Loughborough University is a research-led institution in the East Midlands, UK, teaching across engineering, science, and business disciplines.
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Loughborough has published specific decarbonisation targets and joined the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, but lacks independent validation of climate goals and Scope 3 quantification. Gas heating dominates energy use; renewable energy figures reflect grid decarbonisation, not institutional generation. Governance sits at executive level, not board level.
Loughborough University scores 53/100 (Making progress) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Fees pay for the review, never the result. Last verified September 2026.
That places Loughborough University joint 80th of 847 companies scored, and joint 16th of 67 in Higher Education / Universities.
Where Loughborough University sits among higher education / universities peers.
Among the 67 major higher education / universities brands we've scored, Loughborough University is tied =16th of 67, with 10 others.
Its three lowest-scoring questions, and what the evidence didn't show.
Decarbonisation Plan acknowledges Scope 3 is 'much higher' than Scope 1+2 but states 'no category-specific targets have been set.' No fully quantified total Scope 3 inventory published across all categories.
Energy Strategy explicitly states 'no significant on-site renewables.' Grid electricity shows 100% renewable generation (reflects UK grid decarbonisation, not institutional additionality).
HESA EMR shows 25.9% Scope 1+2 reduction from 2005 baseline; carbon intensity declined 7.8% from 2015/16 to 2023/24.
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 Controversies & Red Flags and Carbon Footprint — Operations (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain and Energy Source (4/10, 4/10).
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Loughborough University.
Strathclyde has cut absolute emissions 40% since 2018/19 and publishes credible HESA-verified data, but missed its own 70%-by-2025 interim target by half.
See the breakdown →Bristol has cut Scope 1+2 emissions 56% since 2005 and publishes verified data.
See the breakdown →Cranfield has cut operational emissions 51% since 2005 and publishes credible data, but Scope 3 remains unmeasured and unverified.
See the breakdown →The formula and all 12 sources.
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
“HESA Estates Management Record 2023/24, Table-3: Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 21,875.3 tCO2e (UKPRN 10004113)”
“No category specific targets have been set but we cannot waste time as S3 represents the largest by size”
“this Strategy is not a policy commitment endorsed by the University Council and IC”
“electricity consumption represents 33% of the consumption... increase in consumption of 26.5%”
“Loughborough University is a founding member of the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, having signed the pledge in December 2022”
“Environment Bank has supplied off-site Biodiversity Units to Loughborough University supporting new accommodation development housing up to 552 students”
“R.A.I.S.E. Nature Plan was launched... with the aim of enhancing nature to improve biodiversity”
“Our Environmental Management System is accredited to ISO14001”
“Provision of Waste Collection & Recycling Services — Loughborough University, contract award notice 2024”
“Loughborough University Sustainability Committee — terms of reference and meeting records published”
“LobbyMap tracks 1,000 companies and 330 industry associations — Loughborough University has no profile”
“reduction in Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2035 and Scope 3 by 2045”
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Loughborough University is a research-led institution in the East Midlands, UK, teaching across engineering, science, and business disciplines. It operates a substantial campus with research facilities including aerospace and vehicle engineering centres.
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