Climate Change Data

Charah Solutions, Inc.

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2020, 2021)

Reporting Period: 2020

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

  • Environmental Stewardship
  • Employee Wellbeing
  • Corporate Diversity
  • Strong Governance

Environmental Achievements

  • 12.45 million tons of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) managed
  • 2.58 million tons of CCRs beneficially recycled
  • 2.24 million tons of CO2 saved from entering the atmosphere
  • 2.58 million tons of materials diverted from landfill disposal
  • 34,215 tons of gypsum recycled
  • 12 ponds cleaned and closed and 1 mine reclaimed since the EPA 2015 CCR rule took effect
  • Approximately 300 acres of land reclaimed since the EPA 2015 CCR rule took effect
  • 42.34 million gallons of wastewater treated

Social Achievements

  • 0.36 total recordable incident rate (industry average is 3.1)
  • Three-year average experience modification rate (EMR) of 0.7
  • 10% diverse workforce
  • Support for 12 charitable organizations
  • Grants provided to 17 employees through Charah Cares program
  • American Red Cross blood drives resulting in 53 units collected and 159 potential lives saved
  • 49 military veteran employees

Governance Achievements

  • Zero incidents of non-compliance associated with air emissions and other environmental disciplines
  • 22% diverse Board of Directors

Climate Goals & Targets

Short-term Goals:
  • Increase workforce diversity by 30% over the next three years

Environmental Challenges

  • Need to increase workforce diversity
  • Meeting increasingly prescriptive state legislation regarding ash pond closures and remediation
Mitigation Strategies
  • Diversity Scholarship Program
  • Diverse Apprenticeship Program
  • Increased opportunities for diverse businesses to bid on projects
  • Partnership with Avetta to increase visibility into supply chain and diversity spend

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Increased supplier diversity spend to 6% of procurement managed expenditures

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Period: 2021

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:35,923 tCO2e/year (Scope 1)
Scope 1 Emissions:35,923 tCO2e/year
Renewable Energy Share:0.25%
Total Energy Consumption:553,045 GJ/year
Water Consumption:21,804 m3/day
Waste Generated:11,813,318 tons/year (CCRs handled)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Responsibility
  • Governance

Environmental Achievements

  • Sustainably redeveloped 4,456 acres at Gibbons Creek Steam Station ERT project and returned 62.8 acres at B.C. Cobb ERT project to natural wetlands.
  • Beneficially used or recycled more than 2.79 million tons of CCRs, representing a 1-year increase of 453,105 tons.
  • Handled 11,813,318 tons of CCRs, a 521,855-ton increase.
  • Saved 2.55 million tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere in 2021, totaling 4.79 million tons since 2020.
  • Reclaimed approximately 4,818 acres of land since the 2015 EPA CCR Rule took effect.

Social Achievements

  • Improved industry-leading safety record with a 0.32 Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and zero Lost Time Injuries.
  • Increased diverse workforce (people of color and female) to 20%.
  • Increased military veteran workforce by 41% year-over-year.
  • Increased spend with diverse suppliers from a 3-year average of 6% to over 9%.

Governance Achievements

  • Increased Board diversity from 14% in 2020 to 22% in 2021.
  • No Notice of Violation (NOV) received during 2021.
  • Implemented a new credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank with ESG goals tied to financial outcomes.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Achieve ISO compliance for Charah Solutions Environmental, Engineering, and Quality (EEQ) Program
  • Achieve ISO compliance for Charah Solutions Health & Safety Program
  • Require Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) Certification for safety professionals
  • Develop and maintain certification program for heavy equipment operators and track operator credentials
Medium-term Goals:
  • Increase the diversity of our workforce by 30%
  • Increase diverse supplier spend by 15%
  • Increase the amount of CCRs handled by 10%
  • Increase the percentage of CCRs that are beneficially used or recycled by 10%
  • Increase the amount of CO2 saved from entering the atmosphere by 10%
  • Remediate and return over 1,000 acres of land for natural habitat or redevelopment
Short-term Goals:
  • Increase tracking of operational water usage to include recycled water
  • Develop methods to track waste disposal, including domestic waste, recycling, and industrial waste

Environmental Challenges

  • Identifying a suitable method for tracking recycled water versus other sources of operational water.
  • Challenges in accurately estimating fuel consumption across all business units due to varying fuel acquisition methods at different sites.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Continued work in 2022 to identify efficient data collection methods for recycled water.
  • Used equipment hours and fuel consumption rates to estimate fuel consumption and Scope 1 GHG emissions for 2021.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier Diversity Program

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Opportunities
  • Increased demand for fly ash in green concrete production due to infrastructure investment.

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: SASB, UN SDGs

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
  • Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
  • Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
  • Goal 13 (Climate Action)
  • Goal 15 (Life on Land)
  • Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
  • Goal 5 (Gender Equality)
  • Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
  • Goal 2 (Zero Hunger)

Charah Solutions' services and initiatives contribute to these goals through environmental remediation, CCR recycling, community engagement, and workforce diversity initiatives.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • EnviroSource™ fly ash beneficiation technology

Awards & Recognition

  • 2021 CEO Today USA Award (Scott Sewell)
  • AGC Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Excellence Award (5th consecutive year)
  • Louisville Business First’s 2021 Most Admired CEOs (Scott Sewell)
  • Louisville Business First’s 2021 Best In Finance (Roger Shannon)
  • Southern Company Technical & Project Solutions (T&PS) Triangle Safety Award