Volkswagen sustainability score: 28/100
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automotive manufacturer founded in 1937, headquartered in Wolfsburg. With 2024 revenue of €324.7 billion and ~9 million annual vehicle production, it ranks among the world's largest automakers, operating multiple marques including VW, Audi, Porsche, and Skoda across Europe, China, and North America.
Founded 1937Head office Wolfsburg, GermanyStaff ~680,000Revenue €324.7B (FY2024)Website ↗
Volkswagen reports strong operational emissions reductions but masks worsening total impact: Scope 3 rose 4.4% to 420Mt CO2e in 2023 while intensity-only targets obscure absolute growth. Dieselgate—systematic fraud costing $33.3B+ in fines—remains the defining scandal. Lobbying misalignment and supply chain opacity compound credibility gaps.
Volkswagen scores 28/100 (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 May 2026.
That places Volkswagen joint 731st of 934 companies scored, and joint 14th of 26 in Automotive.
What is Volkswagen doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Energy Source (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Controversies & Red Flags and Emissions Trajectory (2/10, 3/10).
Where Volkswagen 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 chain5/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling3/10No evidence its emissions are falling, not even from energy bills or mileage.
- How clean its energy is7/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature5/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water5/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets5/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports7/10No 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 Volkswagen's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Volkswagen's score based on?
14 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
36% of them were published by Volkswagen itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Scored on 4 April 2026 under an earlier version of our method. We're re-checking it under the current method.
9 of 14 sources are independent of the company.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does Volkswagen compare with other automotive companies?
Where Volkswagen sits among automotive peers.
Among the 26 major automotive brands we've scored, Volkswagen is tied =14th of 26, with 3 others.
Who scores higher in Automotive?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Volkswagen.
JLR reports operational emissions reductions and renewable energy progress at UK sites, but critical weaknesses undermine credibility: Scope 3 targets are intensity-based despite 22% sales growth, making absolute emissions reductions unlikely.
See the breakdown →Mercedes-Benz has reduced operational emissions 74% from 2018 but total absolute emissions rose 7.86% in 2024.
See the breakdown →Subaru reports comprehensive emissions data across Scope 1, 2, and 3, but total emissions rose 28% year-on-year while BEV penetration stalled at 1.9% globally against a 2030 target of 50%.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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