Stakeholder Engagement

Reaching out, listening to and leading with our stakeholders

Our past, present and future global ESG goals have been and will continue to be informed by ongoing stakeholder engagement, helping to determine the issues most material to our business. We must continuously monitor these issues as they evolve to continue our journey toward a more sustainable future and allow us to deliver value to all stakeholders.

Dwayne Roark

Vice President, Public Affairs, Government Relations & Communications

“As a values-based and purpose-driven company, Univar Solutions is focused on delivering sustainable solutions that create value for all our stakeholders, as well as our society and the environment. To that end, we have set ambitious goals that have been informed by ongoing connection with our customers, suppliers, employees, investors, and association leaders – who help us determine material issues to the organization and global challenges ahead. Their feedback continues to underpin our progress toward our efforts to keep our communities healthy, fed, clean and safe.”

The stakeholder groups identified below are those whom we have assessed to be material to our ESG practices and who may be impacted by our commitments and progress on sustainability topics. 

Our stakeholder engagement efforts and materiality assessment continued to inform our direction, within the boundaries of our existing goals, while enabling us to remain cognizant of changing areas of concern to our business and our stakeholders. As we progress in our journey, we will expand our stakeholder engagement efforts and incorporate additional stakeholder input in future materiality assessments, ensuring our future is built with our value chain’s needs in mind.

A few of the ways we have engaged with key stakeholders on ESG issues:

Customers

Understanding the material issues to our customers is key to building an ESG program that helps meet their sustainability needs. We are listening to and anticipating our customers’ needs by sharing Scope 3 emissions to aid supply chain transparency and introducing more sustainable products and services.

Examples of engagement:

  • Customer-focused technical expertise
  • Passive research, including surveys and desktop research
  • Ongoing customer ESG collaborative efforts
  • Active key account surveys on sustainability priorities
  • ESG solutions offerings through our portfolios and services

Suppliers

As an extension of our suppliers’ sales force, it is vital that we understand the sustainability characteristics of the materials we distribute as we develop a leading industry position in sustainable solutions. We work closely with suppliers and service providers to understand their own sustainability journey and, when appropriate, bring them onto our journey.

Examples of engagement:

  • Passive research on supplier sustainability priorities
  • Supplier transparency and sustainability collaboration, such as responses to sustainability questionnaires and assessment platforms
  • Active buyer surveys on ESG priorities

 

Employees

Our people are at the heart of our sustainability success. Our priorities are largely reflective of the issues our employees care about most and demonstrate that we are an organization where people matter. Additionally, our employees drive the key projects and programs that deliver ESG value for our business and stakeholders.

Examples of engagement:

  • Company-wide safety, environmental and ethics and compliance training
  • Regular safety and environmental awareness events
  • Community engagement and charitable giving
  • Global employee feedback surveys
  • Regular ESG communications

Investors and Shareholders

By proactively working with our investors, we are ensuring that current priorities are identified, supporting our efforts to successfully navigate ESG-driven change. Our proactive investor engagement helps to address priorities on the horizon, such as the management of climate-related risks and DEI-related disclosures.

Examples of engagement:

  • Proactive engagement with our top shareholders
  • Support of shareholder sustainability priorities
  • Assessment of key investor ESG platforms for priorities
  • Reports and disclosures in line with key investor feedback

Univar Solutions Executive Leadership and Board

The strong two-way engagement between the Executive Committee and the Board on our ESG priorities and progress is central to generating and maintaining the momentum needed to drive the significant change needed to achieve our ambitious ESG goals.

Examples of engagement:

  • Regular progress reviews against our ESG goals
  • Long-term executive compensation that is tied to the achievement of certain ESG goals
  • Embedding sustainable thinking into organizational vernacular

Industrial Associations

Teams across our business are actively participating in councils, steering groups and other decision-making bodies within industry associations, helping to keep us up to date with the latest industry developments. This participation helps us to advance ESG changes in our industry.

Examples of engagement:

  • Board membership at industrial associations
  • Committee participation and information sharing, as appropriate and in accordance with applicable laws.
  • Education support and engagement