OCE-B.03.A - Plastic Use Reporting
Does the company report on its plastic use?
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
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:
The company must report on:
Total weight of plastic usage, and
% of renewable or recycled plastic, such as: the % of virgin fossil-based content, the % of renewable content (from renewable biological sources), or the % of recycled content.
Additionally, companies that produce plastics must also report on plastic production.
If the company does not report on its total weight of plastic used, it must at the very least report on the most material uses of plastic. If the company is not explicit about what its most material uses of plastic are, use the attached table for reference.
The company must report on categories classified as Moderate **and** High materiality for the industry, based on the [CDP Plastics Sector Guidance](https://cdn.cdp.net/cdp-production/comfy/cms/files/files/000/009/314/original/CDP_Plastics_sector_relevance_2024.pdf).
In the case of industries for which both categories are classified of Low materiality, they must report on either of them. If a company does not report on plastic use but explicitly states it does not use plastic in their products or packaging, they may get a Met for this element. This will be analysed on a case-by-case basis.
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:
The company must report on:
Total weight of plastic usage, and
% of renewable or recycled plastic, such as: the % of virgin fossil-based content, the % of renewable content (from renewable biological sources), or the % of recycled content.
Additionally, companies that produce plastics must also report on plastic production.
If the company does not report on its total weight of plastic used, it must at the very least report on the most material uses of plastic. If the company is not explicit about what its most material uses of plastic are, use the attached table for reference.
The company must report on categories classified as Moderate **and** High materiality for the industry, based on the [CDP Plastics Sector Guidance](https://cdn.cdp.net/cdp-production/comfy/cms/files/files/000/009/314/original/CDP_Plastics_sector_relevance_2024.pdf).
In the case of industries for which both categories are classified of Low materiality, they must report on either of them. If a company does not report on plastic use but explicitly states it does not use plastic in their products or packaging, they may get a Met for this element. This will be analysed on a case-by-case basis.
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report