Waste Connections releases 2022 ESG report

Waste Connections, Toronto, has released its 2022 Sustainability Report highlighting advancement toward the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, including the addition of one for emissions reduction.

The updated report provides expanded ESG-related disclosure with the introduction of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reporting framework, as well as a new sustainability microsite and ESG hub.

“Our updated Sustainability Report details the efforts of over 20,000 employees who embody our values, culture and shared view of sustainability as integral to our strategy for long-term value creation,” Waste Connections President and CEO Worthing F. Jackman says. “In 2021, we demonstrated continued progress towards our ESG targets, as well as further improvement in our ‘net zero’ position and a two-year reduction in emissions intensity of 18 percent, as we decreased emissions while achieving outsized growth during the period. We believe these results and our ongoing investments in sustainability-related projects are emblematic of our commitment to the environment, our employees and the communities we are privileged to serve.” 

Waste Connections increased its revenue by 14 percent while reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 7 percent since 2019, driving an 18 percent reduction in emissions intensity. The report also includes reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 15 percent, which the company calls an “aspirational goal.”

“We continue to raise the bar on accountability with the introduction of a target for further reductions in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, along with a commitment to work toward the adoption of a science-based target initiative (SBTI) emissions reduction target,” Jackman says.

Waste Connections also improved its beyond-net-zero position by expanding its net climate benefit ratio as internally generated operational offsets resulted in the avoidance of 3.4 times the emissions generated from its operations in 2021.

The company increased biogas recovery in 2021 and plans to develop 10 projects during the next two to five years.

In 2021, the company also increased its recycling tonnage and began construction of two greenfield, state-of-the-art recycling facilities that should be completed by 2024.

On the workforce front, Waste Connections reduced its incident rate with 55 percent of its facilities reporting zero incidents or year-over-year reductions in incidents. The company also says it improved employee engagement as measured by the annual servant leadership survey.

The company continued COVID-19-related discretionary investments in employee support in 2022, bringing total outlay since the beginning of the pandemic to more than $50 million.