OCE-B.06.A - Noise and Energy Disturbance Reporting
Does the company regularly report on at least one type of noise or other energy-related disturbance level occurring during its activities?
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
Energy use can generate various types of pollution, including noise, artificial lighting,
heating and electricity systems, electromagnetic radiation, radio waves and vibrations. These
disturbances can have far-reaching impacts on both human health and wildlife, whether on land or in
the ocean. For example, prolonged exposure to environmental noise has been shown to adversely
affect wildlife, public health, community well-being and overall urban liveability. Similarly, human-
generated underwater noise in sea environments can disrupt marine biodiversity, leading to issues
such as hearing impairment and behavioural disturbances in marine wildlife.
Artificial light from coastal cities, offshore platforms and ships has also been found to disrupt marine
habitats and lead to ecological imbalances. Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from sources such as
submarine cables and offshore wind farms has been shown to alter behaviour, and natural and
communications systems, causing stress to marine organisms, while also leading to changes in
sediment distribution and water quality. Heated water discharged into oceans can raise water
temperatures, disrupting marine habitats and affecting species sensitive to temperature changes.
Companies should implement best-practice approaches to minimising pollution from noise and all
other such forms of energy input (SDG 14.1).
Research Guidance:
For this element to be **met**, the company:
- Provides **quantitative** metrics regarding noise (or other energy-related disturbance) caused by its direct operations or most material parts of value chain.
OR
- Reports having a **certification** that assesses the introduction of noise and/or other types of energy other energy-related disturbance
Metric for Noise: Volume (decibels) of noise generated from (adapted from TNFD fishing metric - F.A3.4):
Vessel operations
Bottom-towed gear, i.e. bottom trawls, dredges
Construction
Decommissioning
Other operations
Other types of energy inputs: artificial lighting, heating and electricity systems, electromagnetic radiation, radio waves and vibrations.
Companies that do not have direct activities causing noise, can be assessed against this indicator by explaining what they are doing to address this topic in their supply chain.
It is accepted if the company reports having a certification that assesses the introduction of noise and/or other types of energy [[](https://indexalliance.sharepoint.com/sites/Circular/Gedeelde%20documenten/Ocean/R.%20Methodology/Ocean%20Spotlight%20Scoring%20Guidance/Ocean%20Spotlight%20Scoring%20Guidance%20for%20AT%20May%2025.docx#_msocom_1)affecting humans and wildlife.
Note: This element might not be applicable to all sectors.
heating and electricity systems, electromagnetic radiation, radio waves and vibrations. These
disturbances can have far-reaching impacts on both human health and wildlife, whether on land or in
the ocean. For example, prolonged exposure to environmental noise has been shown to adversely
affect wildlife, public health, community well-being and overall urban liveability. Similarly, human-
generated underwater noise in sea environments can disrupt marine biodiversity, leading to issues
such as hearing impairment and behavioural disturbances in marine wildlife.
Artificial light from coastal cities, offshore platforms and ships has also been found to disrupt marine
habitats and lead to ecological imbalances. Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from sources such as
submarine cables and offshore wind farms has been shown to alter behaviour, and natural and
communications systems, causing stress to marine organisms, while also leading to changes in
sediment distribution and water quality. Heated water discharged into oceans can raise water
temperatures, disrupting marine habitats and affecting species sensitive to temperature changes.
Companies should implement best-practice approaches to minimising pollution from noise and all
other such forms of energy input (SDG 14.1).
Research Guidance:
For this element to be **met**, the company:
- Provides **quantitative** metrics regarding noise (or other energy-related disturbance) caused by its direct operations or most material parts of value chain.
OR
- Reports having a **certification** that assesses the introduction of noise and/or other types of energy other energy-related disturbance
Metric for Noise: Volume (decibels) of noise generated from (adapted from TNFD fishing metric - F.A3.4):
Vessel operations
Bottom-towed gear, i.e. bottom trawls, dredges
Construction
Decommissioning
Other operations
Other types of energy inputs: artificial lighting, heating and electricity systems, electromagnetic radiation, radio waves and vibrations.
Companies that do not have direct activities causing noise, can be assessed against this indicator by explaining what they are doing to address this topic in their supply chain.
It is accepted if the company reports having a certification that assesses the introduction of noise and/or other types of energy [[](https://indexalliance.sharepoint.com/sites/Circular/Gedeelde%20documenten/Ocean/R.%20Methodology/Ocean%20Spotlight%20Scoring%20Guidance/Ocean%20Spotlight%20Scoring%20Guidance%20for%20AT%20May%2025.docx#_msocom_1)affecting humans and wildlife.
Note: This element might not be applicable to all sectors.
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report