FAB-B.08.B - Plastic Use Reduction Target
Does the company set a target to reduce its plastic use?
About the data
The WBA Food and Agriculture Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential food and agriculture companies on their efforts to transform global food systems, tracking how companies work towards food that is healthy and nutritious, produced sustainably within planetary boundaries, and accessible and fairly produced for all. The 2026 edition assessed 350 companies spanning the entirety of the food and agriculture value chain, from agricultural inputs and commodities through to manufacturing, retail, and food service. Companies were scored on 23 food and agriculture-specific indicators and 18 core social indicators across four measurement areas: governance, sustainable food systems, healthy food systems, and inclusive food systems. The benchmark is developed in close collaboration with an Expert Review Committee and is designed to incentivise the most influential companies in the sector to adopt sustainable business practices across their own operations and supply chains, addressing critical issues including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, freshwater use, nutrition, and living incomes for farmers, with human rights and social equity at its core. More information can be found here.
Methodology
Since the 1980s, plastic pollution has increased tenfold (IPBES, 2019). Projections indicate
that global plastic production will double by 2050, with approximately 8 million tonnes entering
marine environments annually (UNEP, BRS Conventions and Minamata Convention, 2021). Notably,
around 50% of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes, contributing significantly to
this escalating issue. There is an urgent need for companies to adopt and disclose comprehensive
plastic management strategies to reduce their plastic use.
Research Guidance:
Eligible targets companies could set include:
Reduce the total weight of virgin content in plastic polymers produced and/or sold
Increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled content in plastic polymers produced and/or sold
Reduce the total weight of plastic packaging used and/or produced
Eliminate single-use plastic packaging
Reduce the total weight of virgin content in plastic packaging
Increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging
Increase the proportion of plastic packaging that is recyclable/reusable in practice and at scale
Eliminate single-use plastic products
Reduce the total weight of plastics or of virgin content in goods/products
Increase the proportion of plastic goods/products which are recyclable/reusable in practice and at scale
Increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled content in plastic goods/products
Targets must be timebound, with a defined baseline value and year, and include clear, quantitative, and measurable metrics. They should focus on short-term progress up to 2030, with any longer-term goals broken down into interim targets no more than five years apart. Intensity targets are not accepted unless stated otherwise, as they do not ensure absolute improvements. Year-on-year targets and qualitative targets may be accepted on a case-by-case basis, depending on their ambition and measurability. Any changes to targets or their underlying assumptions must be explained, particularly in terms of impact on comparability. Additionally, targets aimed solely at maintaining current performance are not accepted.
This is unmet if:
Targets are for a subset of products
Targets increase the % of biodegradeable and compostable plastics
that global plastic production will double by 2050, with approximately 8 million tonnes entering
marine environments annually (UNEP, BRS Conventions and Minamata Convention, 2021). Notably,
around 50% of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes, contributing significantly to
this escalating issue. There is an urgent need for companies to adopt and disclose comprehensive
plastic management strategies to reduce their plastic use.
Research Guidance:
Eligible targets companies could set include:
Reduce the total weight of virgin content in plastic polymers produced and/or sold
Increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled content in plastic polymers produced and/or sold
Reduce the total weight of plastic packaging used and/or produced
Eliminate single-use plastic packaging
Reduce the total weight of virgin content in plastic packaging
Increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging
Increase the proportion of plastic packaging that is recyclable/reusable in practice and at scale
Eliminate single-use plastic products
Reduce the total weight of plastics or of virgin content in goods/products
Increase the proportion of plastic goods/products which are recyclable/reusable in practice and at scale
Increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled content in plastic goods/products
Targets must be timebound, with a defined baseline value and year, and include clear, quantitative, and measurable metrics. They should focus on short-term progress up to 2030, with any longer-term goals broken down into interim targets no more than five years apart. Intensity targets are not accepted unless stated otherwise, as they do not ensure absolute improvements. Year-on-year targets and qualitative targets may be accepted on a case-by-case basis, depending on their ambition and measurability. Any changes to targets or their underlying assumptions must be explained, particularly in terms of impact on comparability. Additionally, targets aimed solely at maintaining current performance are not accepted.
This is unmet if:
Targets are for a subset of products
Targets increase the % of biodegradeable and compostable plastics
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report