URB-A.04.D - Local Government Issues Response Disclosure
Does the company describe how it responds to key issues raised by local government(s)?
About the data
The WBA Urban Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to shape sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban environments, tracking how companies address essential urban needs while respecting planetary boundaries across dimensions including decent work and human rights, environmental and climate impacts, social inclusion, and sustainability leadership. The 2026 edition assessed 300 companies across four key industries shaping urban environments: real estate, construction and engineering, transport, and utilities. Companies were scored on 24 urban-specific indicators plus 18 core social indicators, spanning four measurement areas: sustainable governance, inclusive cities, healthy cities, and climate change and resilient cities. The benchmark is designed to incentivise the private sector to take adequate responsibility for its role in ensuring affordable, safe and inclusive urban environments for all. More information can be found here.
Methodology
Translating the SDGs into actionable local development goals requires a thorough
understanding of the local context. Additionally, implementation of these goals in an urban
environment requires multistakeholder partnerships. Local governments can be the best government
bodies to facilitate this partnership (Masuda, Kawakubo, Okitasari, & Morita, 2022) given their
responsibilities and interests across all sectors, and their mandates, legitimacy, existing networks and
knowledge of local experiences (Gustafsson & Mignon, 2020). Companies should actively engage with
local governments, which play a vital role in enabling interventions and investments at the local level,
throughout the implementation, maintenance and operation of services and infrastructures.
Research Guidance
The company must disclose at least two systematic actions related to its engagement with local governments, which can fall into either or both of the following categories:
(1) Responding to key concerns raised by local governments, including a description of the issues, how feedback is collected, used in decision-making, and how local governments are informed about the influence of their input.
(2) Addressing actual or potential obstacles to local government engagement, such as language barriers, cultural differences, power imbalances, or a lack of trust.
Systematic actions refer to comprehensive and transformative measures that aim for a holistic and sustainable impact, such as actions that cover the majority of the company's locations or business activities, address the root causes of problems, or bring about changes in business models.
Simply reporting the number of meetings with local governments is insufficient - the company must provide clear examples of responses to engagement activities or efforts to make engagement more meaningful.
Actions should have been taken (or initiatives active) in the last three years.
understanding of the local context. Additionally, implementation of these goals in an urban
environment requires multistakeholder partnerships. Local governments can be the best government
bodies to facilitate this partnership (Masuda, Kawakubo, Okitasari, & Morita, 2022) given their
responsibilities and interests across all sectors, and their mandates, legitimacy, existing networks and
knowledge of local experiences (Gustafsson & Mignon, 2020). Companies should actively engage with
local governments, which play a vital role in enabling interventions and investments at the local level,
throughout the implementation, maintenance and operation of services and infrastructures.
Research Guidance
The company must disclose at least two systematic actions related to its engagement with local governments, which can fall into either or both of the following categories:
(1) Responding to key concerns raised by local governments, including a description of the issues, how feedback is collected, used in decision-making, and how local governments are informed about the influence of their input.
(2) Addressing actual or potential obstacles to local government engagement, such as language barriers, cultural differences, power imbalances, or a lack of trust.
Systematic actions refer to comprehensive and transformative measures that aim for a holistic and sustainable impact, such as actions that cover the majority of the company's locations or business activities, address the root causes of problems, or bring about changes in business models.
Simply reporting the number of meetings with local governments is insufficient - the company must provide clear examples of responses to engagement activities or efforts to make engagement more meaningful.
Actions should have been taken (or initiatives active) in the last three years.
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report