PITTSBURGH, July 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Koppers
Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KOP) today announced that it has published its
annual Corporate Sustainability Report (CSR), which details the
company's comprehensive efforts and enhanced strategy to create a
more sustainable future through: establishing new governance
structures; fostering organizational alignment; conducting an
updated materiality assessment; and developing more forward-looking
environmental, social and governance goals.
Traditionally, the CSR would primarily review Sustainability
priorities in the previous year; however, given the unprecedented
challenge associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the continuing
issues concerning racial equity and social justice, the report also
includes commentary related to events occurring thus far in 2020.
This year's theme is the company's guiding purpose of
"Protecting What Matters. Preserving The Future." which ultimately
drives decision-making throughout the organization. The
report aims to share full details on how Koppers employees are
working together to identify opportunities as well as address
challenges to meaningfully contribute to society at
large.
Commenting on the CSR, President and Chief Executive Officer
Leroy Ball said, "The challenges of
today fully illustrate the need for purposeful, strategic efforts
around Sustainability. The interconnection of People, Planet,
and Performance must be the driving force behind our actions
as an organization as we navigate these challenges, create
opportunities for long-term growth, and ensure success for
generations to come."
Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer
Leslie Hyde said, "Koppers aspires
to be a leader in Sustainability in the ways we operate our
business, care for our communities, and secure success for all our
stakeholders. We undertake this journey with a steadfast
commitment to—and belief in—our ability to create positive change.
I am proud of the actions we've taken this year to advance our
Sustainability efforts and am excited about our path forward."
Representative of Koppers ongoing work to integrate long-term
Sustainability into day-to-day operations, the company took the
following actions over the last 18 months.
- Strengthening Corporate Governance
Transforming from
the top, Koppers added to the responsibilities of the Safety,
Health and Environmental Committee of its Board of Directors and
renamed it the Sustainability Committee to intentionally prioritize
Sustainability concepts including climate change, resource
protection, human rights, human dignity, and the promotion of
inclusion and diversity. Koppers also established a Chief
Sustainability Officer position, reporting directly to the Chief
Executive Officer.
- Conducting a Global Reporting Initiative Materiality
Assessment
To ensure its efforts have the most impact,
Koppers conducted a materiality assessment using universally
accepted practices as defined by the Global Reporting Initiative.
After extensive work with internal and external stakeholders, along
with applying leading frameworks and guidance, the company is
prioritizing its most important Sustainability topics based on this
vital assessment.
- Aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals
Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
as a foundation, Koppers will be announcing long-term, aspirational
Sustainability goals that will focus its efforts and guide
development of the necessary infrastructure to attain them. This
process will connect the company's aspirational commitment to the
daily work of its employees worldwide.
At Koppers, sustainability efforts are centered on continually
improving how the company operates, whether it be related to
people, planet, or performance. In 2019, the company's
Sustainability strategy manifested in a number of ways, some of
which include:
- Implementing action plans to manage the issues brought on by
the COVID-19 pandemic, such as placing top priority on protecting
the health and safety of employees, customers, and supply chain
partners; providing critical products and ongoing support to its
essential customer base; maintaining adequate liquidity and
financial flexibility; providing frequent and accurate
communication to stakeholders; and advancing key initiatives in
order to emerge stronger from the crisis.
- Achieving a record of no recordable injuries at nearly half (49
percent) of its facilities worldwide and reaching a 14 percent
reduction in the rate of injuries causing an employee to lose time
from work.
- Recognizing the potential impacts of climate change on society
and business, Koppers continued to identify and take appropriate
measures to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and overall carbon
footprint and saw a 47 percent decrease in reportable chemical
releases.
- Strengthening our commitment to Inclusion and Diversity
(I&D), we took several actions including hiring our first
Global Director of I&D in early March; establishing an
inaugural I&D Committee; and releasing disaggregated data on
our employee demographics to ensure full transparency in measuring
progress. Additionally, we took a firm and public stand against
racial injustice, and invited corporate directors, officers, and
employees to sign a virtual pledge to do what's right when
witnessing the mistreatment of any individual.
- Serving as a key contributor to local economies and a major
employer, Koppers works to remain a responsible neighbor by
engaging with community members, remaining transparent about
ongoing operations, supporting local causes, and raising the
standard of living and well-being wherever it operates.
To learn more about Koppers and its Sustainability initiatives,
read the 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report at:
http://www.koppers.com/sustainability-report-2019/.
About Koppers
Koppers, with corporate headquarters in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an
integrated global provider of treated wood products, wood treatment
chemicals and carbon compounds. Our products and services are
used in a variety of niche applications in a diverse range of
end-markets, including the railroad, specialty chemical, utility,
residential lumber, agriculture, aluminum, steel, rubber, and
construction industries. Including our joint ventures, we
serve our customers through a comprehensive global manufacturing
and distribution network, with facilities located in North America, South
America, Australasia, China
and Europe. The stock of Koppers Holdings Inc. is publicly
traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "KOP."
For more information, visit: www.koppers.com. Inquiries
from the media should be directed to Ms. Jessica Franklin at 412-227-2025.
Inquiries from the investment community should be directed to Ms.
Quynh McGuire at 412-227-2049.
For Information:
Jessica M. Franklin, Manager,
Corporate Communications, Brand and Giving
412 227 2025
FranklinJM@koppers.com
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SOURCE Koppers