The Methodology for the 2024 Urban Benchmark

We have developed the first iteration of the Urban Benchmark methodology to measure and track how the world’s most influential companies operating in urban spaces are helping to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and environmentally sustainable, as mandated by the SDGs and NUA.

In the first iteration of the Urban Benchmark, we will assess 300 companies selected from four industries which arguably have the most impact on our ability to address some of the critical issues for urban development in the coming decades. The companies come from the real estate, construction and engineering, transportation and utility sectors and cover public, private and state-owned enterprises. Public and state-owned enterprises were included in this benchmark, considering the intrinsically public nature of urban environments and services that the selected sectors provide (e.g., water, electricity, intra-urban passenger transportation). 

We want to thank our partners and organisations that supported us with feedback during the methodology development, including the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Carbon Disclosure Project, the Green Building Council of South Africa, and other stakeholders who took time to review and provide detailed comments and feedback to our draft Urban Benchmark methodology. 

The first iteration of the Urban Benchmark and its results represent a continuation of the series of consultations the WBA Urban Team has had with stakeholders and policymakers to formulate a robust assessment methodology. Therefore, the team looks forward to discussing the process and results of this first iteration of the benchmark with interested stakeholders so that the benchmark can maintain its effectiveness as an accountability framework for companies. 

Data collection, verification, and analysis of the companies in scope will begin in spring 2024, while the benchmark will be launched in November 2024.