About the data
The WBA Nature Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to protect the environment and its biodiversity, tracking how companies are reducing their negative impacts on nature and contributing to the protection and restoration of ecosystems, aligned with the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework. The 2026 edition assessed 750 companies across multiple sectors including agro-food, forestry, building, tourism and the blue economy. The benchmark is developed in close collaboration with an Expert Review Committee and partners including GRI, SBTN, and TNFD, with a methodology designed to incentivise companies to understand where nature-related risks are highest and act to halt damaging trends, while keeping human rights and social impacts at its core.
More information can be found here.
More information can be found here.
Methodology
Since the 1980s, plastic pollution has increased tenfold (IPBES, 2018). 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.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.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