South Carolina Sustainability Scorecard

The South Carolina Scorecard is a strategic initiative designed to collect and present statewide data across four key categories: Energy, Circularity, Water and Conservation.


Developed through Sustain SC’s Metrics and Reporting Accelerator, the Scorecard provides actionable insights for business leaders, policy makers and community stakeholders to make informed decisions that align economic development with environmental responsibility.

  • “In today’s competitive landscape, sustainability is more than a value-add, it’s a business imperative. The Sustain SC Scorecard gives us a powerful new tool to showcase South Carolina’s strengths in energy, circularity, water and conservation. For economic developers, this kind of data-driven insight is critical to attracting forward-thinking companies that want to grow responsibly. It helps us tell a compelling story about why South Carolina is not just a great place to do business, but a smart place to invest for the future.”

    - John Lummus, President & CEO, Upstate Alliance

 

South Carolina’s Business Landscape


86%

of companies announced by the SC Department of Commerce in 2025 have publicly available sustainability goals

X0%

of companies have net-zero commitments


 

Energy


Clean Energy Share


65%

of SC energy generation is from clean energy sources

307 Million

BTu per-capita in 2023

South Carolina’s Clean Energy Share is Higher Than Surrounding States

47% in Georgia

47% in North Carolina

50% in Tennessee

Energy Consumption


1,606 Trillion

BTu total in 2023

Energy Generation Mix


Energy Consumption by Sector


 

Circularity

Recycling and Waste



21.2%

2024 SC Recycling Rate

$6.63

Billion of Capital Investment in the SC Recycling Industry since 2021

3.8 lbs

2024 MSW Disposal Rate (lbs/person/day)

4.8 lbs

2024 MSW Generation Rate (lbs/person/day)

% of MSW Commodities Recycled by Weight


 

Water

Water Use and Infrastructure



5.9 Trillion 

Gallons of Water Used Annually in SC

$197 Million

In Stormwater Infrastructure grants awarded in 2024  

Water Use by Sector


 

Conservation


Land Protection


18.5%

of SC Land is protected

3.4 Million

Acres Protected

South Carolina’s Percentage of Protected Land is Higher Than Surrounding States

3% in Georgia

5% in Tennessee

13.6 % in North Carolina

Risk Reduction through Conservation


2.2 Million

Acres identified as priority conservation zones for flood risk reduction in 2024 

$18 Million

invested in land conservation projects for flood resilience since 2020

Download the Scorecard

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