Glencore plc sustainability score: 20/100
Glencore is a mining and commodity trading company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. It operates mines and smelters globally (copper, zinc, nickel, coal, oil) and runs a major physical commodities marketing division.
More about Glencore plc
FY2025 revenue: US$247.5 billion; ~80,423 employees.
Head office Baar, SwitzerlandStaff ~80,423 (2025)Revenue US$247,535M revenue (FY2025)Website ↗
Glencore reports 18.7 Mt operational emissions and 381 Mt Scope 3, but excludes acquired coal mines from trajectory claims and omits traded commodity Scope 3 entirely. Renewable energy covers 11% of use. Active climate policy opposition, 16 water fines in 2025, and plans to expand coal by 30% despite 'phase-down' rhetoric undermine stated targets.
Glencore plc scores 20/100 (Significant gaps) 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 October 2026.
That places Glencore plc joint 893rd of 934 companies scored, and 13th of 13 in Mining & Extraction.
What is Glencore plc doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Transparency & Accountability (7/10, 6/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Energy Source (2/10, 3/10).
Where Glencore plc lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
- Emissions from its own operations7/10Its own emissions aren't independently verified or tracked over several years.
- Emissions from its supply chain5/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling4/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is3/10No renewable energy tariff or major efficiency investment shown.
- Its effect on nature4/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste3/10No active waste reduction, reuse or repair shown.
- Its effect on water4/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets4/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports6/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies2/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
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 Glencore plc's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas Glencore plc's score changed?
Glencore plc's score has moved from 17 to 20 across 2 recorded reviews, up 3 points.
- 17 → 20+32 November 2026
Re-scored under the current method (v2.5.24).
- Scored 178 February 2026
Initial score at platform launch
What evidence is Glencore plc's score based on?
16 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
38% of them were published by Glencore plc itself; the rest come from independent sources.
10 of 16 sources are independent of the company.
“operational control, were 18.7 million tonnes”
“limited assurance under the ISAE 3000”
“Our CO 2 e emission reporting of our industrial assets generally follows the GHG Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard”
“We are committed to not conducting any exploration, drilling or mining in World Heritage areas and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category I-IV protected areas”
“Most of the waste Glencore generates is mineral waste and includes tailings , slag and waste rock.”
“We support the use of carbon credits to offset residual emissions.”
“its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions from 430-million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) in 2023 to 416-million tonnes CO 2 e in 2024”
“With the acquisition of Elk Valley Resources' (EVR) metallurgical coal mines and an intention to expand coal production by almost 30%”
“reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 industrial CO2e emissions 25% by 2030, compared to 2019”
“Starting in 2027, Discovery Green will supply renewable energy to the Goedgevonden, Tweefontein, and iMpunzi mine complexes near eMalahleni”
“Glencore has published a partial account of its industry associations' positions and engagement activities on specific climate-related policies.”
“South African coal mines operated by companies such as Glencore Plc and Anglo American Plc are polluting parts of Mpumalanga province as they fail to comply with their water licenses”
“At Glencore’s 2023 AGM, 29% of shareholders voted in support of a resolution”
“Glencore appears to advocate negatively on ambitious climate policy including emissions reduction regulation, emissions trading policies, and carbon taxes.”
“The Environmental Defenders Office has lodged a legal complaint against the resources giant, alleging misleading claims on climate impact and its behaviour towards Traditional Owners.”
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How does Glencore plc compare with other mining & extraction companies?
Glencore plc sits at the bottom of the mining & extraction pack.
Among the 13 major mining & extraction brands we've scored, Glencore plc sits 13th of 13.
Who scores higher in Mining & Extraction?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Glencore plc.
Anglo American publishes granular operational emissions data but lacks third-party GHG assurance and rejected SBTi validation.
See the breakdown →Vale reports meaningful absolute emissions reductions and 84% renewable electricity globally, but operates at a scale (466 MtCO₂e total) that dwarfs these gains.
See the breakdown →Freeport-McMoRan reports comprehensively on climate and environmental governance but delivers minimal decarbonization.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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