Since the 1980s, plastic pollution is estimated to have increased tenfold (IPBES, 2018). Estimates suggest that global plastic production will double by 2050, of which approximately 8 million tonnes will end up as marine debris (UNEP, BRS Conventions and Minamata Convention, 2021). The debris breaks into microplastics that are then ingested by marine organisms, leading to toxic effects on their feeding, growth and reproductive patterns. Due to plastic’s prolonged negative impact on ecosystems and biodiversity, this indicator focuses on reducing plastic use and waste from the private sector through globally applicable commitments and targets.

A note on the scoring system

Wikirate uses a standardized 10-point scoring system to enable comparison of company scores across different benchmarks. In the Nature Benchmark, companies can earn 1 point per indicator, which are then added together and calculated as a percentage of the total score for a measurement area (MA) to determine the final score for the MA. The overall Wikirate score is calculated by combining these scores with the appropriate weightings, and converting them to a 10-point scale. For instance, if a company achieves a final score of 50, the corresponding WikiRating will be 5.