Standard Life·Insurance·Last verified 2 August 2026
37
out of 100
Below expectationsPending ReviewMixed evidence· 11 src

Standard Life scores 37/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment — scored from public data only, no company payment can change a number. Last verified August 2026.

That places Standard Life joint 312th of 591 companies scored, and joint 9th of 10 in Insurance.

Standard Life shows genuine operational decarbonisation but relies on intensity-based portfolio targets rather than absolute emissions cuts. The £317bn asset manager lacks SBTi validation, holds residual fossil sector exposure, and discloses no quantified nature, waste or water data despite ISO 14001 certification. Strongest weakness: portfolio decarbonisation is intensity-only, not absolute.

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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 Standard Life'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
Insurance sector ceiling.
55 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
51 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 55) + (0.7 × 51) = 52.2
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.7
Final score
Rounded. Below expectations.
37 / 100
The ten questions

What is Standard Life doing well, and where does it fall short?

Strongest on Energy Source and Carbon Footprint — Operations (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Targets & Commitments and Water Impact (4/10, 4/10).

Where the evidence comes from

What evidence is Standard Life's score based on?

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

[1]Self-reported
Standard Life Sustainability Report 2025

rollout of decarbonising benchmarks and strategies across £74 billion of assets under administration

2025
Q1Q2Q3Q5Q8
View →
[2]Public record
GreenTechLead: Standard Life Sustainability Report 2025 Coverage

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions declined by 12 percent year-on-year in 2025, while emissions intensity per employee improved from 0.34 tCO2e to 0.28 tCO2e.

2025
Q1Q2Q3Q4
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[3]Self-reported
Standard Life Operations and Suppliers Sustainability Page

Carbon emissions – We aim to achieve a 90% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 or sooner, in line with a net zero trajectory.

Ongoing
Q1Q6Q7Q8
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[4]Self-reported
Standard Life Planet Better Futures

81% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 operational emissions versus our 60% target, well ahead of a net zero trajectory.

Ongoing
Q1
View →
[5]Self-reported
Standard Life Stewardship and Impact

using the TNFD LEAP framework to better understand nature related risks and engaging collaboratively through initiatives such as Nature Action 100

Ongoing
Q5
View →
[6]Self-reported
Standard Life Responsible Investments

Standard Life has been a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code since August 2023.

Ongoing
Q9
View →
[7]Self-reported
Standard Life Reports, Policy and Membership

Find out more about our TCFD disclosures in the Annual Report.

Ongoing
Q9
View →
[8]Self-reported
Standard Life Sustainability Disclosure Labelling Implementation

To protect against greenwashing, it introduced an anti-greenwashing rule which reinforces that sustainability-related claims must be fair, clear, and not misleading.

2024
Q9
View →
[9]Third-party verified
Insure Our Future 2024 Scorecard

This report ranks the top 30 property and casualty insurers on their fossil fuel policies

2024
Q10
View →
[10]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap: Standard Life Aberdeen Lobbying Record

abrdn has stated it is engaging with policymakers on sustainable finance and has disclosed some information on sustainability disclosures

Unknown
Q10
View →
[11]Third-party verified
Science Based Targets initiative Target Dashboard

The dashboard shows businesses that have validated science-based targets.

Ongoing
Q8
View →

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

Standard Life in context

How does Standard Life compare with other insurance companies?

Standard Life is tied at the bottom of the insurance pack.

Among the 10 major insurance brands we've scored, Standard Life is tied =9th of 10, with 1 other.

=9/10
Standard Life's rank
46
Industry average
37
Industry low
59
Industry high
How this score has moved

Has Standard Life's score changed?

today

Score history begins .

As Standard Life'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 Standard Life'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 Standard Life

Standard Life plc is a UK life insurance, pensions and retirement savings provider managing £317 billion in assets. Founded in 1825 and headquartered in Edinburgh, it serves millions of customers through pension schemes, investment bonds and savings products. It operates as a diversified financial services group within the life and pensions sector.

Founded
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Employees
~6,431 (2015)
Annual revenue
~£5,512M
Company website ↗
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