EQT

About EQT
Stakeholder
Engagement
and Materiality

Engaging Stakeholders

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Approach to stakeholder engagement
2-29

Our mission is to become the operator of choice for all our stakeholders. We define stakeholders as those most interested in and impacted by our operations. As part of our 2022 strategic materiality assessment, we conducted value chain impact-mapping workshops with our employee subject matter experts to identify and refine the key stakeholder groups that we engage with to realize our mission.

Stakeholders provide valuable feedback from a variety of perspectives. We monitor stakeholder interests specific to our operations and to the broader natural gas industry, and we actively engage with stakeholders as part of our effort to continuously improve.

We believe in maintaining an open and honest dialogue with our stakeholders and we provide numerous avenues for them to engage with us. Based on our experience and ongoing communications with stakeholders, we have developed specific methods of response designed to meet our stakeholders’ diverse expectations and engagement preferences.

For the purposes of this report, we define our workers as:

  • Employees — full-time and part-time employees of EQT;
  • Contract Workers — temporary workers assigned to fill a role or complete a specific project; and
  • Service providers — third-party or outsourced providers hired to perform specialized services for EQT.

EQT’s Key Stakeholders[1]

  • Capital providers and investors
  • Contractors
  • Customers
  • Employees
  • First responders
  • Industry and trade associations
  • Influencers
  • Landowners
  • Law enforcement
  • Local communities
  • Local, state, and federal legislators
  • Media
  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charities
  • Partners in venture investments
  • Service Providers
  • Suppliers 

[1] Key stakeholders are presented in alphabetical order.

Strategic Materiality Assessment

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Process to determine material topics
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In 2022, we conducted a refreshed strategic materiality assessment to analyze the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics most impactful to our operations, internal and external stakeholders, and corporate strategy. Coordinated by a leading sustainability consulting firm, this comprehensive process followed the Global Reporting Initiative’s materiality process of identification, prioritization, and validation.

Identification

  • Aligned with EQT’s focus on technological innovation and process efficiencies, the consulting firm used desktop research and an artificial intelligence software provider to identify the universe of potentially relevant ESG topics applicable to our industry.
  • The consulting firm refined this initial list and, in collaboration with our ESG Committee, defined the boundary for each topic through an interactive value chain impact-mapping exercise with 12 EQT subject matter experts that represented a cross-section of our business functions.

Prioritization

  • The consulting firm conducted interviews with our executive team and other senior leaders, members of our Board of Directors and representatives from a capital provider, local regulator, customer, service provider, and non-governmental organization (NGO) to provide evidence of impacts, risks, and opportunities.
  • The consulting firm analyzed written internal and external sources to supplement stakeholder interviews and provide additional evidence of priorities for key stakeholder groups.
  • Benchmarking, regulation, and policymaker modules hosted by a leading ESG analytics software platform added thousands of additional inputs to aid in our analysis.
  • Evidence from interviews, written sources, and our analytics platform were scored with methodology defined by the consulting firm. The firm then scaled scores and prioritized ESG topics on a matrix across two axes: Priority to EQT and Priority to External Stakeholders.

Validation

  • Our ESG Committee, which includes our CEO, General Counsel, and other members of senior management, reviewed and validated the results during a 2-hour interactive workshop.

Material Topics

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List of material topics
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Our ESG material topics inform the content in this report, and we use the findings to inform our organizational strategy and management approaches. We did not use the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s concept of materiality for purposes of our strategic materiality assessment or to determine disclosures in our ESG Report. Rather, we incorporated the Global Reporting Initiative’s definition, which states "Material topics are topics that represent an organization’s most significant impacts on the economy, environment, and people, including impacts on their human rights,” along with prioritization from a business risk and opportunity perspective. Therefore, for EQT, material topics reflect both EQT’s impact on people, the planet, and the economy and the topics’ potential impact on our company. The interactive infographic below displays the results of our 2022 strategic materiality assessment.

Materiality Matrix[1]

Click on the topics to learn more.

Environmental
Social
Governance
Air Quality
Biodiversity and Land Impacts
Operational GHG Emissions
Climate Change Strategy
Spills and Leaks
Supply Chain
Waste
Water
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Economic and Societal Impact
Environmental Justice
Philanthropy and Community Giving
Workforce Health and Safety
Talent Attraction and Retention
Workforce Development
Corporate Governance
Cybersecurity and Data
Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response
Ethics and Integrity
Public Policy and Perception
Shareholder Relations
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Priority to EQT
Priority to External Stakeholders

Environmental

Air Quality

Managing and minimizing non-GHG air emissions (volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, etc.) across EQT’s value chain.

Biodiversity and Land Impacts

Using land management systems and practices that protect soil quality, biodiversity, forests, animal welfare and habitats, from the onset or acquisition of a project site through reclamation, decommissioning, and asset end of life.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Site design and construction
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Gas field service
  • Road construction and repair
  • Processing
  • Decommissioning
  • Site reclamation
External:
  • Landowner leasing
  • Pipeline and transportation assets (midstream)
  • Pipeline and transportation contracts

Operational GHG Emissions

Utilizing management systems to drive down Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, maintain and monitor best management practices, and make improvements to reduce our operational energy consumption and overall climate impact. Includes improvements to infrastructure and operations that increase efficiency and reduce emissions as well as diversifying energy sources, where possible.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Site design and construction
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Production
  • Gas field service
  • Maintenance
  • Road construction and repair
  • Processing
  • Decommissioning
  • Site reclamation
External:
  • Water transport to site and production (contractors)
  • Water transport from site and storage and disposal (contractors)

Climate Change Strategy

Addressing and mitigating the physical and transition impacts, risks, and opportunities presented by climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Includes adaptation and resilience strategies adopted by EQT.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Site design and construction
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Production
  • Gas field service
External:
  • Pipeline and transportation assets (midstream)
  • Pipeline and transportation contracts

Spills and Leaks

Preventing spills and leaks into the environment and managing them when they occur, with particular attention paid to harmful substances.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Decommissioning
  • Water management
External:
  • Water transport to site and production (contractors)
  • Water transport from site and storage and disposal (contractors)
  • Pipeline and transportation assets (midstream)
  • Pipeline and transportation contracts

Supply Chain

Cultivating a responsible, fair, and transparent supply chain and ensures fair labor practices. Also includes establishing policies and systems to monitor supplier performance against EQT's ESG commitments to minimize or eliminate the negative impacts of our products across their lifecycles.

Waste

Effectively handling the generation, storage, transportation, and disposal of solid and hazardous waste produced by business activities. Includes treatment, recycling, reduction, and application measures.

Water

Minimizing water use and increasing use of recycled water to protect local water sources while preserving water quality through sound wastewater management practices.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Decommissioning
  • Water management
External:
  • Water transport to site and production (contractors)
  • Water transport from site and storage and disposal (contractors)

Social

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Ensuring processes and mechanisms are in place for EQT to grow and maintain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce and ensure equal opportunities and treatment for all employees.

Economic and Societal Impact

Monitoring and managing the positive and negative physical and financial impacts on the communities in which EQT operates. Includes traffic and impacts on roads; noise pollution; public safety; and other specific community concerns as well as relationships with landowners and royalties paid, tax revenue generated by operations, and indirect local economic impacts. Also encompasses strategies adopted by EQT to meet increasing global energy demand and to create long-term value for investors and society by providing access to affordable, reliable domestic energy.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Advanced planning
  • Permitting
  • Site design and construction
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Gas field service
  • Road construction and repair
  • Processing
  • Decommissioning
  • Site reclamation
  • EQT Foundation activities
External:
  • Landowner leasing
  • Pipeline and transportation
  • assets (midstream)
  • Pipeline and transportation contracts
  • Water transport to site and production (contractors)
  • Water transport from site and storage and disposal (contractors)

Environmental Justice

Acknowledging and realizing the impacts that EQT can have on historically marginalized, disadvantaged, and lower socioeconomic people within the communities in which EQT operates, with an emphasis on the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income. Includes impacts related to the development, implementation, enforcement, and expansion of EQT's business and facility operations and policies, such as siting, permitting, and strategic ventures.

Philanthropy and Community Giving

Contributing to nonprofit and community organizations through fundraising, employee volunteering efforts, and in-kind donations of products or services.

Workforce Health and Safety

Ensuring the safety and well-being of all workers by maintaining safe working conditions, supplying personal protective equipment and providing resources to maintain and improve physical and emotional health.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Site design and construction
  • Drilling
  • Pumping
  • Completion and hydraulic fracturing
  • Gas field service
  • Road construction and repair
  • Processing
  • Decommissioning
External:
  • Local, state, and federal regulation compliance
  • Pipeline and transportation contracts
  • Water transport to site and production (contractors)
  • Water transport from site and storage and disposal (contractors)

Talent Attraction and Retention

Attracting workers with valuable skills and developing strategies for retaining and engaging employees by providing professional development opportunities and technology-enabled work tools, promoting diversity and inclusion, and ensuring workforce developments are communicated effectively.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Administration
  • Operations
  • Management
  • Workforce development
  • Finance management
External:
  • Local and national labor market

Workforce Development

Ensuring the EQT workforce is functioning at its most productive levels by providing training programs and professional development opportunities across the organization in an effort to cultivate a competitive, skilled workforce that is prepared for today's work and the work of the future.

Governance

Corporate Governance

Developing and maintaining the mechanisms, procedures, and rules concerning the company's internal control, supervision, reporting, and decision-making system.

Cybersecurity and Data

Securing and protecting private corporate information, critical information systems, and networks from security breaches and cyberattacks that could disrupt business operations, damage facilities, and lead to a catastrophic physical event. Includes adequately managing a breach, if it were to occur.

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response

Identifying, managing, and responding to impact accidents and emergency events, including the development of plans, actions, protocols, and trainings to ensure the safety of the workforce and the continuity of core business operations during and after crises. Includes catastrophic events resulting from natural disasters or human error and negligence.

Ethics and Integrity

Ensuring preservation of integrity and credibility with stakeholders by promoting ethical business behavior throughout the value chain, preventing corruption and favoritism, providing mechanisms for stakeholders to report on concerns, and operating in accordance with corporate values — Trust, Teamwork, Heart and Evolution.

Public Policy and Perception

Engaging in the legislative and regulatory process to proactively work with policymakers, political candidates, organizations and other stakeholders to craft recommendations for laws and regulations that will be effective and workable for EQT's business activities. Includes participating in studies and coalitions and contributing to public policy and dialogue addressing domestic and global energy demands, as well as engaging with advocacy groups.
 
IMPACT BOUNDARIES
 
Internal:
  • Internal communications and public affairs
External:
  • Local, state, and federal regulation compliance
  • Lobbying
  • Landowner leasing

Shareholder Relations

Organizing, monitoring, maintaining and improving relationships and communication streams with shareholders who may affect or be affected by EQT's activities and decisions.
 

[1] “Impact Boundary” refers to potential items that may be impacted by a material topic and our involvement in such impacts.


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