OCE-B.02.E - Circular Waste Systems Implementation
Is the company working to implement innovative and circular waste systems or approaches?
About the data
The WBA Ocean Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to halt and reverse nature loss in marine ecosystems, tracking how companies manage their impacts on ocean biodiversity, marine habitats, and the communities and workers dependent on healthy seas. The 2026 edition is WBA's first Ocean Benchmark, assessing 125 companies across key sectors dependent on oceans, including seafood, maritime transport, offshore wind energy, shipbuilding, port operations, apparel, and chemicals. Companies are assessed on 47 indicators across four measurement areas: governance, ecosystems and biodiversity, social responsibility, and core social indicators. The benchmark builds on WBA's Nature Benchmark and the former Seafood Stewardship Index, and its methodology was developed with input from more than 50 stakeholders including ocean communities, companies, scientists and civil society, with human rights and social impacts kept at its core alongside nature-specific concerns. More information can be found here.
Methodology
Ocean contamination by human waste is a major global environmental issue. Marine litter,
ranging from microplastics to discarded fishing gear, threatens hundreds of marine species by posing
ingestion and entanglement risks, and damaging their habitats. Most marine debris originates from
land due to causes such as littering, inadequate waste management and natural disasters, while some
comes from marine-based sources. Implementing effective waste management systems, improving
recycling efforts and promoting sustainable practices in maritime industries are crucial steps to
mitigating the impacts of marine pollution (SDG 14.1).
Research Guidance:
This element is met if the company demonstrates it is working towards the implementation of circular waste systems or approaches to any type of waste generated.
For example:
Establish cross-industry collaborative efforts to reduce unnecessary plastics in value chains.
Redesign and innovate new delivery models to create circular economies inwaste, with a particular focus on recycling schemes (Ocean stewardship 2030)
ranging from microplastics to discarded fishing gear, threatens hundreds of marine species by posing
ingestion and entanglement risks, and damaging their habitats. Most marine debris originates from
land due to causes such as littering, inadequate waste management and natural disasters, while some
comes from marine-based sources. Implementing effective waste management systems, improving
recycling efforts and promoting sustainable practices in maritime industries are crucial steps to
mitigating the impacts of marine pollution (SDG 14.1).
Research Guidance:
This element is met if the company demonstrates it is working towards the implementation of circular waste systems or approaches to any type of waste generated.
For example:
Establish cross-industry collaborative efforts to reduce unnecessary plastics in value chains.
Redesign and innovate new delivery models to create circular economies inwaste, with a particular focus on recycling schemes (Ocean stewardship 2030)
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report