Williams announced the release of its 2021 Sustainability Report, showing specific steps the company has taken toward meeting its 2030 climate commitment. In addition to providing a comprehensive review of environmental performance metrics, the latest sustainability report details the company’s focus on social and governance issues as it serves growing demand for clean, affordable and reliable energy while protecting the environment and building strong communities. An electronic version of the report is available at www.williams.com/sustainability.

“As one of the nation’s leading energy infrastructure providers, we are committed to leveraging our large-scale natural gas infrastructure for the benefit of tomorrow and generations to come,” said Williams President and CEO Alan Armstrong. “We have prioritized our natural gas-focused strategy because we see firsthand the critical role it plays in providing affordable and dependable low-carbon energy while supporting the growth of renewables. At the same time, we recognize that more needs to be done to mitigate the risks of climate change and stimulate technology growth needed to build a viable clean energy economy.”

See related article: Williams to Partner With Context Labs on Technology to Certify and Optimize Clean Energy Delivery

Highlights of Williams’ 2021 Sustainability Report include the following:

• No. 1 in peer group in Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 2021; only U.S. energy company to rank in DJSI world index
• Top 5: Brendon Wood International Shareholder Confidence Index for U.S. Power and Utility Companies
• Reduced company-wide Scope 1 & 2 absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 47% since 2005 in line with 2030 climate commitment to reduce emissions by 56% from 2005 levels, putting Williams on a path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050
• Reduced pipeline blowdown GHG emissions by average of 84% when using recompression technology
• Avoided 5.68 million tons of CO₂ equivalent between 1993 and 2021 by partnering with the Natural Gas STAR program
• Committed more than $40 million via Corporate Venture Capital program for innovative climate change technologies including hydrogen production and transport, carbon capture applications and state-of-the-art emissions quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification platforms.
• Advanced 10 solar projects to permitting state
• Reinvigorated employee resource groups (ERGs) to drive inclusion across the enterprise
• Pledged support for the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Coalition
• Filled 39% of open positions from within
• 30% of early career hires over the past five years from underrepresented race and ethnicity groups
• Held more than 185 stakeholder engagement events with local communities
• Contributed more than $12 million to more than 2,100 organizations across 48 states
• Volunteered more than 23,000 hours with charitable organizations.

Williams’ 2021 Sustainability Report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and references the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Oil & Gas – Midstream Standard and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, Williams’ 2021 Sustainability Report received independent assurance from ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM CVS) for select greenhouse gas emissions, safety, pipeline integrity and diversity & inclusion data.

Source: Williams