Is KFC ethical and sustainable?
KFC has been measured by the Sustainable Brand Index – the largest independent study of sustainability and brands in Europe – across 2 Nordic markets.
Is KFC ethical?
The Sustainable Brand Index does not audit companies. It measures how consumers see a brand's environmental and social responsibility, which is close to what most people mean by ethical. On that measure, KFC ranks #191 in the Netherlands in 2026, its strongest of 2 markets. A lower number is better.
Key takeaways
- Strongest market today: the Netherlands at 191st (2026).
- All-time best result: 108th in the Netherlands (2017).
- Biggest year-over-year improvement in the Netherlands: moved up 27 positions from 2025 to 2026.
- Measured for 13 years (2014–2026) across 2 markets.
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KFC's ranking trend
Lower is better · #1 = most sustainable in marketAnnual position within each country's full brand universe, 2014–2026.
🇩🇰KFC in Denmark
Restaurants, Cafes & Take-away| Year | Rank in Denmark |
|---|---|
| 2014 | #134 |
| 2015 | #162 |
| 2016 | #166 |
| 2017 | #192 |
| 2018 | #200 |
| 2019 | #211 |
| 2020 | #228 |
| 2021 | #235 |
| 2022 | #233 |
| 2023 | #244 |
| 2024 | #242 |
| 2025 | #249 |
| 2026 | #269 |
🇳🇱KFC in the Netherlands
Restaurants, Cafes & Take-away| Year | Rank in the Netherlands |
|---|---|
| 2017 | #108 |
| 2018 | #152 |
| 2019 | #154 |
| 2020 | #177 |
| 2021 | #170 |
| 2022 | #217 |
| 2023 | #227 |
| 2024 | #195 |
| 2025 | #218 |
| 2026 | #191 |
Want to know what's behind KFC's ranking?
The full brand report shows your sustainability score, what's driving it, how you compare to competitors, and where you're exposed – with 16 years of trend data.
Questions about KFC
Is KFC a sustainable brand?
KFC has been measured by the Sustainable Brand Index since 2014. Most recent rankings: Denmark #269 (2026); the Netherlands #191 (2026). Lower rank numbers mean consumers see the brand as more sustainable.
Is KFC ethical?
The Sustainable Brand Index does not audit companies. It measures how consumers see a brand's environmental and social responsibility, which is close to what most people mean by ethical. On that measure, KFC ranks #191 in the Netherlands in 2026, its strongest of 2 markets. A lower number is better.
How sustainable is KFC in Denmark?
In Denmark, KFC ranks #269 in 2026 (industry: Restaurants, Cafes & Take-away). Its best position was #134 in 2014.
How sustainable is KFC in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, KFC ranks #191 in 2026 (industry: Restaurants, Cafes & Take-away). Its best position was #108 in 2017.
Where does this data on KFC come from?
From the Sustainable Brand Index, an independent consumer study run by SB Insight since 2011, with more than 80,000 interviews a year in Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Source: Sustainable Brand Index 2026, SB Insight.
About the ranking
The Sustainable Brand Index measures how consumers perceive a brand's sustainability – both environmental and social responsibility. Rankings are based on annual surveys of more than 80,000 consumers across Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. Brands are ranked within their industry and country.
Read the full methodology →