Cognita has published its third annual Sustainability Report, marking significant progress across environmental sustainability, student wellbeing and global education impact, whilst outlining its ambition to positively impact more than 100,000 children beyond its schools by 2035.

Renewable energy and emissions progress

Among the headline environmental achievements in 2025, Cognita more than doubled its renewable electricity consumption to 12,250 MWh, up from 5,040 MWh the previous year. Emissions intensity also improved to 0.45 MT CO₂e per student, down from 0.50, with 16 schools now reporting solar generation across the group’s international platform of around 90 schools in 21 countries.

Cognita Impact: extending educational opportunity beyond our schools

A major milestone in 2025 was the launch of Cognita Impact, a global education impact platform bringing together partnerships and initiatives designed to extend educational expertise and opportunity beyond Cognita’s own schools.

Highlights include:

  • A partnership with The Sparkle Foundation in Malawi, supporting 1,040 learners and 40 educators through early childhood development interventions, with evidence of improved teacher confidence and capability
  • A continued partnership with the public education system in Temuco, Chile, expanding access to English-language education and supporting more than 300 students
  • More than £557,000 raised for charitable causes across the group
  • Students completing an average of 17.8 volunteering hours per student

Wellbeing, people and responsible learning

The report also reflects Cognita’s continued commitment to student and employee wellbeing, with more than 100,000 students and 21,000 colleagues participating in Global Be Well Day. The year also saw the phased rollout of the OneCognita employee experience platform and the introduction of a Group Chief People Officer role.

The launch of a Group-wide AI Policy governing responsible AI use across schools and business operations marked another significant step forward in Cognita’s approach to responsible learning.

Growing recognition

The report’s publication follows Cognita being named winner of the ESG & Impact category at the EducationInvestor Awards 2026 and being recognised as a 2026 Industry ESG Leader by Morningstar Sustainalytics — reflecting growing international recognition of Cognita’s education-led approach to sustainability.

David Baldwin, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “At Cognita, our job is simple: to make schools better. That belief also sits at the heart of our approach to sustainability, which is reflected in how we run our schools, support our people, care for our communities and prepare students to understand the world around them. The progress outlined in this report reflects the focus, consistency, and collaboration taking place across our schools and wider global community.”

Jamie Delaney, Head of ESG and Group Ethics & Compliance Officer, added: “Our focus over the past year has been on moving from ambition to implementation — strengthening the systems, governance and partnerships needed to embed sustainability more consistently across a globally diverse organisation. This work reflects a growing maturity in Cognita’s ESG strategy and a continued focus on measurable, long-term impact.”

The full 2025 Sustainability Report is available to read here. Find out more about our Sustainability Strategy here.