Starling Bank is a UK-based digital retail and SME bank founded in 2014, headquartered in London.
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Starling Bank reports low operational emissions but excludes financed emissions entirely—the material impact for any lender. Absolute emissions rose in 2023–2024 despite intensity improvements. SBTi commitment was removed; net-zero target lacks credibility. A £29M FCA fine for financial crime controls in October 2024 compounds governance concerns.
Starling Bank scores 42/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Fees pay for the review, never the result. Last verified May 2026.
That places Starling Bank joint 317th of 847 companies scored, and joint 11th of 51 in Financial Services / Banking.
Where Starling Bank sits among financial services / banking peers.
Among the 51 major financial services / banking brands we've scored, Starling Bank is tied =11th of 51, with 1 other.
Its three lowest-scoring questions, and what the evidence didn't show.
Net-zero scope unclear on financed emissions.
Ethical Consumer confirmed: bank does not report emissions from financing activities.
Absolute emissions rising in 2023–2024 despite headcount growth (1,941 to 3,231 FTE).
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 Controversies & Red Flags (6/10, 6/10). Weakest on Targets & Commitments and Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain (2/10, 3/10).
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Starling Bank.
Nationwide has decarbonised operations effectively (Scope 1 down 45%), secured 100% renewable electricity, and published robust TCFD disclosures with third-party assurance.
See the breakdown →Monzo reports comprehensive carbon data but absolute emissions rose 17% year-on-year, undermining its net zero 2030 claim.
See the breakdown →Halifax's parent, Lloyds Banking Group, reports comprehensive operational emissions and 100% renewable electricity, but financed emissions dwarf these efforts at 32.8 MtCO2e.
See the breakdown →The formula and all 7 sources.
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale7 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
This company's public sustainability disclosure is limited. This score is based on the 7 verified sources cited below, rather than padded to a standard count.
Limited data coverage. This assessment is based on 7 sources, 29% of which are self-reported by the company. Scores may change as independent evidence becomes available.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
Starling Bank is a UK-based digital retail and SME bank founded in 2014, headquartered in London. Branchless and app-first, it holds £12.1B in customer deposits and a £2.3B+ mortgage portfolio. With 4,158 employees, it operates as a software-driven fintech bank competing against traditional lenders and other digital challengers.
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