URB-A.05.C - Stakeholder Issues Response Disclosure
Does the company describe how it responds to key issues raised by its stakeholders?
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
The planning, development, management and delivery of urban infrastructures and
services must reflect the aspirations and concerns of all residents, customers and users affected by
their provision, or lack thereof. Particular attention must be paid to the participation of marginalised
groups and minorities to ensure no one is left behind. Participatory approaches should aim for
collaborative planning, including formal and direct engagement with local communities. The
outcomes of these deliberations must be transparently disseminated, and companies must disclose
how they address the issues raised.
Research Guidance
The company must disclose at least two systematic actions related to its engagement with stakeholders, which can fall into either or both of the following categories:
(1) Responding to key concerns raised by stakeholders, including a description of the issues, how feedback is collected, used in decision-making, and how stakeholders are informed about the influence of their input.
(2) Addressing actual or potential obstacles to engaging with stakeholders, such as language barriers, cultural differences, gender and power imbalances, divisions within a community or group, as well as 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 stakeholders 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.
services must reflect the aspirations and concerns of all residents, customers and users affected by
their provision, or lack thereof. Particular attention must be paid to the participation of marginalised
groups and minorities to ensure no one is left behind. Participatory approaches should aim for
collaborative planning, including formal and direct engagement with local communities. The
outcomes of these deliberations must be transparently disseminated, and companies must disclose
how they address the issues raised.
Research Guidance
The company must disclose at least two systematic actions related to its engagement with stakeholders, which can fall into either or both of the following categories:
(1) Responding to key concerns raised by stakeholders, including a description of the issues, how feedback is collected, used in decision-making, and how stakeholders are informed about the influence of their input.
(2) Addressing actual or potential obstacles to engaging with stakeholders, such as language barriers, cultural differences, gender and power imbalances, divisions within a community or group, as well as 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 stakeholders 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