Renewable Energy Group releases 2020 ESG report

Renewable Energy Group Inc. has published its 2020 environmental, social and governance (ESG) report. In a year with so much disruption and hardship, the company felt it was more important than ever to support the environment, its employees and society.

“In 2020, REG was in the right place at the right time, providing essential clean energy to the transportation sector,” said CJ Warner, REG president and CEO. “As consumers and businesses are increasingly recognizing a responsibility to be a part of the energy transition, there is strong desire to act now. REG is making real and immediate carbon reductions and stands ready to grow and innovate in order to meet increasing demand.”

The new report details the company’s 2020 ESG performance. Highlights include:

COVID-19 Response

REG took early action in response to the pandemic, forming a COVID-19 Emergency Response Team in February 2020. Some of the many measures included:

• Implementing a remote-work policy for those able to work from home

• Instituting plans at each REG location for: social distancing; personal protective equipment; workspace disinfection; updating ventilation systems; and developing visitor protocols

• Creating metrics to track employee health, supply status, and business impact and providing regular employee communication and information on developments related to the pandemic

• Establishing a paid-time-off policy for employees affected by COVID-19 and “return-to-learn” plans for employees with school-age children

• Supporting communities financially and through volunteer efforts

Environmental Sustainability

REG took these precautions while continuing to produce high-quality, low-carbon biodiesel, renewable diesel and REG Ultra Clean®—fuels that allow customers to immediately reduce emissions and can be used in existing diesel engines. Areas of sustainable success in 2020 included:

• Producing 519 million gallons of biofuel, which generated 4.2 million metric tons of carbon reduction

• Increasing its average biodiesel with petroleum diesel blend to 13 percent, allowing for greater displacement of petroleum diesel and improved carbon reduction

• Utilizing 14 different feedstocks, primarily waste and derived from more than 100 suppliers, demonstrating advanced capabilities related to feedstock flexibility

• Updating its environmental management system to streamline and enhance management and analytical capabilities

• Advancing the company’s downstream strategy, making low-carbon solutions more accessible to end-users

Social Responsibility

In 2020, REG continued to build upon a company culture that values our employees, partners and communities by:

• Completing a large, coordinated effort to execute a major scheduled maintenance project at the company’s renewable diesel plant in Geismar, Louisiana, in the midst of a pandemic, with no known COVID-19 transmissions and zero recordable injuries

• Creating an Inclusion & Diversity Council, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Council and Women’s Council for REG employees

• Donating to more than 170 causes focused on our philanthropic areas of emphasis, including youth, health and the environment

• Volunteering more than 2,000 hours in communities across the world through volunteer time off hours provided to all REG employees

Forward-looking Governance

REG also expanded its focus on governance in 2020 through initiatives with the board of directors and senior leadership team. Highlights from 2020 include:

• Renaming one of the board committees to Nominating and ESG Committee and updating its charter to assume oversight of the company’s incorporation of broader ESG issues in its approach and strategic thinking

• Reorganizing the REG senior leadership team, with the creation of new senior vice president roles to help accelerate the company’s growth

To learn more about REG environmental, social and governance efforts, read the 2020 report here.