Recently scored: Dentsu, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe, WPP
Krispy Kreme·Food Service / Restaurants·Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US·Founded 1937·Last verified 25 April 2026
33
out of 100
Below expectationsPending Review

Krispy Kreme's sustainability record is underdeveloped for a $1.5B public company. No emissions reduction targets exist; Scope 1 and 2 emissions rose 8% from 2021–2022 while Scope 3 remains entirely unreported. Water use is completely absent from disclosure. The company relies on offsets in UK operations while global emissions climb.

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.
28 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 45) + (0.7 × 28) = 33.1
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 1
Final score
Rounded. Below expectations.
33 / 100
The ten questions

Where Krispy Kreme is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Controversies & Red Flags and Carbon Footprint — Operations (6/10, 5/10). Weakest on Targets & Commitments and Water Impact (1/10, 1/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

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

[1]Self-reported
Krispy Kreme Be Sweet Responsibility Fact Sheet 2024
2024
Q1Q2Q3Q7Q8Q9
View →
[2]Public record
Krispy Kreme first ESG report; carbon emissions rise
2024
Q1Q3Q6Q8
View →
[3]Public record
Krispy Kreme saves waste through app partnership
Unknown
Q2
View →
[4]Self-reported
Krispy Kreme UK Sustainability — Planet
Ongoing
Q4Q5
View →
[5]Self-reported
Krispy Kreme UK Carbon Neutral
Ongoing
Q4Q10
View →
[6]Public record
Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts to cut palm oil linked to deforestation
2014
Q5
View →
[7]Public record
Krispy Kreme Be Sweet report highlights waste initiatives
2023
Q6
View →
[8]Self-reported
Krispy Kreme 2023 Report
2023
Q9
View →
[9]Public record
Scandals Krispy Kreme can never live down
Unknown
Q10
View →
[10]Public record
Krispy Kreme OpenSecrets lobbying activity
Ongoing
Q10
View →

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

Krispy Kreme in context

Where Krispy Kreme sits among food service / restaurants peers.

Among the 46 major food service / restaurants brands we've scored, Krispy Kreme sits 23rd of 46.

23/46
Krispy Kreme's rank
34
Industry average
19
Industry low
50
Industry high
How this score has moved

Krispy Kreme's score over time.

today

Score history begins 5 April 2026.

As Krispy Kreme'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 Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme operates a global doughnut retail and manufacturing chain with company-owned stores and franchises spanning 30+ countries. Headquartered in North Carolina, the company generates approximately $1.5B in annual revenue. It is a publicly traded food-service operator competing with Dunkin' and regional bakery chains.

Founded
1937
Headquarters
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US
Employees
~21,000
Annual revenue
~$1.5B
Company website ↗
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