GlaxoSmithKline is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturer headquartered in London, with operations spanning drug development, manufacturing, and vaccines.
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GSK has credible climate infrastructure: verified Scope 1&2 data, SBTi-validated net-zero to 2045, and sector-leading nature disclosures. But the company is tracking only 12% of its required 80% emissions cut by 2030. Supply chain data gaps, 49% waste circularity (vs 100% target), and trade association misalignment on EU climate policy expose the gap between commitment and delivery.
GSK scores 51/100 (Making progress) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Fees pay for the review, never the result. Last verified October 2026.
That places GSK joint 126th of 847 companies scored, and 3rd of 19 in Healthcare / Pharmaceuticals.
Where GSK sits among healthcare / pharmaceuticals peers.
Among the 19 major healthcare / pharmaceuticals brands we've scored, GSK sits 3rd of 19.
Its three lowest-scoring questions, and what the evidence didn't show.
Target requires 80% absolute reduction by 2030; current trajectory is only ~12% in first three years—roughly half the required linear path.
2024 full category breakdown not yet released; categories shown as zero.
Single-use plastics elimination merged into broader waste target; supply chain materials transparency incomplete.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Evidence that isn't public can count through an evidence review.
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Get in touch →Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Energy Source (8/10, 8/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain (5/10, 6/10).
The 2 companies in the sector scoring nearest above GSK.
Smith & Nephew reports genuine 63% absolute emissions cuts (Scope 1+2) and 59% Scope 3 reductions since 2021, backed by third-party verification.
See the breakdown →AstraZeneca has cut operational emissions 77.5% since 2015 and locked in science-based net-zero targets, but absolute supply chain emissions are rising 18.6% from baseline.
See the breakdown →GSK's score has moved from 50 to 51 across 2 recorded reviews, up 1 point.
Aggregator-citation sweep: broker citations replaced with the primary disclosures they mirror, re-scored through the guarded pipeline under pinned code 9196601.
Initial score at platform launch
The formula and all 19 sources.
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale19 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
13 of 19 sources are independent of the company.
“Total scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions (metric tonnes CO2e) 763,998 · 714,786 · 644,639 · 563,959”
“the data addresses energy, CO2 emissions, water consumption, wastewater and quality, waste and other”
“The 2024 information underlying the Responsible Business Performance Rating has been subject to limited assurance by Deloitte”
“Since then, we have been working on an annual basis to update the tool and integrate the results within a Power BI dashboard”
“GSK's scope 3 reduction targets exclude emissions related to its purchase of capital goods (buildings and equipment) and its investments”
“From our baseline year in 2020 to 2024 (latest available data), we have reduced carbon emissions by 17 % across all scopes”
“This includes a commitment as part of the RE100 initiative to 100% purchased renewable electricity by 2025”
“This agreement will facilitate the supply of 200 GWh of renewable electricity certificates per year”
“pharmaceutical giant GSK became the first corporate to officially announce it would publish disclosures in line with the TNFD recommendations”
“The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) has announced that Kering, GSK, and Holcim are the first companies to publicly adopt science-based targets for nature”
“Our total estimated water footprint was 218 million m3.”
“We will achieve zero operational waste through a 20% reduction in the amount of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste we generate”
“All plastic waste including packaging is treated in line with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations.”
“GSK already met its 20% water reduction goal in 2022, but has continued to reduce its overall water use by 28% from its 2020 baseline.”
“A 624m3/d wastewater treatment plant handling discharge from the Jurong facility owned by pharmaceuticals and biochemistry giant GSK”
“The Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) has approved GSK's net zero target for 2045 in line with their Corporate Net-Zero Standard”
“GSK and VW said they were aware of the greenwashing risk and the need to prioritize emission avoidance and reduction ahead of offsetting.”
“The GSK Executive Committee (ExCom) is accountable for delivering progress against the metrics and regularly reviews performance”
“GSK is a member of several influential industry associations, including the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), which takes negative positions on several key EU climate policies.”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
GlaxoSmithKline is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturer headquartered in London, with operations spanning drug development, manufacturing, and vaccines. It is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies by revenue, competing with Pfizer, Roche, and Novartis in primary care, oncology, and vaccines.
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