Leading Towards a Sustainable Energy Future
Sustainability at Summit means innovating our business to create lasting benefits for future generations.
As an energy provider and a public utility, we play a pivotal role in helping to build strong, economically, and environmentally sustainable communities. As Summit has grown, we’ve concentrated on weaving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices into our core business strategy. We work diligently to provide innovative solutions to help enhance our communities, improve our environmental performance, and create a safe and healthy system and workplace for our customers and team members.
We are encouraged by the strides we have made in building a strong culture and company grounded by our mission and commitment to ESG practices. We are resilient, agile, inclusive and deeply committed to our people, our communities and building a sustainable energy future.
“The future of our energy landscape has been one of the defining issues of our generation, and I am pleased to be able to lead a company that is striving towards a solution every day. Our mission to deliver clean, safe, affordable, and reliable energy solutions to our customers has been unwavering since our company was founded.”
-Kurt Adams, CEO of Summit Utilities, Inc.
Our ESG Commitments
Environmental
Sustainability is at the heart of all we do. It’s the driving force behind the decisions we make every day and our innovative plans in working toward a low-carbon energy future.
Social
We are committed to making a difference for our team members, customers, and communities. We work to create a diverse, inclusive culture that encourages trust, respect, and supports growth and development.
Governance
We approach governance through the social and environmental lens. Our policies, internal programs, and leadership structure are consistently being refined to meet the needs of our team, customers, and communities. Our governance goals are built to strengthen the resilience of our business, and our successes are celebrated here.
Environmental
- Implemented an Environmental Management System aligned with ISO 14001.
- Implemented a Fleet Vehicle Strategy that we anticipate will reduce fleet vehicle emissions by 15% by 2025.
- Developed a comprehensive GHG Emissions inventory.
Social
- Create a customer care strategy for each state that includes a timeline for deployment and execution.
- In 2021, Summit included women on interview panels 100% of the time for office-based jobs and 90% of the time for field-based jobs.
- Added additional benefits that align more closely with an inclusive and diverse workforce.
Governance
- Instituted a voluntary customer option for RNG for customers.
- Advanced RNG and Energy Choice policy in multiple states.
- Created an internal process to track ESG related investments.
- Strengthened policies to include clear requirements regarding ESG related standards.
- Implemented quarterly risk assessments.
Energy Efficiency
At Summit, we are proud of our ongoing energy efficiency programs and are committed to reducing carbon emissions while providing affordable energy solutions to our customers. One of the ways we do that is by investing in energy efficiency. Each year, we invest more than $3.0 million in energy efficiency programs that directly benefit our customers. By reducing the energy usage of those we serve, we help our customers keep more money in their pockets, while reducing their carbon footprint.
Our energy efficiency programs help make homes more efficient by creating a thermal barrier to reduce energy usage and costs, while also increasing air circulation and creating healthier ventilation and superior air quality by preventing pollutants from coming into the home.
Interested in learning more about energy efficiency measures?
Innovation
Methane Recapture
Summit has completed seven successful pilots of methane recapture technology across our companies. We are excited to continue our work to reduce emissions on our system and limit our environmental impact through innovative technologies such as ZEVAC ® and GoVAC FLEXTM ®.
In 2021, Summit was honored with the Southern Gas Association’s ESG Award for piloting the ZEVAC ® technology.
Renewable Fuels
At Summit we believe that the existing natural gas infrastructure can play a key role in meeting state, federal, and global emissions reduction goals. That is why we have created a renewable development arm, Peaks Renewables, to help achieve our goals. In July of 2022, Peaks Renewables broke ground on a historic renewable natural gas dairy digester project in Clinton, Maine.
A Holistic Approach
Summit’s strategy is to integrate sustainability across all facets of our business. Our goal is to make a positive impact in our communities, our company, and our stakeholders. As a company, Summit works to:
Encourage Energy
Efficiency
Reduce Greenhouse
Gas Emissions
Dedicate Ourselves to Safety
Encourage a Diverse,
Inclusive Work Culture
Work Towards a Future of
Clean Energy
Energy Choice
At Summit, we believe that we must help preserve all consumers’ right to choose the most affordable and reliable energy solution to fit their unique needs and budget, which is why we support legislation that preserves Energy Choice. Not only does Energy Choice legislation provide our communities with diverse energy solutions to fit their unique needs, but it also gives those same communities additional tools to help lower emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. By maximizing the use of the energy distribution infrastructure we provide, cities will reap the benefits of certified natural gas, carbon negative renewable natural gas, and future benefits from the growing innovations of power-to-hydrogen. This preserves customer choice while also allowing for a pathway for more affordable and reliable low-carbon energy solutions for our customers.
Want to learn more about about Summit ESG and sustainability measures?
Please reach out to: MediaRelations@summitutilities.com
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