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Intro
WM (WM.com) is North America’s leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial, medical and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them pursue their sustainability goals. In North America, WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet, is the largest recycler and is a leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants, as well as the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry. WM Healthcare Solutions provides collection and disposal services of regulated medical waste and secure information destruction services in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. To learn more about WM and the company’s sustainability progress and solutions, visit sustainability.wm.com.
The data below is presented to provide stakeholders with quick access to key performance indicators related to WM’s business and sustainability efforts. Please visit our Sustainability Report and Sustainability A-Z for additional information and stories related to WM’s sustainability program. WM is committed to improving and staying up to date on best practices for data collection and reporting, which may also result in changes to data. Further, totals may vary from the summation due to rounding. Data presented on a yearly basis represents performance from January 1 through December 31 of the stated year.
- WM Legacy Business is defined as company data and information for historic operations and lines of business.
- WM Healthcare Solutions is defined as legacy Stericycle company data and information.
- WM Total Business includes company data and information for both WM Legacy Business and WM Healthcare Solutions.
The 2024 data and emissions information presented in this report have undergone limited assurance verification by independent third-party auditors. Assurance letters can be found here.
Prior to November 4, 2024, Stericycle and WM operated as separate entities with their own data and reporting guidelines. Data is continuing to be reviewed for alignment and relevancy to our new operating footprint.
Legal Notice
Many of the assumptions, standards, methodologies, metrics and measurements used in preparing this report continue to evolve and are based on management assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation, but they should not be considered guarantees. There are inherent uncertainties in providing such information, due to the complexity and novelty of many methodologies established for collecting, measuring, and analyzing sustainability-related data.
Economic Impact
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Total Business 1 | ||||||
| Total Revenue | Million USD | $17,931 | $19,698 | $20,426 | $22,063 | |
| Adjusted Income from Operations 2 | Million USD | $3,033 | $3,474 | $3,828 | $4,296 | |
| Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share 2 | USD | $4.84 | $5.59 | $6.19 | $7.23 | |
| Free Cash Flow 2 | Million USD | $2,530 | $1,976 | $1,902 | $2,317 | |
| Adjusted Operating EBITDA 2 | Million USD | $5,032 | $5,512 | $5,899 | $6,563 | |
| Adjusted Operating EBITDA Margin 2 | Percentage | 28.1% | 28.0% | 28.9% | 29.7% | |
| Cash Dividends | Million USD | $970 | $1,077 | $1,136 | $1,210 | |
| Share Repurchases 3 | Million USD | $1,350 | $1,500 | $1,302 | $262 | |
| Cash Flow from Operations | Million USD | $4,338 | $4,536 | $4,719 | $5,390 | |
| Capital Expenditures | Million USD | $1,904 | $2,587 | $2,895 | $3,231 | |
1 2024 WM Total Business includes WM Legacy Operations and WM Healthcare Solutions. 2 This is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see the footnotes and tables that accompany WM’s financial earnings releases dated 1/29/2025, 2/12/2024, 1/31/2023 and 2/2/2022; available at investors.wm.com, for more information on WM’s use of non-GAAP measures and a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measures. 3 In 2024, we announced our temporary suspension of share repurchase activity as a result of the acquisition of Stericycle. We expect to resume share repurchase once the Company’s leverage returns to targeted levels, which is currently projected to be about 18 months after the November 2024 acquisition of Stericycle. | ||||||
Facilities
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Landfills | ||||||
| Active Hazardous Waste Landfills | Number | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Active Solid Waste Landfills | Number | 255 | 258 | 258 | 257 | |
| Transfer Stations | Number | 340 | 337 | 332 | 339 | |
| Recycling Facilities | Number | 96 | 97 | 102 | 105 | |
| Organics Recycling Facilities | Number | 39 | 41 | 49 | 49 | |
| Renewable Energy — Landfill Gas Beneficial Use Projects | ||||||
| Landfill Gas-to-Electricity Facilities 4 | Number | 70 | 66 | 66 | 65 | |
| Renewable Natural Gas Facilities 4 | Number | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | |
| Landfill Gas-to-Industrial-Processing Facilities 4 | Number | 22 | 20 | 20 | 23 | |
| Third-Party Landfill Gas Beneficial Use Projects | Number | 48 | 44 | 44 | 52 | |
| Natural Gas Fueling Stations | Number | 177 | 181 | 199 | 213 | |
| WM Healthcare Solutions 5, 6 | ||||||
| Transfer Stations | Number | – | – | – | 167 | |
| Autoclave or Alternative Medical Waste Treatment | Number | – | – | – | 69 | |
| Medical Waste Incinerator Facilities | Number | – | – | – | 18 | |
| Secure Information Destruction Processing | Number | – | – | – | 107 | |
4 Facility count is inclusive of WM-owned-and-operated facilities on WM landfills. 5 WM Healthcare Solutions facilities include leased and owned facilities worldwide. WM Healthcare Solutions is defined as legacy Stericycle company data and information. 6 2024 data represents the full calendar year (January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024). | ||||||
Fleet
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Collection Vehicles 7 | Number | 18,930 | 18,550 | 18,350 | 18,860 | |
| Alternative Fuel Vehicles 8 | Number | 10,830 | 11,310 | 12,120 | 13,170 | |
| Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Collection Fleet 8 | Percentage | 57% | 61% | 66% | 70% | |
| Alternative Fuel Consumption Allocated to Renewable Natural Gas 9 | Percentage | 53% | 47% | 47% | 74% | |
| WM Healthcare Solutions 10 | ||||||
| Fleet Vehicles 11 | Number | – | – | – | 6,100 | |
7 Collection Vehicles indicates the number of active vehicles that register more than 600 on-road hours within the reported year. 8 Alternative Fuel Vehicles include all vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and does not account for on-road hours. 9 Increases in 2024 alternative fuel consumption to which renewable natural gas was allocated were driven by increased availability of renewable fuel in the third-party market. 10 2024 data represents the full calendar year (January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024). 11 Global fleet of routed trucks, tractors, collection vans and small duty vehicles. | ||||||
Materials Managed
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Materials Recovered for Recycling | ||||||
| Paper/Fiber | Tons | 7,780,300 | 7,371,500 | 7,880,000 | 8,920,200 | |
| Organics | Tons | 3,919,200 | 3,801,600 | 3,761,400 | 3,781,400 | |
| Fly Ash | Tons | 884,300 | 915,100 | 757,300 | 648,300 | |
| Glass | Tons | 584,800 | 546,100 | 552,100 | 493,200 | |
| Metal | Tons | 417,500 | 468,800 | 505,200 | 465,600 | |
| Plastic | Tons | 516,700 | 464,500 | 510,300 | 416,800 | |
| Construction & Demolition/Wood | Tons | 1,226,000 | 1,222,200 | 1,228,100 | 1,272,700 | |
| E-Waste/Lamps/Batteries | Tons | 3,600 | 7,700 | 7,100 | 5,300 | |
| Other 12 | Tons | 5,100 | 34,100 | 36,200 | 34,100 | |
| Total Recovered Materials | Tons | 15,337,500 | 14,831,600 | 15,237,700 | 16,037,600 | |
| Inbound Recycling Contamination 13 | Percentage | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | |
| WM Healthcare Solutions 14 | ||||||
| Medical Waste Treated | Tons | – | – | – | 556,700 | |
| Pharmaceuticals Waste Treated | Tons | – | – | – | 29,800 | |
| Materials Recovered for Recycling | ||||||
| Secure Information Destruction | Tons | – | – | – | 402,600 | |
12 Other includes specialty materials such as used oil, tires and textiles. 13 Inbound Recycling Contamination percentage is a key performance indicator that WM monitors and strives to reduce through recycling education (i.e., WM’s Recycle Right program) and continuous improvement. Those contaminated tons collected/received are not included in the Recovered Materials tons above. 14 2024 data represents the full calendar year (January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024). | ||||||
Customers
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Enterprise Net Promoter Score 15 | Number | 34.7 | 28.3 | 30.7 | 32.1 | |
| Overall Customer Satisfaction 16 | Number | 7.96 | 7.75 | 7.85 | 7.93 | |
| Customers by Category 17 | ||||||
| Residential 18 | Number | N/A | 1,484,300 | 1,416,700 | 1,404,700 | |
| Commercial 19 | Number | N/A | 1,125,400 | 1,139,700 | 1,125,700 | |
| Industrial 20 | Number | N/A | 204,300 | 211,900 | 172,500 | |
| Municipal 21 | Number | N/A | 2,750 | 2,610 | 2,520 | |
| Customers Receiving Recycling Services by Customer Type | ||||||
| Residential & Municipal 18, 21 | Percentage | 75% | 73% | 74% | 75% | |
| Commercial 19 | Percentage | 28% | 29% | 29% | 29% | |
| Industrial 20 | Percentage | 19% | 9% | 8% | 9% | |
| Customers Receiving Organics Services by Customer Type | ||||||
| Residential & Municipal 20, 21 | Percentage | 38% | 39% | 39% | 40% | |
| Commercial 19 | Percentage | 2% | <1% | <1% | 5% | |
| Industrial 20 | Percentage | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% | |
15 The Enterprise Net Promoter Score measures customer loyalty by looking at their likelihood of recommending a given business. 16 The Overall Customer Satisfaction metric measures customer satisfaction as a mean of all survey responses based on a scale of 1-10. 17 Tracking of customers within these categories began in 2022 as a result of technology upgrades. Prior to that, we tracked customers in line with our financial reporting categories, which differs from this classification (indicated by ‘N/A’ – Not Available). 18 Residential Customers include residences that have direct contracts with WM for curbside collection services. 19 Commercial Customers include those receiving services on a commercial collection route. 20 Industrial Customers include those that receive roll-off service. 21 Municipal Customers are defined as municipalities that have direct contracts with WM. These contracts include many residential customers as they provide services to a specific area, inclusive of all residents. | ||||||
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Scope 1 | ||||||
| Landfill | Metric Tons CO2e | 15,299,600 | 13,743,200 | 13,377,400 | 11,927,300 | |
| Collection Fleet | Metric Tons CO2e | 1,172,000 | 1,116,100 | 1,104,500 | 826,500 | |
| Other Energy Use | Metric Tons CO2e | 503,800 | 462,400 | 456,800 | 469,500 | |
| Total Scope 1 | Metric Tons CO2e | 16,975,400 | 15,321,700 | 14,938,700 | 13,223,300 | |
| Scope 1 Emissions Covered Under Emissions-Limiting Regulations 22 | Percentage | 76% | 75% | 75% | 76% | |
| Scope 1 Emissions Covered Under Emissions-Reporting Regulations 23 | Percentage | 79% | 79% | 78% | 77% | |
| Scope 2 – Purchased Electricity 24 | ||||||
| Location-Based | Metric Tons CO2e | 257,200 | 301,900 | 285,400 | 283,800 | |
| Market-Based | Metric Tons CO2e | 182,900 | 138,700 | 123,000 | 108,900 | |
| Scope 3 25 | ||||||
| Purchased Goods & Services | Metric Tons CO2e | 1,136,700 | 288,800 | 298,300 | 352,100 | |
| Capital Goods | Metric Tons CO2e | 1,613,200 | 222,600 | 249,000 | 360,900 | |
| Fuel & Energy Related Activities | Metric Tons CO2e | 325,500 | 339,700 | 367,700 | 319,900 | |
| Upstream Transport | Metric Tons CO2e | – | 410,600 | 525,400 | 544,100 | |
| Waste | Metric Tons CO2e | – | 24,400 | 23,400 | 25,600 | |
| Business Travel | Metric Tons CO2e | 9,300 | 18,500 | 18,100 | 19,100 | |
| Employee Commuting | Metric Tons CO2e | 199,300 | 157,400 | 145,200 | 146,400 | |
| Upstream Leased Assets | Metric Tons CO2e | 7,900 | – | – | – | |
| Downstream Transport | Metric Tons CO2e | 62,700 | – | 139,100 | 154,100 | |
| Use of Sold Products | Metric Tons CO2e | 800 | 1,200 | 12,600 | 5,500 | |
| Downstream Leased Assets | Metric Tons CO2e | 1,200 | 22,700 | 23,100 | 20,400 | |
| Investments | Metric Tons CO2e | 1,100 | 2,100 | 9,900 | 5,400 | |
| Total Scope 3 | Metric Tons CO2e | 3,357,700 | 1,488,000 | 1,811,800 | 1,953,500 | |
| Biogenic Emissions 26 | ||||||
| Biogenic Scope 1 | Metric Tons CO2e | 12,969,500 | 12,858,400 | 12,988,700 | 12,287,300 | |
| Biogenic Scope 2 | Metric Tons CO2e | – | 1,000 | 134,500 | 154,300 | |
| Biogenic Scope 3 25 | Metric Tons CO2e | 1,146,300 | 2,285,400 | 2,444,100 | 1,071,300 | |
| Avoided GHG Emissions | ||||||
| Renewable Energy Generation | Metric Tons CO2e | 2,163,800 | 1,967,700 | 1,979,600 | 2,870,000 | |
| Reuse and Recycling of Materials | Metric Tons CO2e | 28,014,300 | 26,920,000 | 28,319,000 | 31,178,600 | |
| Carbon Permanently Sequestered | Metric Tons CO2e | 21,855,800 | 19,428,500 | 21,699,300 | 22,107,700 | |
| Total Avoided GHG Emissions | Metric Tons CO2e | 52,033,900 | 48,316,200 | 51,997,900 | 56,156,300 | |
| Carbon Intensity | ||||||
| Operating Revenue Carbon Intensity 27 | CO2e/$M Net Revenue | 957 | 784 | 737 | 616 | |
| Waste Disposed Carbon Intensity 27 | CO2e/Tons of Waste Disposed | 0.137 | 0.124 | 0.123 | 0.107 | |
| Miles Driven Carbon Intensity 28 | CO2e/1,000 Miles Driven | 2.20 | 2.16 | 2.30 | 1.71 | |
| Avoided GHG Emissions Carbon Intensity 29 | Avoided GHG Emissions/CO2e | 3.03 | 3.13 | 3.45 | 4.21 | |
| WM Healthcare Solutions 30 | ||||||
| Scope 1 | ||||||
| Incinerated Waste | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 89,800 | |
| Fleet | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 145,900 | |
| Other Energy Use | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 66,800 | |
| Total Scope 1 | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 302,500 | |
| Scope 2 - Purchased Electricity 24 | ||||||
| Location-Based | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 24,100 | |
| Market-Based | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 23,100 | |
| Scope 3 25 | ||||||
| Purchased Good & Services | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 71,300 | |
| Capital Goods | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 31,000 | |
| Fuel & Energy Related Activities | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 48,900 | |
| Upstream Transport | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 9,000 | |
| Waste | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 37,300 | |
| Business Travel | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 7,400 | |
| Employee Commuting | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 22,200 | |
| Downstream Transport | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 1,600 | |
| Total Scope 3 | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 228,700 | |
| Biogenic Emissions 26 | ||||||
| Biogenic Scope 1 | Metric Tons CO2e | – | – | – | 23,000 | |
22 As aligned with Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) definitions, this includes only emission sources that are regulated under a permit-based mechanism. 23 As aligned with SASB definitions, this includes only emission sources that meet a regulatory threshold for reporting. 24 Location-based reflects emissions from total electricity consumption based on regional emission factors. Market-based reflects emissions associated with contractual instruments, including the retirement of renewable energy credits (RECs) in accordance with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. 25 WM continues to improve our Scope 3 accounting and transparency by working closely with our suppliers and aligning with best practice methodologies. Not only does this result in fluctuations in reported emissions, but it may also lead us to shift emissions into different categories, eliminating some while expanding others. 26 Biogenic Emissions are reported separately from the Corporate GHG Inventory in line with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. These emissions are considered carbon neutral as they derive from biological material. Biogenic Scope 2 emissions are associated with retired RECs from landfill gas-to-electricity. 27 Carbon Intensity metrics reflect Scope 1 & 2 market-based emissions normalized to $M net revenue and tons of waste disposed. 2024 data utilizes the WM Legacy Business Operating Revenue of $21,660M. 28 Miles Driven Carbon Intensity metric reflects Scope 1 Collection Fleet emissions normalized to 1,000 miles driven. 29 Avoided GHG Emissions per CO2e is calculated by dividing total potential emissions avoided from Renewable Energy Generation, Reuse and Recycling of Materials and Carbon Permanently Sequestered by direct operating emissions (Scope 1 and 2). 30 2024 data represents the full calendar year (January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024). | ||||||
Landfill Gas
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Landfill Gas Emissions | ||||||
| Landfill Gas Captured 31 | Metric Tons CO2e | 53,562,500 | 53,409,000 | 53,941,100 | 57,810,500 | |
| Landfill Gas Captured 31 | Percentage | 78% | 80% | 80% | 83% | |
| Fugitive Landfill Emissions | Percentage | 22% | 20% | 20% | 17% | |
| Landfill Gas Flared | Percentage | 55% | 55% | 57% | 55% | |
| Landfill Gas Recovered for Beneficial Use | Percentage | 45% | 45% | 43% | 45% | |
| Total Landfill Gas Captured | MSCF | 233,392,700 | 231,407,200 | 241,774,300 | 248,141,000 | |
| Equipment Capacity 32 | ||||||
| Landfill Gas-to-Electricity | MW | 520 | 510 | 500 | 490 | |
| Landfill Gas-to-Natural-Gas | MMBtu/hr | 4,450 | 4,620 | 6,310 | 7,320 | |
| Landfill Gas-to-Industrial | MMBtu/hr | 510 | 510 | 570 | 590 | |
| Landfill Gas Converted to Energy for Sale/Use 33 | MMBtu | 56,674,400 | 55,776,800 | 56,621,600 | 58,096,500 | |
31 Landfill gas generated from waste is cyclical over a period of decades. The amount and rate of gas generation is dependent on several factors, including waste volume, composition, climatic factors and operational controls. 32 Equipment Capacity is inclusive of WM-owned-and-operated and third-party facilities. 33 Landfill gas converted to energy is a measure of energy produced at renewable energy facilities on WM landfills, inclusive of WM-owned-and-operated and third-party. | ||||||
Energy Consumption
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Energy | ||||||
| Total Non-Renewable Energy | MWh | 7,892,400 | 7,008,800 | 7,024,600 | 5,715,000 | |
| Total Renewable Energy | MWh | 1,952,400 | 2,029,700 | 2,707,200 | 3,939,600 | |
| Total Energy | MWh | 9,844,800 | 9,038,500 | 9,731,800 | 9,654,600 | |
| Percentage Renewable Energy | Percentage | 20% | 22% | 28% | 41% | |
| Fuels 34 | ||||||
| Non-Renewable Fuels | MWh | 7,389,800 | 6,531,000 | 6,654,800 | 5,370,600 | |
| Renewable Fuels | MWh | 1,763,900 | 1,683,800 | 2,249,800 | 3,426,500 | |
| Total Fuels | MWh | 9,153,700 | 8,214,800 | 8,904,600 | 8,797,100 | |
| Electricity | ||||||
| Non-Renewable Electricity | MWh | 502,600 | 477,800 | 369,800 | 344,400 | |
| Renewable Electricity 35 | MWh | 188,500 | 345,900 | 457,300 | 513,100 | |
| Total Electricity | MWh | 691,100 | 823,700 | 827,100 | 857,500 | |
| Percent Renewable Electricity | Percentage | 27% | 42% | 55% | 60% | |
| Energy Intensity 36 | ||||||
| Energy per Waste Managed | MWh/1,000 tons | 72.7 | 72.8 | 79.3 | 77.2 | |
| Energy per WM Legacy Business Operating Revenue | MWh/$10k | 5.1 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | |
| Energy per Employee | MWh/employee | 188.6 | 183.3 | 203.2 | 196.9 | |
| WM Healthcare Solutions 37 | ||||||
| Energy | ||||||
| Total Non-Renewable Energy | MWh | – | – | – | 1,018,700 | |
| Total Renewable Energy | MWh | – | – | – | 5,800 | |
| Total Energy | MWh | – | – | – | 1,024,500 | |
| Percentage Renewable Energy | Percentage | – | – | – | 1% | |
| Fuels 34 | ||||||
| Non-Renewable Fuels | MWh | – | – | – | 938,400 | |
| Renewable Fuels | MWh | – | – | – | 5,800 | |
| Total Fuels | MWh | – | – | – | 944,200 | |
| Electricity Usage | MWh | – | – | – | 80,300 | |
34 Total Fuels are inclusive of fuels used in collection fleet, off-road fleet, facility heating, direct operations and aviation. 35 Renewable Electricity is comprised of RECs generated from WM landfill gas-to-electricity facilities and then retired against WM’s direct electricity usage. 36 Energy Intensity is enterprise-wide energy including electricity and fuels normalized to energy per 1,000 tons waste managed, $10k operating revenue and employee. 2024 data utilizes the WM Legacy Business Operating Revenue of $21,660M. 37 2024 data represents the full calendar year (January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024). | ||||||
Environmental Impacts
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Non-Compliance Associated With Environmental Impacts | ||||||
| Environmental Compliance Violations 38 | Number | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | |
| Significant Spills 39 | Number | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| Non-Compliance Associated with Air Emissions 38 | Number | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Emissions of Air Pollutants 40 | ||||||
| Emissions of NOx | Metric Tons | 4,500 | 4,800 | 4,800 | 4,300 | |
| Emissions of SOx | Metric Tons | 720 | 780 | 800 | 720 | |
| Emissions of VOCs | Metric Tons | 100 | 100 | 110 | 230 | |
| Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Chemical Containment at WM Hazardous Waste Facilities 41 | ||||||
| RCRA Subtitle C | Pounds | 26,839,000 | 34,622,600 | 38,792,400 | N/A | |
| Underground Injection | Pounds | 5,223,100 | 5,042,000 | 5,724,300 | N/A | |
| Transfer Off-Site to Treatment/Containment | Pounds | 138,000 | 55,200 | 184,300 | N/A | |
| TRI Permitted Releases to Water | Percentage | <1% | <1% | <1% | N/A | |
38 Based on Formal Enforcement Actions as defined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Environmental Compliance Violations include Non-Compliance Associated with Air Emissions. 39 Any release of a hazardous substance or oil exceeding USEPA-established reporting triggers. 40 Air emissions data is reported in metric tons per year based on emissions at landfill sites only. 41 TRI data reflects pounds contained in, or directed to, permitted Hazardous Waste Facilities. Data is reported a year behind (indicated by ‘N/A’ – Not Available). | ||||||
Waste & Water
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Waste Generated 42 | ||||||
| Total Waste Generated 43 | Metric Tons | 4,500 | 4,600 | 4,400 | 4,500 | |
| Total Waste Recycled | Metric Tons | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | |
| Percentage Recycled | Percentage | 27% | 26% | 27% | 27% | |
| Total Waste to Landfill | Metric Tons | 3,300 | 3,400 | 3,200 | 3,300 | |
| Percentage Landfilled | Percentage | 73% | 74% | 73% | 73% | |
| Total Waste Generated per Employee | Pounds | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 | |
| Water Usage 44 | ||||||
| Total Withdrawal | Million Cubic Meters | 3.69 | 3.37 | 3.99 | 5.02 | |
| Water Consumption | Million Cubic Meters | 0.84 | 0.86 | 0.83 | 0.85 | |
| Operational Water Usage 45 | Million Cubic Meters | 2.85 | 2.51 | 3.16 | 4.17 | |
42 Waste generated in operations is calculated using an average waste and recycling generation tonnage per employee, per day for each of our facility types. Each WM facility type (i.e., landfill, hauling, recycling, office, etc.) has its own waste factor calculated based on historical waste audit data. 43 Total Waste Generated includes only non-hazardous waste. 44 Water usage at sites without meters is estimated based on employee count. 45 Primary operational water uses include, but are not limited to, vehicle washing, dust suppression and landscaping. | ||||||
Safety
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Days Away/Restricted or Transfer – Employees 46 | DART Injuries per 200,000 work hours | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.7 | |
| Days Away/Restricted or Transfer – Contractors and Contingent Labor 46 | DART Injuries per 200,000 work hours | 0.09 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.04 | |
| Vehicle Accident Recordable Rate | Total Driver Hours/ Vehicle Accident | 19,631 | 19,851 | 18,672 | 19,000 | |
| Hourly Accident Recordable Rate | Total Driver Hours/ All Vehicle & Property Accidents | 11,611 | 10,791 | 8,899 | 8,821 | |
| Total Recordable Injury Rate | OSHA Recordable Injuries per 200,000 work hours | 3.00 | 3.02 | 3.08 | 3.23 | |
| WM Healthcare Solutions 47 | ||||||
| Total Recordable Injury Rate | OSHA Recordable Injuries per 200,000 work hours | – | – | – | 3.93 | |
46 Days Away/Restricted or Transfer (DART) is calculated using serious injuries with lost time or restricted work as defined by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). 47 2024 data represents the full calendar year (January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024). | ||||||
Employees
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Total Business 48 | ||||||
| Employees by Region | ||||||
| Total Full-Time Employees | Number | 48,500 | 49,500 | 48,000 | 61,700 | |
| United States | Number | 45,400 | 46,300 | 44,600 | 54,300 | |
| Outside of U.S. 49 | Number | 3,100 | 3,200 | 3,400 | 7,400 | |
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Employee Engagement | ||||||
| Voice of the Employee Engagement Score | Percentage | – | – | 71% | 78% | |
| Employee Participation in Voice of Employee Survey | Percentage | – | – | 57% | 72% | |
| Hires | ||||||
| New Employee Hires | Number | 12,744 | 13,791 | 9,904 | 10,718 | |
| Open Positions Filled by Internal Candidates (Internal Hires) | Percentage | 22% | 26% | 35% | 27% | |
| Employee Turnover | ||||||
| Employee Turnover Rate | Percentage | 25.4% | 25.3% | 21.0% | 20.1% | |
| Voluntary Employee Turnover Rate | Percentage | 20.9% | 20.0% | 15.0% | 12.5% | |
| Employees by Pay Type | ||||||
| Hourly | Percentage | 80% | 80% | 79% | 78% | |
| Salaried | Percentage | 20% | 20% | 21% | 22% | |
| Ratio of Basic Salary and Remuneration of Female to Male 50 | Number | 0.97 | 0.93 | 0.95 | 0.96 | |
| Labor Relations | ||||||
| Workforce Covered Under Collective Bargaining Agreements | Percentage | 18% | 17% | 17% | 17% | |
| Work Stoppages | Number | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Training | ||||||
| Average Training | Hours/Employee | 30 | 30 | 20 | 25 | |
| Average Spend on Training | USD/Employee | $650 | $572 | $795 | $818 | |
| Total Annual Training Among Full-Time Employees | Hours | 438,631 | 520,839 | 951,413 | 1,218,937 | |
48 2024 data is WM Total Business including WM Legacy Operations & WM Healthcare Solutions. Data prior to 2024 does not incorporate any aspects of Stericycle operations. 49 Includes Canada, Western Europe and India. 50 In 2022, WM updated our methodology for calculating Salary Ratio to align with industry best practices, which resulted in a slight year-over-year difference. The updated methodology is an average of all female employees’ pay compared to all male employees’ pay. | ||||||
Workforce Analytics 51
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| By Age (Global) | ||||||
| <30 Years Old | Percentage | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.8% | 12.2% | |
| 30–50 Years Old | Percentage | 48.4% | 48.2% | 48.0% | 48.0% | |
| >50 Years Old | Percentage | 39.7% | 40.1% | 40.2% | 39.8% | |
| Senior Leadership Team 52 | ||||||
| Minority | Percentage | 22% | 22% | 20% | 36% | |
| Female (Global) | Percentage | 33% | 33% | 30% | 27% | |
| WM Leadership 53 | ||||||
| Minority | Percentage | 21.5% | 22.9% | 26.4% | 27.4% | |
| Female (Global) | Percentage | 22.6% | 27.8% | 28.3% | 28.7% | |
| Share as Percentage of Total Workforce 54 | ||||||
| Asian | Percentage | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | |
| Black or African American | Percentage | 18.6% | 18.2% | 18.0% | 18.2% | |
| Hispanic | Percentage | 21.0% | 21.1% | 21.7% | 22.1% | |
| White | Percentage | 50.3% | 48.7% | 47.6% | 45.9% | |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | Percentage | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% | |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | Percentage | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | |
| Two or More Races | Percentage | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.9% | |
| Not Disclosed 55 | Percentage | 6.8% | 9.0% | 9.5% | 10.4% | |
| Share in All Management Positions, as Total Management Workforce 54 | ||||||
| Asian | Percentage | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 3.0% | |
| Black or African American | Percentage | 7.9% | 7.8% | 8.4% | 8.5% | |
| Hispanic | Percentage | 11.0% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 12.4% | |
| White | Percentage | 71.3% | 69.1% | 67.1% | 66.1% | |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | Percentage | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | Percentage | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | |
| Two or More Races | Percentage | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.2% | |
| Not Disclosed 55 | Percentage | 5.9% | 7.4% | 8.0% | 8.3% | |
| Female Representation (Global) | ||||||
| Executives | Percentage | 19.7% | 14.1% | 17.3% | 16.4% | |
| Managers | Percentage | 21.7% | 22.2% | 22.9% | 23.4% | |
| Professionals | Percentage | 47.1% | 46.7% | 48.0% | 50.7% | |
| Operatives & Craft Workers | Percentage | 4.0% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 3.5% | |
| Total Workforce | Percentage | 19.4% | 18.9% | 18.8% | 19.0% | |
| Minority Diversity 56 | ||||||
| Executives | Percentage | 10.5% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 8.9% | |
| Managers | Percentage | 23.5% | 24.5% | 27.0% | 28.3% | |
| Professionals | Percentage | 33.0% | 32.9% | 34.6% | 36.6% | |
| Operatives & Craft Workers | Percentage | 48.2% | 48.3% | 50.1% | 51.4% | |
| Total Workforce | Percentage | 44.9% | 44.8% | 46.2% | 47.3% | |
| Additional Representation | ||||||
| Veterans | Percentage | 5.0% | 4.0% | 5.8% | 7.0% | |
51 Percentage figures are a representation of plus or minus 1%. 52 The composition of WM’s Senior Leadership Team varies, but as of year-end 2024, it was comprised of the following roles: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Customer Officer, Senior Vice President Operations East Tier, Senior Vice President Operations West Tier, Senior Vice President Enterprise Strategy and Chief Information Officer. Diverse and minority representation references both racial and ethnic characteristics self-identified by U.S. team members only. 53 WM Leadership is comprised of supervisors and above roles, including functional and/or people leaders. Diverse and minority representation references both racial and ethnic characteristics self-identified by U.S. team members only. 54 Race groups and population data are based on the categories provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. This includes six single-origin race groups (White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and Some Other Race) and one multiple-origin race group (Two or More Races). Each race group is divided into two ethnic categories: Hispanic or Latino and non-Hispanic or non-Latino. This data aligns with EEO-1 reporting. Diverse and minority representation references both racial and ethnic characteristics self-identified by U.S. team members only. 55 This includes the following: Employee chose not to report, “not specified” and/or employees in Canada and India. 56 Diverse and minority representation references both racial and ethnic characteristics self-identified by U.S. team members only. | ||||||
Community
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Charitable Contributions | ||||||
| Contributions (Monetary) | Million USD | $12.8 | $14.1 | $14.7 | $20.6 | |
| In-Kind Services | Million USD | $1.5 | $1.8 | $2.0 | $1.9 | |
| Workforce Development Contributions to Nonprofits 57 | Million USD | – | – | $2.0 | $5.1 | |
| Total Charitable Giving | Million USD | $14.3 | $15.9 | $18.7 | $27.6 | |
| Environmental Stewardship 58 | ||||||
| Wildlife Habitat Council Certified Programs | Number | 73 | 74 | 74 | 68 | |
| Land Actively Managed for Wildlife Preservation | Acres | 13,700 | 13,400 | 13,400 | 13,500 | |
| Habitat, Species and Education Projects 'On-the-Ground' | Number | 280 | 290 | 320 | 320 | |
| Social Impact | ||||||
| People Positively Impacted 59 | Number (Annual) | N/A | 303,000 | 526,500 | 1,722,300 | |
| Total People Positively Impacted | Number (Cumulative) | N/A | 303,000 | 829,500 | 2,551,800 | |
57 These contributions support nonprofits that are part of our Innovative Employment Pathways (IEP) program. 58 Environmental acres and projects reported here are actively managed through Wildlife Habitat Council certified programs. 59 Not applicable in 2021 because, in 2022, we updated our reporting methodology to align with the 2030 Social Impact goal to positively impact people through targeted social impact programs. | ||||||
Governance
| Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Legacy Business | ||||||
| Board of Directors | ||||||
| Minority 60 | Percentage | 22% | 22% | 33% | 33% | |
| Female | Percentage | 33% | 33% | 33% | 33% | |
| Annual Total Monetary Political and Lobby Contributions 61 | ||||||
| Federal Lobbying, Interest Representation or Similar | USD | $310,000 | $296,500 | $279,000 | $282,000 | |
| Local, Regional or National Political Campaigns/Organizations/Candidates | USD | $223,800 | $390,500 | $300,200 | $224,500 | |
| Trade Associations or Tax-Exempt Groups (e.g., think tanks) | USD | $916,300 | $975,700 | $1,113,700 | $1,056,300 | |
| Total Monetary Political & Lobbying Contributions & Other Spending | USD | $1,450,100 | $1,662,700 | $1,692,900 | $1,562,800 | |
| Reports of Potential Misconduct 62 | ||||||
| Number of Reports of Potential Misconduct | Number | 3,489 | 3,575 | 3,190 | 2,987 | |
| Reports via Confidential Integrity Helpline | Percentage | 62% | 49% | 38% | 39% | |
| Reports via Other Avenues 63 | Percentage | 38% | 51% | 62% | 61% | |
| Total Reports Made Anonymously | Percentage | 33% | 27% | 21% | 22% | |
| Reports of Employment Practices Matters 64 | Percentage | 83% | 77% | 72% | 71% | |
| Reports of Fraud-Related Matters 65 | Percentage | 6% | 6% | 7% | 6% | |
| Reports of Security-Related Matters 66 | Percentage | 6% | 8% | 11% | 11% | |
| Reports of Other Code of Conduct Matters 67 | Percentage | 5% | 9% | 10% | 12% | |
60 Diverse representation is voluntarily self-identified. Minority representation references both racial and ethnic characteristics self-identified by U.S. directors only. 61 The data presented above is annual total monetary contributions to and spending for political campaigns, political organizations, lobbyists or lobbying organizations, trade associations and other tax-exempt groups. Note: the amounts are based on the information provided by the association or organization. WM Employees Better Government Fund Political Action Committee (WMPAC) contributions are excluded and can be found in our publicly available disclosure Participation in the Political Process. 62 WM’s SPEAK UP culture encourages employees to report issues and concerns through several channels, including directly to their manager, Human Resources, or Compliance and Ethics, or directly to the third-party-administered Integrity Helpline. 63 Includes Human Resources (HR), Corporate HR Investigation Team, Corporate Security, Internal Audit, Senior Leadership, and Compliance and Ethics. 64 Includes, but not limited to, harassment, discrimination, unprofessional behavior, employee relations, etc. 65 Includes, but not limited to, bribery, business practices, fraud, payroll fraud, etc. 66 Includes, but not limited to, burglary, identity theft, privacy concerns, property damage, workplace violence, etc. 67 Includes, but not limited to, conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, etc. | ||||||