As 55 per cent of the world’s population now resides in cities, where housing and services are often provided by private companies, the 300 companies assessed via the benchmark study hold considerable power to either support or undermine public health globally. Yet, the Alliance’s findings point to a worrying lack of progress on addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals to ‘make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’.

Air pollution is particularly deadly, estimated to have contributed to nearly 8 million deaths globally in 2023. However, the WBA found that only 3 per cent of assessed companies showed consistent reductions in air pollutants such as NOx and SOx, and even fewer showed reductions in PM particulate pollution. In the transport and construction sectors, where noise and vibration pollution are a major concern, just 13 per cent of assessed companies reported actions to mitigate their noise or vibration levels, despite excessive noise being linked to tens of thousands of premature deaths and heart disease cases in Europe.

The first edition of the WBA’s Urban Benchmark assessed 300 of the world’s most influential urban companies across real estate, construction, transport, energy, waste, and water management sectors. In addition to highlighting the widespread failure of urban companies to address air and noise pollution – two of the most serious threats to public health in cities – the research also reveals that while billions face a cost-of-living crisis, affordability remains absent from the sustainability agenda of companies.

The WBA found that among companies who provided housing and key services in the world’s 43 megacities, home to more than 692 million people, 75 per cent have no strategies or actions in place to address affordability. Even more concerning, only one in ten companies operating in low- and middle-income countries are addressing cost concerns and taking steps to make housing and essential services more affordable. Furthermore, over half of the companies assessed are failing to report any engagement with affected urban stakeholders.

Despite overall poor performance across the Benchmark, there are some signs of progress. Companies such as Taiwan Power and India-based developer DLF have begun implementing measures to control emissions and address disaster preparedness, which are already showing results. Overall, these efforts reflect a growing awareness and commitment among some companies in the benchmark to actively address environmental and social challenges and adopt sustainable practices.

Tony Widjarnarso, urban transformation lead at the WBA, said: “With billions of people facing an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, these companies have a massive opportunity to drive affordability and access to housing and essential services. If they fail to prioritise affordability, they risk deepening inequality in rapidly growing urban areas.”

“We need urgent action, transparency, accountability and collaboration from businesses, who must work alongside policymakers to ensure that cities become more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable for all. The health of billions of people depends on it.”

From an environmental perspective, companies are falling down on two fronts: controlling emissions and preparing for disasters that could follow. Cities contribute significantly to global CO₂ emissions, yet many of the biggest urban companies lack transparency and effective reduction efforts, worsening climate change. Less than half of benchmarked companies are disclosing their emissions data. A stronger corporate commitment is crucial if cities are to achieve their climate goals and safeguard the planet’s future.

At the same time, many companies operating in high-risk urban areas are poorly prepared for natural disasters, with 63 per cent failing to conduct proper risk assessments and 69 per cent not disclosing emergency plans. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of disasters, these gaps in preparedness leave cities even more vulnerable. Companies must act urgently to reduce emissions and strengthen disaster resilience.

“To safeguard net-zero goals, local authorities should integrate decarbonisation into public procurement, licensing, and building permits,” Widjarnarso added. “This would push companies to boost transparency and reduce their carbon footprint in line with climate targets. Governments, regulators and investors should enforce stricter reporting and sustainability standards to ensure corporate accountability.”