Reflecting on 2+ Decades of Sustainability Reporting at Enbridge

Originally published in Enbridge's 2022 Sustainability Report

CSO and Committee Chair Q A

Q (Pete): This is our 22nd Sustainability Report, so we’ve been at this for a while. Over these last two decades, the quality of our disclosures, our active management of a broader set of issues and the policies that guide our actions have all evolved. How does the Board think about sustainability and the value of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting? 

A (Susan): Sustainability is very much integrated as part of Enbridge’s strategy and how the Board approaches our governance responsibilities. The Company operates long-lived, capital intensive assets across thousands of communities, so taking a lifecycle approach to operations and to engaging with host communities and the public to reduce impacts makes good business sense. Our Sustainability Report has proven a useful tool to highlight priority issues across ESG dimensions, and to track progress against the goals we’ve set as an organization.

Q (Pete): We talk a lot about continuous improvement at Enbridge. In the context of sustainability and this year’s Report how is that top of mind with the Board? 

A (Susan): I’m pleased that Enbridge continues to be a leader in ESG disclosure and performance—this year’s Report highlights progress against the Company’s ESG goals announced in late 2020. Importantly, this year’s Report also includes an update on the Company’s Scope 3 emissions engagement with key suppliers; a deeper look at our efforts to drive down methane emissions from operations; and more detail around direct and indirect climate lobbying and the steps taken to ensure alignment with our net-zero ambitions and the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Q (Pete): Enbridge has a long-held commitment to strengthening our relationships with Indigenous communities across North America. How does the Board consider reconciliation and Indigenous cultural awareness and understanding? 

A (Susan): Indigenous engagement, partnership and understanding is top-of-mind for the Board. The publication of the Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan in September 2022 was an important step in advancing Enbridge’s reconciliation journey. The plan is a roadmap for meaningful engagement, capacity building and partnership among Indigenous communities across Enbridge’s operations. Early progress is encouraging and this year’s report includes an update on our commitments. And we are very focused on building impactful Indigenous partnerships, including our landmark Athabasca Oil Sands Pipeline Equity Partnership with 23 Indigenous communities and our proposed Open Access Wabamun Caron Hub in partnership with four Indigenous communities. We look forward to advancing additional Indigenous partnerships. Having a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture and history is very important to our business. Last year, as part of our ESG goals, all our employees completed Indigenous cultural awareness training. And the learning extends to the Board as well. Earlier this year the Board met with several Indigenous leaders from across Canada and the U.S. We appreciated the opportunity to directly hear Indigenous perspectives, to better understand the challenges their communities face and to discuss opportunities to work together. By listening and learning together we can do better.

Q (Pete): Stakeholders are often focused on very specific elements of ESG and not always aligned on what needs to be prioritized. How does the Board balance priorities and keep an eye on emerging trends? 

A (Susan): Fully integrating sustainability and the Company’s ESG goals into the long-range business strategy certainly helps, but prioritization for any business is an important balance. Feedback— which comes in many forms—helps to ensure we remain properly calibrated with a sustainable approach to managing risks and securing opportunities. We hear often from a variety of stakeholders and we solicit input on the Company’s performance and policies. In 2022 we updated three key policies that guide performance: our Sustainability Policy, Indigenous Peoples Policy and our Climate Policy. The changes made reflect input from our stakeholders and highlight Enbridge’s commitments to further integrating ESG into all aspects of the business. As we look forward, reporting frameworks and the expectations of stakeholders are continuing to evolve. It will remain a priority for the Board and for Enbridge to clearly articulate our approach, to detail our performance and to continue to demonstrate leadership.

Pete Sheffield

Susan M. Cunningham

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