Environmental, social and governance
Our ESG sustainability approach:
Environmental
Environmental
Safeguarding our planet
Fulfilling our goal to improve today for a better tomorrow requires us to be responsible stewards of the environment, dedicated to leaving a light footprint and preserving ecosystems for future generations. One of the cornerstones of our Sustainability Strategy’s approach and codified in our Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Sustainability Principle, protecting our planet is a part of our legacy. Owned by a multi-generational family, we’ve been committed to environmental sustainability for generations. But this dedication to protecting our planet and our communities has never been more critical than it is today.
Our approach to environmental sustainability performance is based on developing and using emerging technologies and innovations to:
- Lighten our impact on the planet.
- Minimize climate- and water-related risks.
- Utilize resources responsibly across the product lifecycle with an emphasis on the use of ethical and sustainable practices
Social
Social
Putting people first in all we do
Everything we do at Huber is motivated by a desire to improve today for a better tomorrow. This is especially true in our approach to social responsibility, where the Huber Principles serve as guideposts to build a strong, sustainable company that will continue to enhance the lives of millions of people around the world for generations to come.
Our Philosophy is based on:
- Improving the health, safety and well-being of our employees.
- Creating a collaborative culture that enables Huber to recruit and retain high-quality talent.
- Ensuring everyone – regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation or disability – can be their best selves at work.
- Enhancing our product portfolio so that everything we make has a positive impact on people, the planet and prosperity.
- Strengthening the communities in which we operate.
Governance
Governance
Applying and building on best practices
Although Huber is privately owned, the Company adheres to many of the best practices of publicly traded enterprises, including maintaining robust governance structures. Under the Portfolio Management Company (PMC) organizational model, Huber’s three largest businesses – CP Kelco, Huber Engineered Materials and Huber Engineered Woods – each have their own dedicated Management Board, whose members have significant experience in the relevant industries they serve. This ensures that Huber leaders within each portfolio business are supported by a Board with both the expertise and governance rigor to help drive the business forward toward their goal of developing innovative products and services.
The Huber Board has four standing committees:
- Audit & Finance: Aids the Board in upholding rigorous financial reporting standards, ensuring the quality and integrity of Huber’s accounting and financial reporting, maintaining an effective capital structure and keeping the Company’s enterprise risk processes up to date.
- Compensation & Human Capital: Helps the Board guide Huber’s employee compensation philosophies, management development strategies and culture
- Corporate Governance & Nominating: Assists the Board in matters of corporate governance by providing oversight of Board organization, operations and effectiveness.
- Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S): Guides the Board in developing and implementing Huber’s sustainability initiatives.
Sustainable development goals
Huber’s Sustainability Strategy aligns with a global set of objectives, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, known as the UNSDGs. Set to be launched in 2023, Huber’s next Sustainability Strategy will also be informed by and aligned with the UNSDGs.
Examples of recent projects and awards
J.M. Huber Corporation a Proud Recipient of The Conference Board's Inaugural ESG Leadership Awards
We are honored and proud to be named a recipieint of The Conference Board's inaugural ESG Leadership Awards. These awards honor organizations that have gone beyond their public sustainability commitments by holding ESG at the core of their businesses. J.M. Huber Corporation is grateful to earn and receive this coveted recognition.
Efficient power generation
Huber Advanced Materials is investing in a new power plant at its Martinswerk facility in Bergheim, Germany. The project will replace the current lignite power plant with a natural gas-fired cogeneration plant to produce 100% of the site’s required steam and electrical demand.
The new power plant will reduce carbon emissions by more than 40%, cut the production of ash by 100% and eliminate daily lignite truck traffic to the site.
Marblehead solar array
Huber has committed to deriving 30% of its energy portfolio from alternative, renewable sources.
In 2021, the Huber Advanced Materials Marblehead facility partnered with local government and a solar energy provider to install a 1.8 MW solar array and associated electrical infrastructure for delivery of power to the facility. The plant is now receiving more than 60% of its power from the array during daylight hours, reducing carbon emissions by 1,700 metric tons a year.
Recognition as a US Best Managed Company
J.M. Huber Corporation has been selected as 2024 US Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree. Sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, the program recognizes outstanding US private companies and the achievements of their management teams. The 2024 designees are US private companies that have demonstrated excellence in strategic planning and execution, a commitment to their people and fostering a dynamic culture, as well as strong financials. Designees propelled their businesses forward and remained true to their purpose and values by investing in their people, creating advantage through digital transformation, taking measurable action on sustainability, and demonstrating their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Applicants are evaluated and selected by a panel of external judges focused on assessing hallmarks of excellence in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture and governance/financial performance. They join a global ecosystem of honorees from more than 46 countries recognized by the Best Managed Companies program.
Sustainability rating
J.M. Huber Corporation is once again immensely proud to share that we have been awarded Silver Medal recognition by EcoVadis for our 2023 Sustainability Scorecard. This comes with an elevation in our overall score from last year’s assessment, placing us within the top 18% of the more than 100,000 companies evaluated by EcoVadis annually. EcoVadis examines all aspects of a company's ESG performance, as well as how a company communicates its progress.
CDP sustainability rating
Guided by the Huber Principles and driven by our Sustainability Strategy, Huber is making rapid progress on our goals to lighten the Company’s environmental footprint. These efforts were acknowledged in December 2020 by the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), a gold standard of third-party environmental performance ratings.
For 2020, Huber received a “B” score from the CDP, which signifies that the organization is taking coordinated and appropriate action on climate issues. Huber’s score exceeds the average performance of the chemical industry (“C”) and North American businesses as a whole (“D”).
The CDP disclosure provides a mechanism through which we can demonstrate this prioritization to our customers and partners and provide transparency into the environmental impact that these projects offer. By being transparent about our sustainability efforts, Huber also proves that the organization takes appropriate actions when assessing and responding to near- and long-term climate-related risks. This shows our commitment and resiliency to customers, employees and creditors.
