| Statement of Use | Ever-Green Energy has reported the information cited in this GRI content index for the period January 2025 to December 2025 with reference to the GRI Standards. | |
| GRI 1 used | GRI 1: Foundation 2021 | |
| GRI # | Topic | Disclosure |
| GRI 2: General Disclosures | ||
| 2-1 | Name of Organization | Ever-Green Energy, Inc. |
| Nature of ownership | Privately owned entity. Parent organization is District Energy St. Paul, Inc. a Minnesota based non-profit corporation | |
| Location of headquarters | Saint Paul, Minnesota | |
| Country of operations | United States of America | |
| 2-2 | Entities included in the organization’s sustainability reporting | Contracted to operate and/or manage the following utilities: CoolCo, District Energy St. Paul, Duluth Energy Systems, Energy Park Utility Company, Environmental Wood Supply, Hennepin County Energy Center, Illinois Institute of Technology Central Utility Plant, Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Thermal, Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Water, Mission Rock Utilities, Oberlin College & Conservatory Central Utility Plant, St. Paul Cogeneration, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities |
| 2-3 | Reporting period and frequency | 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025 Ever-Green Energy publishes its ESG report annually. |
| Publication Date | August 19, 2026 | |
| Contact point for questions regarding the report | Amy Stanton, Director of Environmental Health and Safety | |
| 2-4 | Restatements of info from previous reporting | None |
| 2-5 | External assurance | We currently do not seek external assurance as our report is provided voluntarily for information purposes only. |
| Activities & Workers | ||
| 2-6 | Sectors served | Utilities |
| Value chain (activities, products, services, and markets served) | About Ever-Green Energy Our Work |
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| Other relevant business relationships | None | |
| Significant changes from previous reporting period | There are no significant changes in the sector served, value chain, and business relationships since previous reporting period | |
| 2-7 | Total number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employees, permanent and temporary | 219 |
| Number of FTE, men | 188 | |
| Number of FTE, women | 31 | |
| Total number of part-time employees | 1 | |
| 2-8 | Total number of non-employee workers (NEW), permanent and temporary | 0 |
| Governance | ||
| GRI # | Topic | Disclosure |
| 2-9 | ||
| Governance structure of the organization, including committees of the highest governance body | The Senior Leadership Team (President/CEO, C-level executives, department directors) convenes regularly to make day-to-day operational decisions, monitor performance, ensure strategic alignment, and report to the board. The highest governance body is Ever-Green’s Board of Directors. Refer to About Our Board section. | |
| Committees responsible for decision-making on economic, environmental, and social topics. | The following board committees are convened: Audit and Risk Personnel and Compensation Governance and Social Responsibility | |
| Composition of the highest governance body | Total Board Members: 9 Non-Executive Board Members: 8 Executive Board Member: 1 |
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| 2-10 | Nomination and selection processes for the highest governance body | Board members are selected by our parent company, District Energy St. Paul’s board |
| 2-11 | Chair of highest governance body | The chair of the highest governance body is elected by the board. Currently, Bonnie Holub serves as the board chairperson, and is not a senior executive in the organization. |
| 2-12 | Role of the highest governance body in overseeing the management of impacts | Reviewing, editing, and approving company’s purpose, values, strategy and reported information, and sustainability policy. The board also oversees the implementation of due diligence processes. Reviews are done annually. |
| 2-13 | Delegation of responsibility for managing impacts | All committees of board are responsible for economic, environmental, and social decision-making. The management of these topics are reported back via formal reports to the committees and the board. There are also opportunities to discuss the impacts informally whenever needed. |
| 2-14 | Role of the highest governance body in sustainability reporting | The board’s responsibilities as described above in 2-12 inform ESG reporting. The reported information is updated with inputs from all departments and approved by senior executives. The Governance and Social Responsibility Committee approved an ESG Impact Policy which guides the company’s ESG work. The materiality survey results are also presented to the committee for feedback and discussion. |
| 2-15 | Conflict of interest | The Board reviews and approved our conflicts of interest policy, and if needed, arbitrate any conflicts. Refer to conflict of interest page under Governance, Environmental, and Social. |
| 2-16 | Communication of critical concerns | All employees review company employee handbook and conflict of interest policy to learn about seeking advice on ethical and lawful behavior. Reporting is directed to the Chief Legal Officer, Human Resources, the CEO or the Board. |
| 2-17 | Collective knowledge of the highest governance body on sustainable development | Both the board and the company leadership consist of highly qualified individuals involved in energy innovation, government affairs, trade unions, finance, and other related industries. Ever-Green conducts a comprehensive enterprise risk assessment every three to four years that identifies action items related to organizational risk, including economic, environmental, and social topics. The identified action items are then shared with and reviewed by the board and the relevant committees. The company leadership and the board also meet regularly. |
| 2-18 | Evaluation of the performance of the highest governance body | Through self-evaluations and reviews by parent organization board. Financial audits are conducted independently. |
| Strategy, Policies and Practices | ||
| 2-22 | Statement on sustainable development strategy | Sustainable Development Statement from Leadership |
| 2-23 | Policy Commitments | Our operations pursue the highest standards, prioritizing reliability, safety, conservation, and advancing energy solutions for the systems we own, operate, and manage. Please refer to Sustainability Policy under the Environmental section, our safety policies and equal opportunity employment policies under the Social section, Ethics under the Governance section. |
| 2-25 | Processes to remediate negative impacts | The company’s employee handbook and conflict of interest policy guide our remediation processes. Read more about our processes under Governance. |
| 2-26 | Mechanisms for seeking advice and raising concerns | Reporting directed to the Chief Legal Officer, Human Resources, the CEO, or the board. |
| 2-27 | Compliance with laws and regulations | In 2025, there were 0 significant instances of non-compliance. No fines or non-monetary sanctions were incurred. |
| 2-28 | Membership associations | International District Energy Association |
| 2-29 | Approach to stakeholder engagement | Stakeholders range from customers, communities we serve, state and local government agencies, and other key partners. The approach is dependent on system owners, customers, and communities serve. This includes working closely with building owners and customers, responding to customer and community inquiries. Read more about our stakeholder engagement process under the Governance section. |
| 2-30 | Collective bargaining agreements | In 2025, 45% of our employee population were covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The remaining 55% of employees are non-union employees. Unless otherwise covered by a collective bargaining agreement or written contract with fixed terms of employment, all employees are employed on an at-will basis. Ever-Green Energy is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. |
| GRI 3: Material Topics 2021 | ||
| 3-1 | Process to determine material topics | The material topics were determined by our core values, and a review of industry practices as well as ESG standards that are relevant to Ever-Green’s operations. Company leadership determined the rankings of each topic’s impact on the overall business. A survey was administered where our stakeholders were asked to evaluate the importance of the identified material topics and their impact on them and their businesses if Ever-Green’s performance related to the material topics improved or declined. |
| 3-2 | List of material topics | Refer to the materiality matrix and its analysis in the Governance section. Changes to the list of topics in this reporting period include addition of new topics and separation of categories to determine individual importance (Worker Health & Safety is separate from Customer & Public Health and Safety). New topics were added because the company conducted a new materiality assessment which involved re-analyzing and streamlining the topics in accordance with evolving ESG guidelines. The additional topics are based on stakeholder priorities, and shifting local, state and federal policies. |
| 3-3 | Management of material topics | Management of each material topics is described in the full report under Environmental, Social, and Governance sections. |
| GRI 103: Energy 2025 | ||
| 103-1 | Energy policies and commitments | Sustainability Policy United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Leadership Sustainable Development Statement For information on stakeholder engagement, refer to disclosure 2-29 above. |
| 103-2 | Total fuel consumption, non-renewable sources | 7,929,357 MMBtu (8,366,751 GJ HHV) Nonrenewable fuel types for thermal and electricity production, in order of MMBtu HHV include natural gas, fuel oil, and coal. |
| Total fuel consumption, renewable | 357,313 MMBtu (377,022 GJ HHV) Renewable fuel types for thermal and electricity production, in order of MMBtu HHV include biomass and solar. |
|
| Total purchased electricity consumption | 114,374 MWh Electricity is used to operate chillers to deliver cooling to customers. Each operation purchases electricity from local utilities. Renewable energy sources vary by utility. | |
| Total self-generated electricity, heating, cooling, and steam sold | Total electricity sold: 259,8968 MWh Total heating sold: 680,883 MWh Total cooling sold: 285,277 MWh |
|
| Standards, methodologies, assumptions, and calculation tools used, including the source of the conversation factors used | Emission factors provided by the local electrical utility are used. If the electrical utility provider did not release region-specific data, the emission factor from the EPA eGRID’s subregion was used. If an emission factor from the electrical utility provider was not available for 2025 at the time of reporting, the previous year’s emission factor was used. | |
| GRI 201: Economic Performance 2016 | ||
| 201-2 | Financial implications and other risks and opportunities due to climate change | Ever-Green works closely with its property insurance carrier to identify and mitigate potential future climate risks. Measures include installing floor barriers and conducting structural integrity inspections of buildings. |
| 201-3 | Defined benefit plan obligations and other retirement plans | For more information on Ever-Green’s benefit plans, refer to disclosure 401-2 below. The estimated value of benefit plan liabilities and salary contributions by employee varies by operating location and collectively bargained agreements, if applicable. Approximately 95% of our employee population were participants in a company- sponsored 401(k) plan as of 12/31/2025. |
| 201-4 | Total monetary value of financial assistance received by the organization from any government during the reporting period | 0 |
| GRI 303: Water and Effluents 2018 | ||
| GRI # | Topic | Disclosure |
| 303-1 | Description of how the organization interacts with water | Water Management |
| 303-3 | Water withdrawal | 1,859 megaliters |
| GRI 305: Emissions 2016 | ||
| 305-1 | Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions | 356,736 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent |
| 305-2 | Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions | 16,086 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent |
| 305-4 | GHG emissions intensity | Emissions intensity varies by operations and customer usage. Ever-Green reports its energy intensity in terms of short tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per MWh of sales (short tons/MWh). Refer to the Utility Emissions and Fuel Mix Data section to learn more about emissions intensities of each system. |
| 305-6 | Emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) | 519 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent |
| GRI 306: Waste 2020 | ||
| 306-1 | Waste generation and significant waste-related impacts | Waste Management |
| 306-3 | Waste generated | 18,870 metric tons |
| 306-4 | Waste diverted from disposal | Beneficial reuse: 11,152 metric tons Recycled: 37 metric tons (includes scrap metals, used oil, universal waste) |
| 306-5 | Waste directed to disposal | 7,708 metric tons directed to landfill. |
| GRI 401: Employment 2016 | ||
| 401-1 | Total number and rate of new employee hires | 40 |
| Total number and rate of employee turnover | 25 | |
| 401-2 | Benefits which are standard for full-time employees of the organization but are not provided to temporary or part-time employees | Ever-Green offers a competitive benefits package to employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance. The company offers voluntary benefits that promote mental, behavioral, and preventative health. A detailed list of benefits is provided under the Social section. |
| 401-3 | Total number of employees that were entitled to parental leave by gender | 220 |
| Men | 188 | |
| Women | 32 | |
| Total number of employees that took parental leave by gender | 4 | |
| Men | 3 | |
| Women | 1 | |
| Total number of employees that returned to work after parental leave ended by gender | 4 | |
| Men | 3 | |
| Women | 1 | |
| Total number of employees that returned to work from parental leave in the previous reporting period | 6 | |
| Total number of employees that returned to work after parental leave ended that were still employed 12 months after their return to work | 6 | |
| Total number of employees due to return to work after taking parental leave | 4 | |
| Return to work and retention rates of employees that took parental leave | 100% | |
| Return to Work Rate | 100% | |
| Retention Rate | 100% | |
| GRI 403: Occupational Health & Safety | ||
| Details of this disclosure can be found under Safety & Health in the Social section of the report. | ||
| GRI # | Topic | Disclosure |
| 403-2 | Hazard identification, risk assessment, and incident investigation | Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment: Workplaces undergo regular inspections by Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) personnel, dedicated safety committees, external consultants, and regulatory bodies, all contributing to the identification of potential hazards and improved overall compliance. Identified risks are addressed promptly and minor issues are corrected immediately, with a formal tracking system in place for complex risks requiring additional resources. Hazard mitigation strategies follow a well-defined hierarchy of controls: prioritizing elimination of risks, then substitution to replace the hazard with a safer alternative, engineered controls to isolate people from the hazard, administrative controls to change the way people work, and personal protective equipment as a last resort. Incident Investigation: Employees adhere to the procedures outlined in the Incident and Injury Reporting and Incident Investigation Policies. Investigations are led by supervisors, managers, or the EHS department in collaboration with the affected employee and other who have knowledge of the incident, process, and conditions. |
| 403-3 | Occupational health services | Employees in roles with increased potential for exposure to conditions that could adversely impact health are enrolled in health monitoring programs overseen and deployed by licensed health care professionals. |
| 403-4 | Worker participation, consultation, and communication on occupational health and safety | Ever-Green has established a joint labor-management health and safety committee for its Minnesota locations under the requirement of Minnesota Occupational Health & Safety Administration. Members meet monthly to review work-related incidents and share ideas, suggestions, and lessons learned to increase safety awareness. This practice encourages transparent reporting of injuries, illnesses, and incidents. |
| 403-5 | Worker training on occupational health and safety | Safety training is provided to all employees upon beginning work and periodically throughout the year. Training topics vary depending on job duties, risk, awareness needs, etc. |
| 403-6 | Promotion of worker health | In addition to medical, dental, and vision insurance, Ever-Green offers voluntary benefits that promote mental, behavioral, and preventative health. |
| 403-7 | Prevention and mitigation of occupational health and safety impacts directly linked by business relationships | Ever-Green has created A Workplace Accident and Injury Reduction (AWAIR) program to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. |
| 403-9 | Total recordable injuries | 2 |
| Total Recordable injury rate | 1.28 | |
| Lost time cases | 0 | |
| Lost time incident rate | 0 | |
| Occupational Disease rate | 0 | |
| Work-related fatalities | 0 | |
| 403-10 | Number of fatalities as a result of work-related ill health | 0 |
| Number of cases of recordable work-related ill health | 0 | |
| GRI 404: Training and Education 2016 | ||
| 404-1 | Average training hours | 15 (Total Hours: 3,275) |
| 404-2 | Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs | Organizational Learning Opportunities educate employees in the foundational elements of Ever-Green Energy through staff-lead training, town hall meetings, job shadowing, and tours. Leadership Training is practical leadership development offered specifically to hone the skills of Leadership for their role in the organization. Our New and Emerging Leadership Program helps individuals transition from an individual leader to a people leader role. The Evolving Leaders and Evolving Leaders Plus Program takes leaders to the next level by providing various courses to help them on their education journey. Individual Development Plans are offered as a tool to help identify learning and development opportunities. The company has an education assistance program for those looking to take college-level certification or degree programs. For those who are nearing retirement, the company offers a Voluntary Employee Retirement Notice program which rewards employees for successfully training transitioning their duties to their successor. |
| 404-3 | Percentage employees who received a performance and career development review by employee category and gender | 100% of active, eligible non-union employees. |
| GRI 406: Non-Discrimination 2016 | ||
| 406-1 | Total number of incidents of discrimination during the reporting period | 0 |
| GRI 415: Public Policy 2016 | ||
| 415-1 | Total monetary value of financial and in-kind political contributions made directly and indirectly by the organization, by recipient | 0 |
| GRI 416: Customer Health and Safety 2016 | ||
| 416-2 | Total number of non-compliance instances | 0 |
| Breakdown of fined vs none | 0 | |
| Total value of fines for instances of noncompliance | 0 | |
| GRI 418: Customer Privacy 2016 | ||
| 418-1 | Total number of substantiated complaints concerning breaches of customer privacy | 0 |
| 418-1 | Complaints received from outside parties, substantiated by organization | 0 |
| 418-1 | Complaints from regulatory bodies | 0 |
| 418-1 | Total number of identified leaks, thefts, or losses of customer data | 0 |
| GRI 419: Socioeconomic Compliance 2016 | ||
| 419-1 | Total monetary value of significant fines | 0 |
| 419-1 | Total number of non-monetary sanctions | 0 |
| 419-1 | Cases brought through dispute resolution mechanisms | 0 |
GRI Content Indexclaire.forrest2026-08-19T15:31:12+00:00
