Key finding

Companies are taking minimal action to address deadly pollutants that threaten urban public health

Urban populations, especially in megacities, face intense air and noise pollution due to heavy traffic, industrial activities, construction and high levels of waste. Chronic exposure to excessive noise is linked to hearing loss, sleep disturbances, stress and cardiovascular diseases. Particulate matter (PM) air pollution is even more severe, estimated to contribute to nearly 8 million deaths globally in 2023. Given the private sector’s significant contribution to both forms of pollution, it is concerning that only 9 (3%) of the 300 benchmarked companies have reported consistent reductions in key air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx), and only five reported reductions in PM. In the transport and construction sectors, just 10 of 77 (13%) companies reported actions to mitigate their noise or vibration levels. Companies must face up to their responsibility towards the public health of communities. They should invest in advanced technologies, upgrade to more efficient and less polluting equipment and set up regular monitoring and clear targets to reduce air and noise pollution.

Urban companies are doing alarmingly little to address toxic pollutants endangering public health

Authors: Vibhuti Patel and Rohan Luthra

Of all the environmental threats to urban public health, noise and air pollution are among the most dangerous (WHO, 2011). Air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) contribute to and exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular conditions (Hänninen, et al., 2014)). PM, for example, is linked to asthma, lung cancer and premature mortality. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds safe pollution levels, particularly in urban areas of low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) like Bangladesh, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, where fewer than 1% of cities meet recommended healthy thresholds (WEF, 2025).

Noise pollution is similarly harmful to urban residents, having been linked to cardiovascular disease (Münzel, et al., 2018), stroke, sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 2023), depression and anxiety (Kuntic, Al-KindI, & Hahad, 2025). Between 20-50% of urban populations are exposed to harmful levels of noise pollution, with long-term exposure estimated to contribute to 48,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease and 12,000 premature deaths every year in Europe alone (EEA, 2022) .

Industrial activities are a major source of poor urban air quality and harmful PM levels, with construction, real estate, transport and waste management being the top contributing sectors (Clean Air Fund, 2025). Similarly, urban transport and construction are the primary sources of noise pollution. The underwhelming performance of the biggest companies in these sectors in the 2024 Urban Benchmark is therefore deeply concerning. These companies operate in 43 megacities, home to over 692 million people, as well as hundreds of other cities, affecting the health of a significant number of people. However, only 1.5-3% of the benchmarked companies reported reductions in key air pollutants such as PM, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx). In the transport and construction sectors, just 13% of the companies reported actions to mitigate noise or vibration levels. 

Opaque reporting, opaque ambition and opaque skies

A striking 83% of the world’s 300 largest urban companies failed to regularly report air pollution data (for at least three consecutive reporting cycles) in their key sustainability reports. More concerningly, 96% of them did not disclose targets to reduce their air pollution impacts. Industry performance is mixed. The energy sector stands out, with 42% of companies — significantly above the average — reporting regularly.

This can be explained by the fact that the energy sector is one of the most heavily regulated. National regulations capping emissions and international climate commitments often target the energy sector. Many of these policies focus on curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to reduce air pollutants (Jang, et al., 2024). However, setting measurable time-bound targets to reduce air pollution remains a low priority, with only 6% of energy companies having such targets.

The link between GHG policies and air pollution also helps explain the poor performance of ride-hailing companies such as Bolt, Didi, Lyft and Uber – all of which score zero across all elements of the air pollution indicator. Unlike energy companies, ride-hailing companies mostly do not own or operate the service vehicles. As a result, a significant proportion of their emissions (GHG and non-GHG) fall under the scope 3 category, which are harder to track and not subject to mandatory reporting in most jurisdictions. This is particularly concerning given that non-pooled ride-hailing trips are estimated to have 47% higher emissions than private car trips in vehicles of average fuel efficiency (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2020). As ride-hailing continues to grow, the absence of air pollution reporting and targets raises significant concerns given the sector’s impact on urban air quality.

Private sector inaction is contributing to air-pollution-related deaths and billions in healthcare costs yearly

Only nine companies reported consistent reductions in air pollutants (year-on-year for at least three consecutive reporting cycles). Further, only three companies — Acciona, Greentown China Holdings and Larsen & Toubro — disclosed consistent reductions in either PM2.5 or PM10, a concerningly low number given the significant threat these pollutants pose to public health.

Meeting WHO guidelines on PM2.5 can increase average life expectancy by 1.9 years (Greenstone, Ganguly, Hasenkopf, Sharma, & Gautam, 2024) and save society billions in healthcare costs, currently as high as USD 820 billion in the US (WEF, 2021) and USD 450 billion in Africa (OECD, 2016).

The situation is particularly concerning in megacities across LMICs like Bangladesh, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, where PM2.5 concentrations in 2024 were at least ten times higher than WHO guideline limits (IQAir, 2024). Despite the private sector playing a key role in shaping urban services and the built environment in these megacities, the average score of companies operating in the most polluted of these cities on the air pollution indicator is just 6.2%, as shown in the map below. None of the companies operating there reported any progress in reducing air pollution. Their performance was limited merely to sharing data and information on management and monitoring processes but seldom with targets and tangible results.

Figure 1: Number of Urban Benchmark companies operating in megacities with the worst air quality and their average performance on the air pollution indicator.
Source: World’s Most Polluted Cities 2017-2024 (World’s Most Polluted Cities in 2024 – PM2.5 Ranking | IQAir), cross referenced with World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision (https://population.un.org/wup/Download/) and 2024 Urban Benchmark

Noise pollution, the “invisible killer” companies are ignoring

In addition to air pollution, 77 companies from the construction and transport sectors were assessed on their strategies, monitoring and measures to reduce noise and/or vibration from their activities. Again, the results reveal significant concerns. Only ten companies (13%) currently implement measures to reduce noise and/or vibration impacts.

Though some have implemented ad-hoc initiatives, these lack consistency and deliver little impact. Worse still, only five companies-Burns and McDonnell, Delhi Metro, Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York, Transport for London and Vinci, actively monitor their noise and/or vibration levels. A widespread lack of monitoring undermines the ability to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of noise pollution reduction efforts, even in the few cases where such efforts exist. When considering sectoral differences, construction companies slightly outperform transport companies, but more action is needed from both sectors to achieve quieter and healthier urban environments.

To safeguard public health, companies need clear targets and accountability

Companies need to set time-bound targets and evaluate progress to mitigate their impacts on urban public health. Clear goals paired with regular monitoring demonstrate concrete commitment and accountability and encourage continuous improvement. These measures were used by Taiwan Power, an energy company serving over 15 million users across Taiwan and the best performer on the 2024 Urban Benchmark air pollution indicator.

The company set ambitious targets for reducing pollutants and carried out continuous monitoring, allowing it to effectively manage its emissions and even surpass its 2023 air pollution target.

Adopting innovative technologies and feasible solutions to tackle air and noise pollution is also crucial. The benchmark has identified some good practices, such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York City upgrading its subway cars and tracks with noise reducing technology, using quieter parts and materials, applying lubricants to reduce screeching and adding sound-absorbing features at stations. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings keeps air pollution low by using cleaner fuels, installing special equipment to remove harmful gases, carefully managing how power plants run and regularly checking emissions to meet environmental standards and improve performance.

Urban green spaces also help mitigate air and noise pollution by absorbing pollutants, reducing heat and acting as natural sound barriers. Companies can mainstream integrating more greenery into developments and strengthen collaboration with local authorities to increase public green spaces and improve their maintenance. With only one real estate company in the benchmark, Ciputra Development, reporting increased public green space maintenance, there is substantial room for improvement in this area beyond one-off projects.

Finally, poor performance can be linked to a weak regulatory landscape, with one-third of the world’s countries having no legally mandated outdoor air quality standards. Of the 300 benchmarked companies, 21 have their headquarters in these countries and all score zero on the air pollution indicator. Even when regulations are in place, there remains a disconnect between regulatory goals and corporate action. For example, the US Clean Air Act sets limits on emissions for pollutants such as NO2 and PM and mandates control measures for industrial and vehicular sources. Yet, only one out of the 24 US construction, utility and transport companies has set time-bound targets for reducing air pollution. While this legislation only requires companies to report emissions to national governments, the lack of transparency in public reports and the absence of voluntary reduction targets creates a gap in accountability. Without this information, stakeholders are unable to fully assess a company’s environmental impact or its commitment to public health goals. Similarly, the European Noise Directive requires member states to assess and manage environmental noise through strategic noise maps and action plans. While it does not target companies, their cooperation is key to implementation. Yet, among 11 benchmarked European construction and transport firms, only one has a noise or vibration mitigation plan—revealing a gap in corporate alignment that could hinder progress in enforcing national limit values. By setting clear expectations and holding companies accountable, regulators can push businesses to enhance their performance and transparency, ensuring they actively contribute to healthier urban environments.

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