URB-C.05.D - Societal Impact Water Pollution Risk Assessment
Does the company identify societal impacts in its water 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
Approximately 80% of global wastewater is untreated when released back into the
environment, causing significant negative effects on both ecosystem functioning and human health
(IUCN, 2017). Companies operating in urban environments contribute directly to water quality. Urban
transport, for instance, impacts water quality through runoff of pollutants such as oil, heavy metals
and debris from roads and parking lots. Similarly, the construction industry impacts water quality
through sediment runoff, erosion and the release of pollutants during construction activities.
Companies must increase their monitoring, reporting and effective implementation of measures to
minimise their impact on water quality.
Research Guidance
The company must either:
Have a policy stating that the company has conducted social impact assessments associated with its water use or pollution risks across substantial operations, or
Provide at least 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 impacts stemming from its water use or pollution 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 water use or 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.)
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 the company:
conducts a risk assessment that does not disclose specifically the risks to society
discloses an ongoing assessment, or that one will be conducted in the future
environment, causing significant negative effects on both ecosystem functioning and human health
(IUCN, 2017). Companies operating in urban environments contribute directly to water quality. Urban
transport, for instance, impacts water quality through runoff of pollutants such as oil, heavy metals
and debris from roads and parking lots. Similarly, the construction industry impacts water quality
through sediment runoff, erosion and the release of pollutants during construction activities.
Companies must increase their monitoring, reporting and effective implementation of measures to
minimise their impact on water quality.
Research Guidance
The company must either:
Have a policy stating that the company has conducted social impact assessments associated with its water use or pollution risks across substantial operations, or
Provide at least 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 impacts stemming from its water use or pollution 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 water use or 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.)
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 the company:
conducts a risk assessment that does not disclose specifically the risks to society
discloses an ongoing assessment, or that one will be conducted in the future
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report