OCE-B.03.B - Plastic Use Reduction Target
Does the company set a target to reduce 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:
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