Verizon Communications sustainability score: 39/100
Verizon Communications is a US telecommunications company providing wireless, wireline and broadband services. Incorporated in 1983 (as Bell Atlantic) and headquartered in New York City, it is a major US mobile network operator, with FY2025 revenues of $138.2 billion and about 89,900 employees.
More about Verizon Communications
It competes with AT&T and T-Mobile.
Founded 1983Head office New York City, United StatesStaff ~89,900 (FY2025)Revenue $138,191M revenues (FY2025)Website ↗
Verizon cut market-based operational emissions 73% since 2019, mostly through renewable energy certificates; location-based emissions fell only 17%. Upstream Scope 3 fell 40% from 2019 while downstream rose 15%, and Scope 1 rose in 2025. Its nature work is a 2024 pilot assessment with no published results. Lead-cable litigation and membership of trade groups that oppose climate policy weigh on its record.
Verizon Communications scores 39/100 (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 October 2026.
That places Verizon Communications joint 432nd of 934 companies scored, and joint 15th of 19 in Telecommunications.
What is Verizon Communications doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Nature & Biodiversity Impact and Resource Use & Waste (4/10, 4/10).
Where Verizon Communications 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 chain7/10No full value-chain map or supplier engagement programme.
- Whether its emissions are falling6/10No consistent fall over several years across its operations and supply chain.
- How clean its energy is6/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature4/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste4/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water5/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets7/10Its targets aren't validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports5/10No dedicated sustainability role, board oversight or public report.
- Its record on controversies4/10Points 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 Verizon Communications's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas Verizon Communications's score changed?
Verizon Communications's score has moved from 38 to 39 across 2 recorded reviews, up 1 point.
- 38 → 39+117 October 2026
Fortune 50 re-score (owner-approved batch 2, 2026-10-17)
- Scored 384 April 2026
Initial score at platform launch
What evidence is Verizon Communications's score based on?
9 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
33% of them were published by Verizon Communications itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“As of year-end 2025, achieved a 73% reduction in our scopes 1 and 2 emissions (market-based) over a 2019 baseline”
“Verizon had 29 renewable energy purchase agreements with third parties for a total of approximately 3.9 gigawatts of anticipated renewable energy capacity”
“we conducted a pilot LEAP assessment in 2024 in line with the recommendations of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures”
“We have implemented policies and programs designed to responsibly manage the natural resources we use and the waste we produce.”
“The RE100 membership builds on Verizon’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations by 2035.”
“Verizon is a member of the ITU and has set additional SBTi targets to reduce its full value chain emissions.”
“Verizon has not published an account of its climate-related positions and engagement activities.”
“Verizon was hit with a fresh pair of class action lawsuits from investors, who claim the operator misled the public”
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How does Verizon Communications compare with other telecommunications companies?
Where Verizon Communications sits among telecommunications peers.
Among the 19 major telecommunications brands we've scored, Verizon Communications is tied =15th of 19, with 2 others.
Who scores higher in Telecommunications?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Verizon Communications.
Airtel Africa discloses emissions data aligned with GHG Protocol but lacks third-party verification.
See the breakdown →BT Group discloses operational emissions comprehensively with third-party assurance and has achieved 52% absolute Scope 1+2 reduction.
See the breakdown →Three UK lacks entity-level emissions disclosure, relying entirely on parent company CKHGT's group-level data.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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