We are making strategic choices to reduce our environmental footprint, innovate more sustainable offerings, improve processes through technology, and expand and deepen commitments within our communities.
At Worthington, we are Makers of Better. We carry that intention into everything we do.
We’re proactive in our approach to sustainability. We’re setting a pathway to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. To help reach that goal, the Company partnered with Governance & Accountability Institute to conduct a materiality assessment and is currently assessing Scopes 1, 2 and 3 GHG calculations that will be used as a basis for emissions reduction targets.
We strive to make a positive impact in the communities where we work and live, and our Board remains committed to ensuring transparency and accountability regarding our ESG performance.
Our greatest strength lies in our people. We are committed to providing an inclusive workplace and welcoming culture that helps every employee succeed. The Company’s most recent employee engagement survey generated feedback from 76 percent of worldwide employees, which is a 6 percent increase YOY. Results show that employees rated Worthington at or above industry benchmarks in key areas such as safety, employee engagement and manager effectiveness.
The Worthington Industries Foundation donated $2.9M back to the community in FY23, supporting 69 non-profit organizations in the areas of health, human services, youth and education, civic causes and the arts. Examples include:
For two decades, Worthington's SafeWorks program has been instrumental in driving a world-class safety culture. Nearly every meeting starts with a safety briefing, safety metrics top employees' performance goals, and safety process improvements never stop.
The company’s SafeWorks program defines a longstanding culture of safety throughout each facility. At the end of 2022, Worthington’s Total Case Incident Report per 100 employees was 1.8 times better than the industry average within the Primary Metal Manufacturing category, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Green Star Initiative was implemented at Worthington Industries in 2012 to help steer the Company toward environmental conservation and stewardship. Stars are awarded each fiscal year to each facility based on environmental metrics and production data.
During FY23, every Worthington facility earned at least one star, with 69 percent of available stars awarded.
Our Steel facility in Columbus, Ohio, earned all five stars because of a process improvement initiative to optimize hydrogen flow, resulting in a reduction of annual hydrogen consumption of more than 19,000,000 CF.
By holding ourselves accountable to the highest ethical standards and corporate governance practices, Worthington puts Our Philosophy, rooted in the Golden Rule, into action. Building a strong culture and taking care of our stakeholders is simply the right thing to do. Integrity is part of our DNA and intrinsic to our purpose.
We implement strong governance practices to ensure accountability and long-term success as well as robust risk management programs to maintain compliance with applicable laws and regulations. These programs extend to our business partners, including our valued suppliers.
Worthington is committed to developing safe and innovative products that meet the needs of our customers while also improving the sustainability of our products over their entire lifecycle. We produce high-quality products built to last longer. We manufacture lighter-weight steel cylinders for more efficient shipping and transportation. Our customer support team assists consumers with troubleshooting before replacing products to avoid unnecessary waste.
In 2023, Worthington launched the Balloon Time Mini Helium Tank designed to promote recyclability acceptance. It also comes in a smaller, lighter weight cylinder that reduces packaging, shipping costs and transportation emissions.