EPCOR releases Environment, Social and Governance Report and sets pathway to net zero emissions

EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR) today published its 2020 Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Report – Leading for the Future. The report includes a scorecard of 25 performance measures and 17 targets, feature stories and videos profiling key initiatives, and interviews with leading experts and scientists from across the company. 

"We are pleased to share this ESG report, which builds on our 20-year heritage of sustainability reporting," said Stuart Lee, President and CEO of EPCOR. "We invite readers to discover the progress EPCOR has been making, the commitments we've made, and the targets we've set. Our work to achieve these targets will help create the value expected by our customers, stakeholders, investors, and employees."

EPCOR's Board of Directors and executive leadership oversaw the development of the ESG performance measures and reporting. The process included a materiality assessment that sought feedback from stakeholders representing a broad range of interests and experiences. As a result, EPCOR's report focuses on 10 ESG factors that stakeholders and management rated as most material to the company:

• Affordability and access to utility services
• Community relations
• Public health and safety, and emergency management
• Physical climate risk
• Water and wastewater management
• Business ethics and corporate governance
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Workforce health and safety
• Human capital management

"EPCOR is committed to leadership in corporate governance, including continuous improvement to governance systems and reporting to meet evolving market needs," said Janice Rennie, Chair of EPCOR's Board of Directors. "Through ESG reporting and measures, EPCOR's stakeholders will gain insight into the processes we are using to manage risk, leverage opportunities, and sustain our work to provide clean water and safe, reliable energy."

Environmental stewardship, public health, and community well-being are at the heart of EPCOR's mission to provide clean water and safe, reliable energy. They are also central to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) — a universal framework for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and improving the lives and prospects of people everywhere. The report details ways EPCOR is making meaningful contributions towards these goals, and how EPCOR is addressing its top-10 ESG factors. EPCOR's ESG targets and commitments include:

• Maintaining a board of directors composed of at least 67% independent directors, with at least 35% of board seats held by women.
• Fostering a safety-first and ethical organizational culture.
• Supporting the achievement of global, national and local climate action ambitions by reducing EPCOR's companywide net greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2025 and 85% by 2035 compared to 2020 emissions, and reaching net-zero by 2050.
• Sustaining the company's leading role in watershed protection by implementing climate adaptation initiatives to protect source water supplies and adopting targets for wastewater re-use.
• Enhancing utility and community resiliency through investments in flood prevention infrastructure and programs.
• Developing meaningful relationships with partners and stakeholders through transparent, open dialogue and collaboration.
• Building a workforce that is reflective of the diversity of the communities we serve. 
• Measuring our progress as a partner to Indigenous Nations, communities and Peoples through the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Progressive Aboriginal Relations program.
• Supporting local organizations and initiatives that are helping to end poverty, strengthen communities, and foster vibrancy.

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