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Social

Community Engagement

Equitrans strives to operate as a socially responsible company and to positively contribute to our local communities. Community engagement allows us to build partnerships with those who may be affected by our work, and it is important to us that our stakeholders are confident in our commitment to operating in a safe and responsible manner. Through our engagement efforts, we demonstrate Equitrans’ commitment to a sustainable future and illustrate the critical role that natural gas is playing in the clean energy transition.

Strengthening Community Partnerships

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Operations with local community engagement, impact assessments, and development programs

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Operations with significant actual and potential negative impacts on local communities

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Community engagement is a vital component of our license to operate. We work to develop and maintain strong community relations through ongoing communication, active participation, and community investment. Our community engagement efforts are designed to inform communities about our operations in a way that builds understanding and trust, and we strive to identify community needs, interests, and concerns related to our operations and work to address them in a proactive and responsive manner.

 

Additionally, environmental justice is an important component of our stakeholder outreach activities. In line with our Environmental Justice Policy, adopted in 2022, our primary goal is to provide for the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in any public process involving our operations regardless of race, color, national origin, or income. For example, the outreach team working on our Ohio Valley Connector Expansion (OVCX) project contracted the services of an outside vendor that specialized in the identification of and engagement with environmental justice communities located near the project. As part of the OVCX project’s application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the environmental justice information gathered and the outreach actions taken were included in several regulatory reports, such as the FERC’s Public Participation Plan.

Our community engagement efforts are designed to build understanding and trust with our stakeholders; we strive to identify community needs, interests, and concerns related to our operations and work to address them in a proactive and responsive manner.

We also invest in community projects and programs that will have a positive, lasting impact and consistently engage with community members to keep them informed of our current, planned, and proposed operations. Through our Stakeholder Engagement and Community Investment Policy, we capture our efforts to build collaboration and trust with our communities and other key stakeholders. At Equitrans, these engagements typically involve three primary approaches: addressing community concerns and public perceptions; investing in communities; and maintaining our social license to operate. 

From a volunteerism aspect, we encourage our employees to solicit and recommend community outreach volunteer programs and support their participation in volunteer activities that enrich the lives of others and enhance their own experiences. Equitrans utilizes E-Train On-Track to support employee engagement in corporate-sponsored community service initiatives and social activities that align with our Core Values of Safety, Integrity, Collaboration, Transparency, and Excellence.

Addressing Community Concerns and Public Perceptions

 

As part of Equitrans’ efforts to build a more sustainable future, we believe it is important to educate the public about the critical role that natural gas plays, and we believe will continue to play, in the transition to a lower-carbon economy. As this transition progresses, we must address public concerns and perceptions about natural gas — listening to and acting on community input to build trust and long-lasting relationships.

Our government affairs, communications/corporate affairs, and land groups serve as the primary liaison for responding to inquiries from our community stakeholders. Equitrans’ construction and engineering teams also assist in addressing specific technical or operational inquiries. Collectively, these teams frequently engage with civic organizations, elected officials, emergency response personnel, business owners, and residents to foster relationships at the local, state, and national levels. 

Specific to the OVCX project, Equitrans extended its landowner contact radius from 0.5 mile to 1 mile to maximize the engagement efforts by our land team.

In late 2022, Equitrans initiated a toll-free Community Hotline (888-574-6944) specifically designed for the timely exchange of questions, concerns, and suggestions from members of our local communities, as well as our many other stakeholders. Additionally, in 2021, we began evaluating the development of a Companywide stakeholder engagement and issues tracking system. The system is intended to create a single repository for various departments to identify and manage general concerns, requests, and specific issues. In doing so, we would be better able to deliver on our commitment to accurately resolve concerns/issues in a timely manner, ensure uniformity in our resolution approach, and proactively minimize issues before they become larger concerns or disputes. A technology solution was identified in 2022 and system implementation is targeted for 2023.

Additionally, our land team manages specific requests regarding payment- or tax-related questions. Landowners can contact Equitrans representatives through our Owner Relations phone number (888-613-7848) or via email at OwnerRelations@equitransmidstream.com.

Key Topics Raised by Local Stakeholders

The majority of key topics and concerns raised by our local stakeholders are temporary issues, such as noise, roadway damage, and increased traffic, most of which occur during the construction phase. When a stakeholder voices a concern, we assign relevant project team members to address and provide solutions. Should the project team member be unable to alleviate a stakeholder’s concern, we escalate the topic to the appropriate management level. Once implemented, our stakeholder engagement and issues tracking system will be a valuable tool in this area.

We continuously evaluate the impacts of our operations on local communities and establish best practices to proactively mitigate issues and concerns to the greatest extent possible. As an example, prior to the installation of a compressor station, we evaluate the area around the station and perform sound studies to understand baseline noise levels and identify potential noise-related issues that may arise. If these studies identify a noise issue, we proactively install sound mitigation measures, where appropriate, to minimize impact to the neighboring properties.

 

Equitrans invested more than $1,145,000 in local roadway improvements during 2022.

Our use of roads during pipeline construction is another noteworthy example of our efforts to be responsible community stewards. Construction activities often temporarily impact local roadway conditions, and it is important that we make every effort to minimize these impacts. When starting construction, Equitrans implements established procedures to identify the roads we will traverse to assess any maintenance that may be required, either before or after work is finished. We communicate this information to the local municipality and work with the municipality’s officials to ensure minimal disruption to community members during our use of the roadways. In 2022, Equitrans invested a total of more than $1,145,000 in local roadway repairs and upgrades across its operating areas in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Maintaining an open and transparent dialogue with our many local stakeholders demonstrates Equitrans’ steadfast commitment to social responsibility and ensures that we are upholding our Core Values and following our policies, practices, and procedures. We encourage community engagement in all aspects of our business and believe community feedback allows our organization to be more effective and efficient.

Enhancing Stakeholder Outreach for New Projects

We strive to establish good working relationships with local communities and to reinforce clear lines of communication, which is particularly important when commencing new construction projects. For the OVCX project, Equitrans began outreach activities in the months leading up to the filing of the project's application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity with the FERC. Equitrans initially contacted landowners in April 2021 for survey permission and to open the dialogue regarding the Project’s expansion plans. After consulting with the FERC and the Environmental Protection Agency, Equitrans extended the project's landowner contact radius from 0.5 mile to 1 mile to maximize the engagement efforts by our land team.

The OVCX outreach team also met with state and local elected officials; hosted three community open houses (Greene County, PA; Wetzel County, WV; and Monroe County, OH); sent additional project-related informational mailings (including pre-paid postage comment cards for direct feedback); distributed routine newsletters with project updates; established a project website early in the process for easy access to information; set-up a “pop-up” information table at a local business; and supported events and programs in the project area through our corporate local giving program. Additional project information can be found online at OVCX Project.

Investing in Communities

 

At Equitrans, we believe in investing in our communities, supporting local organizations, and giving back in ways that are most meaningful to our stakeholders. We are committed to being a good neighbor and strive to create lasting value for our employees, families, and community members. Through our corporate local giving and sponsorship program, as well as the Equitrans Midstream Foundation, we support a wide range of organizations within our communities and are expanding our efforts to include larger-scale initiatives that have a sustainability focus. By investing in our communities and elevating our sustainability outreach, we create a positive impact that extends far beyond our Company, helping to strengthen the foundation for future generations.

Aligned with our Core Values and sustainability initiatives, including select United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our corporate local giving and sponsorship program is designed to assist local organizations, non-profit groups, first responders, and municipalities seeking assistance for community projects. Other investments include the active sponsorship of county fairs, community festivals, and other local events. These donations and sponsorships present opportunities for us to interact with community members, inform them of our business operations, and most importantly, enhance their quality of life.

During 2022, Equitrans’ employees logged 852 hours of volunteer time through our volunteer paid-time off program.

Our E-Train On-Track Committee consists of employee representatives from various departments who work to coordinate employee events and community volunteer opportunities. On a monthly basis, committee members evaluate opportunities presented by their coworkers, including volunteerism, community service, and employee social activities. Equitrans offers a “volunteer paid-time off” program that allows employees to use regular work hours to engage directly with their community. With supervisor approval, an employee can take up to two business days of paid volunteer time each year to work in the community with a non-profit charity or organization of their choice.

Finally, as the charitable arm of our Company, the Equitrans Midstream Foundation is a legally separate 501(c)(3) entity established in 2018. Our Foundation partners with non-profit organizations to boost social and economic prosperity in local communities by investing in projects and programs through three focus areas: community development, education, and the environment.

Corporate Local Giving and Sponsorships

In line with our Stakeholder Engagement and Community Investment Policy, our communications and corporate affairs team utilizes a formal Stakeholder Engagement and Community Investment (SECI) Plan to outline our outreach and local giving/sponsorship activities for the year. The SECI Plan is updated annually during the standard business plan cycle, and, to ensure legality and appropriateness, the SECI Plan includes a formal review structure and approval process, as well as a quarterly review by our internal audit team. The primary objective is to ensure all contributions align with our Core Values and to verify donations are not being made to entities that have oversight of our current or future operations.

Equitrans’ senior community advisor manages the internal review process, and members of the review team are a cross-functional representation of employees, including land, legal, human resources, field operations, business development, construction, government affairs, and communications and corporate affairs departments. The review process ensures requests are in line with Equitrans’ Corporate Sponsorships and Local Giving Guidelines, which are available for stakeholder reference on Equitrans’ website. The level of review is based on the dollar amount being requested, with multi-year sponsorship requests and larger regional or national initiatives requiring executive review.

 

During 2022, Equitrans’ corporate contributions totaled more than $700,000 and supported more than 75 community activities.

 

In addition, there is potential for local giving/sponsorship opportunities to be aligned with the United Nations SDGs, including, but not limited to, SDG3 (health & wellness); SDG4 (quality education); SDG5 (gender equality); SD6 (clean water & sanitation); SDG7 (affordable & clean energy); SDG8 (decent work & economic growth); SDG9 (industry, innovation & infrastructure); SDG11 (sustainable communities); SDG13 (climate action); and SDG15 (life on land). Alignment with the SDGs is evaluated as part of the review process; however, lack of alignment does not preclude funding for local community events and organizations. The team categorizes each approved request to align with the select SDG, as applicable. In 2022, approximately 95% of the Company's charitable donations aligned with at least one SDG.

During 2022, Equitrans made supporting contributions totaling more than $700,000 (excluding project-related donations). Since our launch as an independent midstream company, our community involvement has continued to increase and evolve, and we have taken on several broader ESG-related initiatives aligned with select UN SDGs. Corporate sponsorships and donations for the year included programs and organizations such as:

  • Allegheny Parks
  • Alvéole
  • Appalachia Water Project
  • Belmont County Agricultural Society
  • Belmont County District Library
  • Belmont County Schools
  • Beverly’s Birthdays
  • City of Mannington 
  • Crossed Paws Animal Shelter
  • DogTopia Foundation
  • Fern Hollow Nature Center
  • Governor’s One Shot, Inc. 
  • Greene County Community & Technical Center
  • Jefferson Morgan Centennial Lions Club
  • Junior Achievement
  • Ohio Oil and Gas Association
  • One Tree Planted
  • Parents in ToTo
  • Sardis C.A.R.E.S
  • Sons of the American Legion
  • SWPA Ducks Unlimited
  • Three Rivers Youth
  • United Way Lewis, Gilmer & Upshur
  • United Way of Washington County
  • Washington County Agricultural Association
  • Waynesburg University
  • West Greene Schools
  • West Virginia Botanic Gardens
  • West Virginia Game Changers Education Program
  • Women’s Energy Network
  • Multiple 4-H and livestock events, community festivals, county fairs, emergency responders, volunteer fire departments, and scholarship programs

As we broaden our sustainability investments, we are especially proud of our partnership with Fill It Forward, an organization whose mission is “to inspire the world to reuse” by focusing on the elimination of single-use waste, such as plastic bottles and bags. Additional information for our Fill It Forward campaign, including our collective environmental benefits, can be found in the Highlight Stories of this report.

Equitrans employees recorded 20,586 total reuses during our 2022 Fill It Forward campaign.

Equitrans also partnered with the West Virginia Botanic Garden (WVBG) for the renovation of its new visitors center – the Equitrans Midstream Visitors Center. The new center, targeted for completion in summer 2025, will include a gift shop, café, office space, and a ticketing office for special events, as well as additional amenities for WVBG visitors. In alignment with Equitrans’ many sustainability efforts, the WVBG’s mission is to foster learning, inspiration, and well-being through the beauty and wonder of plants, the natural environment, and culturally enriching experiences. In addition, the Equitrans Midstream Foundation made a $40,000 grant to support educational summer camps and school trips during the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023.

In 2021 and 2022, Equitrans donated monies to the Fairmont State University Foundation for the construction of a new Sustainability Shelter at Fairmont State University. The shelter is expected to be complete in 2023 and will be used as an outdoor learning space for students and as a venue for hosting local community and educational events. This donation fully supports many of our ESG initiatives and aligns with two of the SDGs, Quality Education and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. In 2021, the Fairmont State Foundation honored Equitrans with its “Philanthropic Corporation of the Year” award, which represents a company's outstanding commitment to and engagement in activities that support and advance philanthropy at Fairmont State University.

Volunteerism and E-Train On-Track

In 2022, our E-Train On-Track Committee offered a variety of options for employee engagement through community volunteerism opportunities. With most pandemic restrictions lifted, the number of volunteer and employee events continued to grow, and, through the Company’s volunteer paid-time off program, our employees logged a total of 852 volunteer hours during the year. Volunteer activities for 2022 included the following organizations:

  • Junior Achievement school events
  • Special Olympics Torch Run
  • The Education Partnership’s school supply kits
  • UPMC Children’s Hospital firearm and ATV safety outreach
  • Clarksburg-Harrison Library Back-to-School Bash
  • Western Pennsylvania Conservancy garden planting
  • Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
  • Salvation Army Adopt-a-Family
  • U.S. Marine Corps Toys-for-Tots
  • West Virginia Division of Natural Resources holiday toy drive
 

The Equitrans Midstream Foundation

Through philanthropic partnerships alongside a network of non-profit organizations, the Equitrans Midstream Foundation is able to create a more secure future for the members of communities where we live and work. The Equitrans Midstream Foundation is proud to support initiatives that address the critical needs in our communities, continuous learning through education, and sustainability in our environment.

Community Development

The Foundation’s community development investments focus on initiatives that enhance the fabric of communities by:

  • Enhancing community safety and well-being
  • Supporting the enrichment of arts and culture in the community
  • Fostering inclusion and promoting diversity in communities
  • Encouraging the development of livable communities that attract and retain residential, commercial, and industrial growth
 

Education

The Foundation’s spending on education initiatives looks to develop a sustainable energy workforce through projects that:

  • Advance science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education, with a focus on accessibility to underserved and underrepresented groups
  • Prepare students to compete in the workforce of the future, with tools to make positive social and economic contributions
  • Empower students to pursue trades and vocational training

Environment

The Foundation’s environmental investments support organizations that focus on preserving and protecting the environment by:

  • Providing environmental education on land, air, and water stewardship
  • Empowering individuals and organizations to utilize conservation methods to preserve our natural resources
  • Supporting projects that promote environmental stewardship

During 2022, the Foundation contributed $415,342 in employee matching donations to 501(c)(3) organizations and other nonprofit groups.

In 2022, the Foundation made grants totaling $1,011,915 to a number of non-profit organizations that support the underserved and underrepresented populations in our operating areas. Additionally, the Foundation matches employee and/or director contributions dollar-for-dollar, from $100 to $50,000 annually, and made an additional $415,342 in employee/director matching donations to 501(c)(3) organizations. Below are a few of the key programs our Foundation supported in 2022:

  • Beverly’s Birthdays
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Pittsburgh
  • CASA of Greene County
  • Community Foundation of Greene County
  • Corner Cupboard Food Bank
  • Donora Historical Society
  • Dress for Success Pittsburgh
  • End Distracted Driving (EndDD.org)
  • Girl Scouts Western PA
  • Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
  • Intermediate Unit One Education Foundation
  • Mountaineer Food Bank Veterans Table
  • Nazareth Farm
  • Ohio Oil & Gas Energy Education Foundation Centers for Excellence in Education
  • The Bus Stops Here Foundation
  • The Education Partnership
  • Thomas Campbell Apartments
  • West Virginia Botanic Garden
  • West Virginia University Foundation
  • YCF of North Central WV
 

Maintaining Our Social License to Operate

Evaluating and understanding the perspectives of all involved parties allows us to identify key areas of focus and make informed decisions that reflect the best interests of both our Company and the community. Our primary means of engagement is through direct communication and relationship-building with all involved stakeholders (landowners, community members, elected officials, emergency responders, etc.). Through these personal engagements, we learn about positive outcomes directly from stakeholders and receive recommendations regarding how we can better address community matters directly from stakeholders.

 

Furthermore, Equitrans’ Environmental Justice Policy bolsters our efforts to provide greater accessibility to stakeholders, build stronger working relationships, and create positive outreach opportunities in our operating communities. We believe that by taking a proactive stance regarding stakeholder engagement and community investment, we are better able to enhance and/or build thriving communities. In doing so, our Core Values of Safety, Integrity, Collaboration, Transparency, and Excellence are the principles that guide our employees’ behaviors and decisions, and include efforts such as:

  • Gathering information to help identify local concerns before inconveniences may affect neighbors
  • Advocating for the community by affirming that issues or concerns are addressed and resolved
  • Acting as an information channel for suggestions to strengthen our processes and procedures
  • Providing opportunities for residents to ask questions and learn about our operations and activities
  • Building relationships prior to the start of activity in new areas

Equitrans’ Environmental Justice Policy bolsters our efforts to provide greater accessibility to stakeholders, build stronger working relationships, and create positive outreach opportunities in our operating communities.

It is important to us, as a Company, that all stakeholders are confident in our commitment to operating safely and responsibly. To meet and exceed community expectations, we thoughtfully evaluate our engagement approach to determine what is working well, what can be improved, and how to enhance our interactions with local communities. We continually consider how to best engage the public in understanding our operations and the measures we take to maintain public safety and mitigate environmental impacts during all phases of our operations.

By systematically taking a proactive approach to our outreach and investment activities, we are better positioned to enhance our relationships with external stakeholders, achieve our overall business goals, and deliver on our ESG commitments.

Highlight Stories

Enhancing Methane Monitoring

In January 2023, Equitrans announced its status as a founding member of the newly formed Appalachian Methane Initiative (AMI), a coalition of regional natural gas operators committed to further enhancing methane monitoring throughout the Appalachia Basin and facilitating additional methane emissions reduction in the region. The AMI coalition was formed ‘for the purpose of establishing and effectuating a methane monitoring, reporting, and mitigation network throughout the geographic area known as the Appalachian Basin.’

AMI’s efforts are intended to promote greater efficiency in the identification and remedy of potential fugitive methane emissions from operations in the Appalachian Basin through coordinated satellite and aerial surveys on a geographic-basis as opposed to an operator-specific basis and taking into account advanced methane monitoring and reporting frameworks. Additionally, the coalition will seek to coordinate and share best practices in mitigating methane emissions from natural gas operations, including production and midstream, and collaborate on activities and monitor results through transparent, publicly available reporting. 

For much of 2023, AMI is focusing on developing and implementing a pilot monitoring program to cover select areas of interest within the Basin’s major operating footprints, with the goal of working to develop and implement a full-Basin monitoring plan in 2024.

As part of AMI’s official launch, a news release was issued by the coalition’s founding members. We believe our membership in AMI will support our ongoing methane reduction efforts and complement our many ESG initiatives, and we look forward to working with other coalition members on advancing AMI’s initiatives.

Renewable Electricity and Scope 2 Emissions

With the publication of the Company’s Climate Policy in 2021, Equitrans established targets that include a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 methane emissions by 2030 and a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040. Since this time, Equitrans has aggressively focused on reducing its direct Scope 1 emissions, which included the replacement of pneumatic devices and the installation of vent gas recovery units during 2022. These activities are expected to directly contribute to a reduction in methane emissions from operations. Additional information and details on the Company’s reduction efforts can be found in the GHG Emissions and Climate Change section of this report.

Equitrans is also working to reduce its indirect Scope 2 emissions, which are emissions related to purchased utilities, such as electric generation and heat. One method of aiding in the overall reduction of indirect Scope 2 emissions is through the purchase of certified renewable energy credits or RECs. Each REC is a certificate that corresponds to the environmental attributes of electricity that is generated from a zero-emissions renewable source and delivered to the electricity grid.

For the year-ended 2022, Equitrans purchased and retired 35,000 Green-e Energy certified RECs for its operations. These purchased RECs represent 35,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of generated renewable energy, which in this case was from wind energy generated in Oklahoma and delivered to the corresponding regional electric grid. By purchasing and retiring these RECs, Equitrans is taking credit for the renewable energy generated and ensuring that it is not accounted for elsewhere in the country. By purchasing these certified RECs, Equitrans was able to account for 100% of its purchased electricity through the supply of zero-carbon renewable energy, as related to its indirect Scope 2 GHG emissions.  

Proactive Project Outreach

Equitrans Midstream relies on proactive community engagement and feedback to foster a culture of trust, inclusivity, and transparency, and we view our projects and operations through a lens of responsibility and accountability. In keeping with this belief, environmental justice is an important component of our stakeholder outreach activities. Our Environmental Justice Policy lays the foundation of our commitment to provide for the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in any public process involving our operations, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income. 

It is often said that actions speak louder than words, which was the case for the outreach team working on our Ohio Valley Connector Expansion (OVCX) project. As a critical component of the project’s pre-planning phase, our team contracted the services of an outside vendor that specialized in the identification of environmental justice communities located near the project. After consulting with the FERC, the EPA, and our contracted environmental justice specialists, Equitrans extended the OVCX project’s landowner contact radius an additional 0.5 mile to maximize the outreach efforts and ensure all stakeholders were personally aware of and involved with the project details.

In addition to our land team contacting property owners and community members within the expanded radius, the OVCX outreach team conducted multiple pop-up educational meetings and community open houses; solicited pre-paid comment and suggestion cards; distributed various informational mailings; and remained engaged with the community every step of the way by responding to questions and feedback. To better understand the needs and challenges faced by those living near the proposed project, we also met with local organizations and elected officials, as well as other key decision makers. These additional, proactive measures taken by our OVCX outreach team went above and beyond regulatory requirements to ensure consistent communication and transparency throughout the project’s lifecycle.  

Managing and Protecting Pipeline Integrity

Identification and management of landslide risk is a vital aspect of Equitrans’ daily work activities; however, the risk of a landslide is not limited to the midstream industry. Landslides can occur in any type of terrain, including both hills and valleys, and can be associated with any type of ongoing construction or pre-existing land disturbance. Natural factors such as rainfall and surface runoff water can amplify their frequency or severity; and left unmanaged, landslides have the potential to impact our environment. For Equitrans, this impact may include creating unnecessary strain on our underground pipelines, which are typically located in a variety of terrains as compared to our non-linear assets. To avoid unsafe situations and protect the integrity of our pipeline network, our engineering team uses a multi-faceted approach to aggressively identify and manage areas at risk for potential landslides. 

To identify potential land movement near our assets, Equitrans’ engineers utilize aerial patrols, drones with photogrammetry change detection, and routine on-site inspections — or, if required, a combination of these methods may be used. In each case, we monitor our pipeline rights-of-way looking for any indication of unstable soil, such as discoloration, downed trees, or other data that could indicate a change in topography. Following a thorough evaluation of each asset location or suspected slide area by our engineering and compliance teams, we assign a priority ranking to indicate the potential for further movement and any risk to the environment or to the integrity of the pipeline.

As a final step, Equitrans pairs the geographic location data of known and suspected landslides with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) information. This analysis is done on a daily basis and allows Equitrans to identify rainfall events that could affect the stability of existing slide-prone areas and to rapidly respond and investigate when conditions change on the ground. In accordance with a defined framework that accounts for slide priority and rain severity, personnel may be deployed to conduct visual, on-site inspections. Beyond rainfall data, we also monitor temperature data to understand freeze thaw cycles and similarly deploy personnel to evaluate sites under changing conditions. Through continued use of these evaluation tools — aerial inspections, drone imaging, and manual site inspections — Equitrans remains committed to environmental and operational safety through its robust process to identify and manage potential landslides.

In addition, Equitrans launched a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) pilot program in 2020 to aid in the enhanced detection of potential landslides along our pipeline rights-of-way. Today, we conduct semi-annual LiDAR flights across thousands of miles of pipeline. The adoption of LiDAR technology and utilization of our enhanced construction standards are collectively designed to improve Equitrans’ ability to mitigate landslide risk for the safety of our employees and communities, and for the benefit of our customers, investors, and the environment. 

Productivity … Redesigned

As the world continues to adapt and evolve, companies are re-evaluating their management approach and taking into consideration the individual needs and circumstances of their employees to create work-life harmonization. With the implementation of person-centric leadership practices, Equitrans took the opportunity to redesign how we operate, improving performance and engagement and increasing our ability to compete for talent.

In early 2020, Equitrans began to recognize the benefits of a flexible workplace model. We initiated a deeper dive into the concept by soliciting survey feedback from office-based employees regarding their preferred ‘workplace persona’ preferences (anchor, flex, and remote). Today, we have fully embraced a ‘person-centric’ work environment, which takes into account the physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of employees and encourages them to find the best integration between their work and personal lives. With this approach, work is no longer about where an employee is located, but about the actual work an employee does. Importantly, employees are evaluated on work produced, without consideration to where or how they worked.

Rather than conforming to legacy practices or location constraints, Equitrans’ person-centric work model is defined by flexible work experiences, intentional collaboration, and empathy-based management. For our field-based employees, who are primarily required to work onsite, we rolled out flexible work guidelines to demonstrate our commitment to our person-centric work approach. Upon implementation of this new work model, roughly 44% of employees are working remotely, 25% split their time between working remotely and at an Equitrans location, 31% work from an Equitrans location full-time, and less than 1% work part-time.

We expect our person-centric model will continue to improve employees’ satisfaction and retention, as well as help to expand our talent pool. Since implementing our workplace personas, the number of employees working in other U.S. locations has increased, and we have been able to improve gender diversity. As part of our new work model, we periodically conduct employee surveys and focus groups to obtain feedback, using the results to adjust our workplace practices, as needed.

Office-Centric vs Person-Centric Work Design
Office-Centric Person-Centric

Provide consistent work experiences to deliver equality of experience

Provide flexible work experiences to deliver equality of opportunity

Enable serendipitous collaboration to deliver innovation by chance

Enable intentional collaboration to deliver innovation by design

Drive visibility-based management to deliver performance by inputs

Drive empathy-based management to deliver performance by outcome

Employee Generosity — Giving Back To Our Communities

Equitrans Midstream is committed to making a difference in our communities, and the United Way is just one way we can join together to support those in need. For our 2022 campaign, we selected the United Way of Washington County as our primary United Way affiliate, which aligns with our Company headquarters’ location. Employees also had the opportunity to donate to the United Way of their choice by selecting from other United Way affiliates located in our primary operating states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia.

To jump start our 2022 United Way campaign, we held a basket raffle during our all-employee meeting and holiday celebration in Morgantown, WV. Employee teams donated 27 individual baskets, with raffle ticket sales raising more than $11,000 in donations. This was matched dollar-for-dollar by our Corporate Local Giving Program, jump-starting our 2022 campaign with a contribution of more than $22,000 to the United Way.

Through our official United Way campaign, which is conducted annually via individual, online donations, Equitrans employees pledged roughly $57,000 in individual contributions, which was matched dollar-for-dollar through the Equitrans Midstream Foundation for a total of approximately $114,000. Additional donations were made outside of our formal campaign, and, based on totals provided by the United Way of Washington County — Equitrans’ contributions totaled more than $169,000 in 2022 — making us the top contributor in their Chairman’s Award for Top 5 Workplace Giving Campaign Partners program.

Equitrans also received the agency’s Campaign Excellence Award, which is presented to a workplace giving campaign partner that puts forth extra effort in running their annual workplace giving campaign. In addition to our traditional campaign, this award was due in part to the hosting of our special to basket raffle event, which engaged all employees and included matching funds by the Equitrans Midstream Foundation and the Company’s Corporate Local Giving Program.

The United Way of Washington County’s mission is to unite people, resources, and organization to improve lives in Washington County. Through Equitrans’ support, the various programs at United Way will be funded to serve the most pressing needs in vulnerable populations within our local operating areas. Our donation is a powerful force for change, and we thank our employees for their generosity and support!

Inspiring the World to Reuse

As we broaden our sustainability investments, we are especially proud of our partnership with Fill It Forward, an organization whose mission is “to inspire the world to reuse” by focusing on the elimination of single-use waste, such as plastic bottles and bags. In 2021, Equitrans partnered with Fill it Forward as a means of engaging and educating employees, while at the same time elevating our many ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives.

In late 2021, we launched our Fill It Forward campaign with a custom holiday gift box for employees that included reusable tote bags and bottles with individual ‘scan tags’ that acted as a re-use tracker. When the tags were scanned, the data was automatically uploaded to Equitrans’ custom group on the Fill It Forward app and was used for tracking our collective impact, such as waste diverted, emissions saved, and how much ocean pollution was prevented.

Along with helping to eliminate waste, there was a charitable component to our Fill It Forward campaign. Each employee scan unlocked a $1 donation for every reuse, which contributed funds to our chosen charitable organization — DigDeep’s Appalachia Water Project. The funds collected were used to provide clean drinking water through the installation of meter-to-home water lines for families in southern West Virginia who currently have unsafe, limited, or no water at all. Our goal was to generate 10,000 scans and raise $10,000 for the Appalachia Water Project, and we were thrilled to have reached our goal roughly six months into the campaign. In addition, as part of Equitrans’ annual holiday giving initiatives, we made a separate donation of $20,000 to the Appalachia Water Project.

Thanks to the efforts of our employees — Equitrans was the proud recipient of Fill It Forward’s Changemaker Award for 2022. This unique ESG-focused campaign was a means of engaging and educating employees, while also elevating our sustainability efforts. Together with Fill It Forward, we believe that the simple act of reusing is the first step towards creating a sustainable mindset for all generations — and as an added benefit — being able to connect families with access to safe water will ensure the health and success of communities for years to come.

Equitrans Midstream’s Impact
 
19,968.42
lbs of emissions saved

 
617.58
lbs of waste diverted from landfill

 
11,734.02
kwH of power saved

 
123.52
lbs of ocean pollution prevented
20,586
total reuses

Source: Statistics calculated by Fill It Forward, as of year-end 2022

Our Bees Are All The Buzzzzz

At Equitrans, there is a clear tone that begins at the top — sustainability is critically important to the world we live in and is also essential to the future growth of our Company. In 2023, E-Train celebrated Earth Day with the kickoff of a two-year sustainability partnership with Alvéole. Alvéole focuses on bee-friendly communities for greener cities by installing honey bee hives at business locations across the world to foster environmental awareness and educate communities on the importance of creating sustainable bee populations. In fact, according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, honey bees help to produce one-third of our food supply by pollinating $15 billion worth of crops in the U.S. each year, including more than 130 types of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. 

Through our new partnership with Alvéole, E-Train is hosting and supporting two honey bee hives at each of our Canonsburg, St. Clairsville, and Waynesburg offices. The hives were installed in late spring, and the bees have begun to collect nectar and pollinate thousands of flowers and plants. With the help of our assigned Alvéole beekeeper, the hives will become established, and the bees will re-emerge every spring to pollinate flora to grow food and produce E-Train’s own locally sourced honey.

Equitrans and Alvéole also established “MyHive” microsites for each of E-Train’s office locations. The MyHive sites are located on Equitrans’ intranet, and employees can access the sites at any time to find educational honey bee information and receive updates on our hives. As an added benefit, Alvéole beekeepers will conduct various on-site informational events for employees, such as beeswax candle making and honey extraction sessions. 

As we continue to safely and responsibly operate our network of natural gas pipelines, water lines, and compressor stations, it’s important to remember that the decisions we make today have a lasting and positive impact on future generations. On Earth Day and every day, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard by embracing our responsibility to operate in a manner that minimizes impacts on our natural resources and — above all else — we must keep safety our top priority, always.

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