URB-B.03.C - Accessibility Improvement Progress Reporting
Does the company report progress in improving accessibility?
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
Cities across the world are often difficult to navigate, especially for children, elderly and
people with disabilities, since many buildings, transport infrastructures and facilities are not designed
with these groups in mind. In addition, access to essential information can create more barriers for
people with disabilities to be able to enjoy and take advantage of the urban environment. Ensuring
websites and apps comply with digital accessibility standards, offering support programmes and
adopting strategies for universal access are critical steps towards inclusion. Moreover, engagement
with users with disabilities is crucial to ensure that their needs are correctly considered and that
accessibility initiatives are effectively communicated.
Research Guidance
To meet this element, the company must demonstrate year-on-year, quantitative improvements in accessibility metrics over the previous three years.
The company does not need to have a target to meet this element, as long as measurable progress is disclosed over time.
We do not determine the rate of improvement, but the gap must be consistently closing over time rather than fluctuating annually. Increasing one year then decreasing the next is not accepted as consistent progress, unless the company specifies reasoning for the anomaly.
If the company discloses more than one metric of quality, it must report consistent progress in at least one metric without regressing in the others (they must stay constant as a minimum).
Where the company reports consistently high performance (e.g. 100% of buildings or stations meeting accessibility standards for the last 3 years), this is sufficient to meet this element as we cannot expect further progress beyond such performance.
In outstanding cases where a company has a target that it will clearly not meet, this element may be unmet. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
people with disabilities, since many buildings, transport infrastructures and facilities are not designed
with these groups in mind. In addition, access to essential information can create more barriers for
people with disabilities to be able to enjoy and take advantage of the urban environment. Ensuring
websites and apps comply with digital accessibility standards, offering support programmes and
adopting strategies for universal access are critical steps towards inclusion. Moreover, engagement
with users with disabilities is crucial to ensure that their needs are correctly considered and that
accessibility initiatives are effectively communicated.
Research Guidance
To meet this element, the company must demonstrate year-on-year, quantitative improvements in accessibility metrics over the previous three years.
The company does not need to have a target to meet this element, as long as measurable progress is disclosed over time.
We do not determine the rate of improvement, but the gap must be consistently closing over time rather than fluctuating annually. Increasing one year then decreasing the next is not accepted as consistent progress, unless the company specifies reasoning for the anomaly.
If the company discloses more than one metric of quality, it must report consistent progress in at least one metric without regressing in the others (they must stay constant as a minimum).
Where the company reports consistently high performance (e.g. 100% of buildings or stations meeting accessibility standards for the last 3 years), this is sufficient to meet this element as we cannot expect further progress beyond such performance.
In outstanding cases where a company has a target that it will clearly not meet, this element may be unmet. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report