000 employees, operating food processing (AB Sugar, AB Mauri, AB World Foods), retail (Primark, one of Europe's largest clothing retailers), and ingredients divisions. Founded 1935, headquartered London.

Founded
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Employees
~102,000
Annual revenue
~£19.5B
Company website ↗
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