URB-C.03.D - Societal Impact Air Pollution Risk Assessment
Does the company identify societal impacts in its air pollution risk assessment?
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
Over 99% of the global population lives in areas where air pollution is above air quality
guidelines, resulting in 4.2 million deaths every year (World Health Organization, 2022). Air pollutants
produced through companies’ operations and business activities have adverse effects on air quality,
agriculture, biodiversity, climate, habitats and the health of both animals and humans. This becomes
especially important in urban areas, where high concentrations of air pollutants, such as carbon
monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), are
strongly associated with human health concerns. This indicator measures companies’ approaches to
measuring and reducing harmful air pollutants.
Research Guidance
This element can be met either by:
having a policy stating that the company has conducted social impact assessments associated its air pollution risks across substantial operations, or
providing a high-level summary of a social risk or impact assessment for its most material operations or value chain impacts.
Evidence of having conducted a risk or impact assessment for their most material sites can include:
disclosing the actual or potential negative impact on air quality associated with its operations, products or services, contractual or business relationships, or value chain.
disclosing tools, approaches, or external standards followed to conduct the self-assessment, or external audits or inspections they engage in.
disclosing affected stakeholders (customers, local communities, tenants, etc.)
disclosing frequency, timing, or factors that trigger the company to conduct risk assessments (or reassessment) on air pollution (e.g. proposed business activity, in response to or in anticipation of changes in the operating environment, periodically throughout the life of an activity or relationship, etc.)
Companies may refer to the following as evidence of having conducted a risk assessment:
the first two steps of the SBTN guidance, or equivalent (ie. Assessment/Prioritization).
FERA: [Air: Fate, Exposure, and Risk Analysis (FERA) | US EPA](https://www.epa.gov/fera)
Air Quality Health Index
Health impact assessments (HIA)
Examples of impacts to society that the company can measure include impacts to:
human health
the wellbeing of local communities
marginalized populations, such as Indigenous Peoples
access to land or areas
This is unmet if:
Company assessments are ongoing, or will be conducted in the future
The risk assessment does not specifically disclose risks to society
guidelines, resulting in 4.2 million deaths every year (World Health Organization, 2022). Air pollutants
produced through companies’ operations and business activities have adverse effects on air quality,
agriculture, biodiversity, climate, habitats and the health of both animals and humans. This becomes
especially important in urban areas, where high concentrations of air pollutants, such as carbon
monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), are
strongly associated with human health concerns. This indicator measures companies’ approaches to
measuring and reducing harmful air pollutants.
Research Guidance
This element can be met either by:
having a policy stating that the company has conducted social impact assessments associated its air pollution risks across substantial operations, or
providing a high-level summary of a social risk or impact assessment for its most material operations or value chain impacts.
Evidence of having conducted a risk or impact assessment for their most material sites can include:
disclosing the actual or potential negative impact on air quality associated with its operations, products or services, contractual or business relationships, or value chain.
disclosing tools, approaches, or external standards followed to conduct the self-assessment, or external audits or inspections they engage in.
disclosing affected stakeholders (customers, local communities, tenants, etc.)
disclosing frequency, timing, or factors that trigger the company to conduct risk assessments (or reassessment) on air pollution (e.g. proposed business activity, in response to or in anticipation of changes in the operating environment, periodically throughout the life of an activity or relationship, etc.)
Companies may refer to the following as evidence of having conducted a risk assessment:
the first two steps of the SBTN guidance, or equivalent (ie. Assessment/Prioritization).
FERA: [Air: Fate, Exposure, and Risk Analysis (FERA) | US EPA](https://www.epa.gov/fera)
Air Quality Health Index
Health impact assessments (HIA)
Examples of impacts to society that the company can measure include impacts to:
human health
the wellbeing of local communities
marginalized populations, such as Indigenous Peoples
access to land or areas
This is unmet if:
Company assessments are ongoing, or will be conducted in the future
The risk assessment does not specifically disclose risks to society
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report