Listening to and Learning from Our Stakeholders
Our Key Stakeholders and How We Engage with Them
Suppliers help us to successfully deliver sustainable solutions around the world. We conduct business in a fair and professional manner. We communicate regularly with our suppliers, from initial screening and vendor selection through the fulfillment of procurement activities. We aim for the highest standards of business ethics, professional courtesy and competency in our supplier en-gagements.
Researchers and equipment suppliers investigate new technologies. These stakeholders contribute to new technologies to help reduce emissions and improve the efficiency of Covanta’s processes. We support research conducted by academic institutions, DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-e), and the US EPA, including through the EPA’s Cooperative Research and Development Agreement mechanism. We also engage third parties to study various topics related to our industry.
Industry groups focus on energy, climate change and other environmental issues. Industry groups with which we engage include, among others, the following:
• Energy Recovery Council
• Business Council for Sustainable Energy
• Biomass Power Association
• Ontario Waste Management Association
• Environmental Services Association (UK)
• Chartered Institute of Waste Management (UK)
• Confederation of European Waste to Energy Plants (CEWEP)
• Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF).
Investors and shareholders support and invest in our business. Our goal is to provide an attractive free cash flow profile by utilizing our irreplaceable infrastructure assets to offer sustainable waste, material and energy services. In addition, we invest in new initiatives in the United States and overseas to expand our capabilities. We regularly engage with shareholders through roadshows, conferences and quarterly and one-on-one calls. And through regular announcements and financial filings we update stakeholders on our growth plans and financial and operational performance. In recent years we have communicated our sustainability strategy and performance through enhanced disclosure in our 10-K reports and proxy statements. Please visit our Investor Relations webpage for investor news, presentations, and financial filings.
Municipal and corporate customers engage us to handle their waste resources responsibly and sustainably. Each of our facilities has designated management personnel responsible for interacting with our cus-tomers and partners. We meet with our municipal partners regularly.
Community members live near our facilities and/or benefit from our services. Engagement with the community starts at the beginning of a facility’s development. We inform interested parties about the basic scope, objectives, and operational aspects of a project. We provide forums for community members to discuss concerns they may have about our facilities’ operations. Outreach to communities includes in-person meetings, phone calls and informational publications. We have standardized our community engagement process as part of our WTE facilities’ Community Outreach Plans, and yet we retain the flexibility to respond to the needs and concerns of the individual community. Our Community Outreach and Environmental Justice Policy is the foundation on which our plans are built. Please visit our Community Relations webpage for more information.
Policy makers shape policy affecting our materials management and energy solutions, including WTE and our materials processing facilities. We engage with policy makers globally, participating in working groups or discussions and commenting on proposed policy changes, to ensure that the economic, environmental and societal benefits of WTE are taken into consideration when new policies are formulated.
Regulators provide oversight of facility operations to ensure we meet regulatory and permit requirements. We communicate transparently with our regulators as required by our permits and proactively when appropriate. We partner with regulators and engage regularly on research initiatives to help develop innovative technologies that will increase the efficiency, safety and effectiveness of our sustainable solutions, including WTE.
Suppliers help us deliver solutions sustainably and successfully around the world. We conduct business in a fair and professional manner. We are in regular communication with our suppliers, from initial screening and vendor selection through the fulfillment of procurement activities. We strive for the highest possible standards of business ethics, professional courtesy and competency in our engagements with suppliers. We are always looking for more sustainable sources of raw materials.
Employees drive the creation of business value and deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers. We gather feedback through pulse surveys and focus groups. We also engage with employees through team meetings, individual performance reviews, skills development, professional training and other frequent activities and communications. Please visit our Workforce Engagement webpage for more about how we engage our people.
Nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) help us address issues related to environmental stewardship and social justice. We engage with various NGOs, such as the Go Green Initiative and the Product Stewardship Institute, to strengthen our policies, activities and performance. Our Community Outreach and Environmental Justice Policy guides us in seeking to understand and resolve issues and concerns of our local community members.
Industry peers help drive our industry toward greater sustainability leadership. We interact with our peers and competitors through industry groups, conferences and other events to help promote more sustainable waste management and energy solutions.
Industry peers help drive our industry toward greater sustainability leadership. We interact with our peers and competitors through industry groups and at industry conferences or events. Working with peers can help promote more sustainable waste management and energy solutions.
Covanta has developed its sustainability efforts and disclosures to further relationships with all stake-holders—which, in turn, furthers its business objectives.
We regularly engage with key external stakeholders to understand and address their information needs and expectations for business performance. We communicate regularly with them to advance our mission to provide sustainable waste and energy solutions and to ensure no waste is ever wasted.
