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Waste Management, Inc. or WM (NYSE: WM), based in Houston, Texas, is a holding company, and all operations are conducted by its subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are operated and managed locally and focus on providing services in distinct geographic areas. Through our subsidiaries, we are North America’s leading provider of comprehensive waste management environmental services, providing services throughout the United States (U.S.) and Canada. We partner with our residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers and the communities we serve to manage and reduce waste at each stage from collection to disposal, while recovering valuable resources and creating clean, renewable energy.

The data below is presented to provide stakeholders a quick access to key performance indicators related to WM's sustainability efforts. Please visit our ESG Resources Hub and our Sustainability Report for additional information and stories related to WM's sustainability program.

Please note: that internal data collection is ongoing, which may result in updates to data displayed throughout the year. 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.

Economic Impact

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Total Revenue ($ in billions) 14.48 14.91 15.46 15.22 17.93
Adjusted Income from Operations ($ in billions) 2.63 2.74 2.81 2.65 3.03
Adjusted Operating Margin 18.2% 18.4% 18.2% 17.4% 16.9%
Adjust EPS 3.22 4.20 4.40 4.03 4.84
Free Cash Flow ($ in billions) 1.77 2.08 2.11 2.66 2.53
Adjusted Operating EBITDA ($ in billions) 4.00 4.21 4.38 4.32 5.03
Adjusted Operating EBITDA Margin 27.7% 28.3% 28.4% 28.4% 28.1%
Cash Dividends ($ in millions) 750 802 876 927 970
Share Repurchases ($ in millions) 750 1,004 248 402 1,350
Returned to Shareholders ($ in billions) 1.5 1.8 1.1 1.3 2.3
Cash from Operations ($ in billions) 3.2 3.6 3.9 3.4 4.3
Capital expenditures ($ in billions) 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.6 1.9

Operations

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Customer Service & Satisfaction
Enterprise Net Promoter Score — — — 50.2 34.7
Overall Customer Satisfaction 54.9 55.3 58.7 68.3 60.5
Post-Contact Survey Customer Satisfaction — — 4.19 4.25 4.06

In 2020, WM engaged in activities to support employees, customers and communities as COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (see pages 7 and 31 of our 2021 Sustainability Report for details). The reaction of our customers, who were grateful that WM continued to provide reliable service, is reflected in our 2020 NPS score. A decrease was anticipated in 2021.
Fleet
Collection Vehicles 17,200 17,269 17,000 19,690 18,927
Alternative Energy Vehicles 6,536 7,944 8,924 10,388 10,832
Percentage of Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Collection Fleet 38% 46% 50% 53% 57%
Percentage of Alternative Fuel Vehicles Using Renewable Natural Gas 30% 30% 40% 55% 53%
Facilities
Renewable Energy—Landfill Gas Beneficial Use Projects
Landfill Gas-to-Electricity Facilities 102 101 97 104 102
Landfill Gas-to-Natural Gas Facilities 13 15 15 16 16
Landfill Gas to Industrial Customers as a Direct Substitute for Fossil Fuels 18 14 12 26 26
Natural Gas Fueling Stations 107 132 145 171 177
Landfills
Active Hazardous Waste Landfills 5 5 5 5 5
Active Solid Waste Landfills 244 247 244 263 255
Transfer Stations 305 314 302 348 340
Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) 85 88 103 103 96
Organics Processing 4 4 44 42 39
Recycling
Recycled Material (tons)
Paper 9,025,439 8,635,161 8,079,346 7,744,197 7,780,337
Mixed Organics 3,376,683 3,591,346 3,577,122 3,358,832 3,919,198
Fly Ash 972,894 1,168,061 1,149,000 996,799 884,281
Glass 771,043 720,594 666,838 615,853 584,756
Metal 487,770 475,278 476,645 384,404 417,452
Plastic 433,040 349,499 403,484 502,459 516,717
C&D/Wood 115,036 202,329 1,149,152 1,381,865 1,226,043
E-waste/​Lamps/​Batteries 31,295 19,404 9,110 32,122 3,567
Other 121,608 — — 14,123 5,105
Total Recycled Managed (tons) 15,334,808 15,161,672 15,510,697 15,030,654 15,337,456

The 2% increase in Total Recycled Materials in 2021 primarily comes from increased recycling of paper and organic material. “Other” material includes recycled concrete and other inert aggregate material in 2017, used oil in 2020 and used oil, tires and textiles in 2021.
Percentage of Inbound Recycling Contamination 15% 18% 17% 16% 16%
Supply Chain
Diverse Supplier Spend ($ in millions) 191.0 234.2 264.1 244.2 335.3
Energy Intensity
MWh/Tons Waste 0.07434 0.06971 0.07021 0.07399 0.07845
MWh/$ Net Operating Revenue 0.00058 0.00054 0.00055 0.00055 0.00055
MWh/Employee 198.32 185.00 188.51 172.88 203.62
Fleet MWh/Tons Waste 0.05174 0.05156 0.05170 0.05943 0.05737
Other Energy MWh/Employee 60.27 48.18 49.68 47.31 54.71

MWh includes fuel associated with fleet, off-road vehicles, facilities and jet fuel; in other words, Fleet MWh and Other Energy MWh (off-road vehicles, facilities and jet fuel) combined make up Total MWh.

Environment

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)

Our 2021 carbon footprint includes a full year of emissions from Advanced Disposal Services (ADS), an acquisition completed on October 30, 2020, while our 2020 carbon footprint includes only two months of ADS emissions. Most of the increase in emissions in 2021 is due to the acquisition.
Scope 1
Landfill 13,633,140 14,536,271 13,965,549 14,602,131 15,299,582
Collection Fleet 1,345,898 1,321,914 1,209,237 1,019,617 1,171,967
Other Energy Use 710,955 413,959 449,846 461,473 503,775
Total Scope 1 15,689,993 16,272,144 15,624,632 16,083,220 16,975,323

The methodology used to calculate landfill emissions relies on multiple variables to estimate annual emissions, such as the amount of methane collected, and the tons and categories of waste received. The methodology relies on tons of waste that is in place as of January 1 of each year to estimate emissions for the rest of the reporting year, and therefore is not synchronized with other operational information or data in the reporting year, which runs from January through December.
Scope 2—Purchased Electricity
Location-Based 244,828 246,091 238,341 236,151 257,188
Market-Based 244,828 246,091 238,341 236,151 182,885

Location-Based reflects emissions from total electricity consumption. In 2021, WM retired Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Accounting Standard, reflected in the Scope 2 Market-Based emissions.
Scope 3
Purchased Goods & Services 470,255 428,823 1,610,356 1,515,191 1,136,734
Capital Goods 7,962,954 8,348,931 1,338,238 1,372,479 1,613,209
Fuel & Energy-Related Activities — — — 423,504 325,520
Business Travel 20,545 19,693 20,672 9,037 9,266
Employee Commuting 208,391 215,288 221,200 177,563 199,333
Upstream Leased Assets — — 285 2,813 7,918
Downstream Leased Assets 1,934 2,409 1,716 1,250 1,163
Investments — 30,228 19,198 1,157 1,108
Use of Sold Products — — — — 823
Downstream Transport 317 363 — — 62,668
Total Scope 3 8,665,586 9,047,233 3,211,665 3,502,994 3,357,743

Our 2021 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory has received limited third-party verification. We currently do not seek external assurance for other elements of this report.

We continue to improve our Scope 3 accounting and transparency year over year by working closely with the Supply Chain team and our suppliers. On occasion this leads us to shift emissions into different categories, eliminating some while expanding others. In 2021, WM captured data from third-party transportation, reflected as Downstream Transport, rather than Purchased Goods and Services.
Biogenic Emissions
Biogenic Scope 1 11,760,390 11,957,838 12,432,517 12,689,901 12,969,522
Biogenic Scope 3 2,964,528 3,024,651 2,944,529 2,797,824 1,146,269
Carbon Intensity
CO2e per $ Net Revenue 0.00110 0.00111 0.00103 0.00107 0.00096
CO2e per Tons of Waste Disposed 0.141 0.142 0.136 0.143 0.137
CO2e per 1,000 Miles Driven 2.87 2.74 2.40 2.02 2.20
Avoided GHG Emissions per CO2e 3.42 3.27 3.35 3.20 3.03

Carbon Intensity metrics include Scope 1 & 2 emissions. 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 Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Avoided GHG Emissions (Million Metric Tons CO2e)
Renewable Energy Generation 2.40 2.19 2.10 2.18 2.16
Reuse and Recycling of Materials 32.59 31.32 30.06 28.55 28.06
Carbon Permanently Sequestered 19.48 20.04 20.74 21.99 21.86
Total Avoided GHG Emissions 54.47 53.55 52.90 52.72 52.08
Landfill Gas Emissions
Landfill Gas Emitted (MTCO2e)
Percentage of Total		 13,633,140
22%		 14,536,271
23%		 13,965,549
21%		 14,602,131
22%		 15,299,582
22%
Landfill Gas Captured (MTCO2e)
Percentage of Total		 49,010,808
78%		 49,655,869
77%		 51,088,479
79%		 51,136,297
78%		 53,562,528
78%
Landfill Gas Flared 45% 48% 47% 49% 55%
Landfill Gas Recovered for Beneficial Use 54% 52% 53% 51% 45%
WM Landfill Gas—Beneficial Use
Equipment Capacity
Landfill Gas-to-Electricity (MW) 410 416 402 380 377
Landfill Gas-to-Natural Gas (MW) 25 29 33 51 64
Total Equipment Capacity for Landfill Gas (MW) 443 444 435 431 441
Landfill Gas Converted to Energy for Sale/Use (MMBTU) 56,960,000 58,630,000 58,060,000 56,130,000 55,510,000
Energy Consumption (MWh)
Non-Renewable Fuels 6,852,233 7,033,506 6,651,407 6,348,664 7,389,804
Non-Renewable Electricity 530,903 583,680 602,321 639,516 502,594
Total Non-Renewable Energy 7,383,136 7,617,185 7,253,728 6,988,180 7,892,398
Renewable Fuels 283,136 467,328 1,208,877 1,992,642 1,763,896
Renewable Electricity 0 122 1,362 958 188,542
Total Renewable Energy 283,136 467,449 1,210,238 1,993,600 1,952,438
Total Fuels 7,135,369 7,500,833 7,860,284 8,341,305 9,153,700
Total Electricity 530,903 583,802 603,682 640,474 691,136
Total Energy 7,666,272 8,084,635 8,463,966 8,981,779 9,844,836
Percentage Renewable Energy 3.7% 5.8% 14.3% 22.2% 19.8%
Percentage Renewable Electricity — — 0.23% 0.15% 27.3%
Non-Compliance Associated With Environmental Impacts
Number of Environmental Compliance Violations 1 7 1 7 5
Number of Significant Spills 4 6 4 4 8
TRI Chemical Containment at WM Hazardous Waste Facilities (Pounds)
RCRA Subtitle C 30,177,412 255,687 30,885,281 25,209,739 26,777,679
Underground Injection 10,134,130 76,596 7,940,553 6,466,667 4,983,532
Transfer Off-Site to Treatment / Containment 183,050 194,160 64,585 193,810 76,776

TRI data is reported a year behind.
Waste Generated
Total Waste Generated (metric tons) 3,964 4,032 4,138 3,588 4,469
Total Waste Recycled (metric tons) 1,075 1,068 1,099 904 1,185
Percentage Recycled 27% 26% 27% 25% 27%
Total Waste to Landfill (metric tons) 2,889 2,964 3,039 2,684 3,284
Percentage Landfilled 73% 74% 73% 75% 73%
Total Waste to Incinerated (metric tons) 0 0 0 0 0
Percentage Incinerated 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Total Waste Generated per Employee (pounds) 210 209 208 192 203

Total 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 has its own waste factor, developed from audits conducted on site.
Water Consumption (million cubic meters)
Total Municipal Water Supplies (or from other water utilities) 2.30 2.90 3.50 2.80 3.34
Fresh Surface Water (lakes, rivers, etc.) — — — — —
Fresh Groundwater 0.08 0.06 0.07 0.06 0.13
Total Withdrawal 2.38 2.96 3.57 2.86 3.46
Total Net Fresh Water Consumption 0.48 0.46 0.57 0.54 0.84
Water Returned to the Source of Extraction at Similar or Higher Quality as Raw Water Extracted 1.90 2.50 3.00 2.30 2.62

Workforce

Workforce data is for WM’s total workforce unless otherwise stated.

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Employees
Total Employees 41,958 43,624 44,758 48,042 48,348
Employees by Region
U.S. 39,430 40,873 41,822 44,993 45,226
Canada 2,048 2,169 2,196 2,153 2,055
India 480 582 740 896 1,067
Employees by Payment Type
Percentage Hourly — 80.7% 80.3% 80.4% 80.3%
Percentage Salaried — 19.3% 19.7% 19.6% 19.7%
Employee Turnover
Voluntary Employee Turnover Rate 15.0 14.8 15.0 12.4 20.9
Employee Turnover Rate 20.9 20.5 20.4 16.7 25.4

WM was impacted by labor challenges facing many other companies as it relates to employee turnover in 2021. During this time of the “Great Resignation,” WM remains committed to attracting, hiring and retaining employees and providing them a great place to work.
Diversity
By Age
Percentage <30 Years Old — — 11.8% 10.9% 11.5%
Percentage 30–50 Years Old — — 50.0% 49.4% 48.8%
Percentage >50 Years — — 38.2% 39.7% 39.7%
Senior Leadership Team1
Percentage Ethnic Minority — — 22.2% 22.2% 20.0%
Percentage Women — — 33.3% 33.3% 30.0%
Company Officials and Managers1
Percentage Ethnic Minority — — 20.5% 20.2% 21.5%
Percentage Women — — 20.8% 21.5% 22.6%
Total Workforce (including United States, Canada & India)1
Percentage Ethnic Minority — — 41.6% 41.2% 42.0%
Percentage Women — — 18.1% 18.4% 19.3%
Percentage Women in All Management Positions — — 20.8% 21.5% 22.6%
Percentage Women in Top Management Positions — — 21.2% 23.0% 23.3%
Percentage Women in Junior Management Positions — — 20.8% 21.5% 22.7%
Percentage Women in Management Positions in Revenue-Generating Functions — — — 8.1% 8.5%
Ratio of Basic Salary and Remuneration of Women to Men — — 1 1 0.97
Ethnic Diversity—U.S. Employees1
Percentage Executives 13.6% 11.4% 12.2% 11.3% 10.5%
Percentage Managers 20.9% 20.9% 22.0% 21.9% 23.5%
Percentage Professionals 29.2% 30.3% 31.5% 30.5% 33.0%
Percentage Operatives & Craft Workers 45.8% 46.9% 48.0% 47.7% 48.2%
Percentage All Workforce 42.4% 43.6% 44.5% 44.0% 44.9%
Female Representation—U.S. Workforce1
Percentage Executives 21.2% 21.4% 20.3% 19.7% 19.7%
Percentage Managers 18.2% 18.7% 19.8% 20.6% 21.7%
Percentage Professionals 45.3% 46.2% 47.3% 46.4% 47.1%
Percentage Operatives & Craft Workers 1.7% 2.1% 2.5% 2.9% 4.0%
Percentage All Workforce 17.1% 17.4% 18.0% 18.3% 19.1%
Self-Identified as Disabled1 — — — 20% 20%
Veterans1 — — — 5.30% 5.00%
Share as Percentage of Total Workforce1
Asian — — — 1.5% 1.5%
Black or African American — — — 18.0% 18.6%
Hispanic — — — 20.8% 20.9%
White — — — 51.5% 50.3%
Indigenous or Native — — — 0.9% 1.0%
Other (includes: Employee chose not to report, not specified and employees in Canada and India) — — — 7.3% 7.7%
Share in All Management Positions, as Percentage of Total Management Workforce1
Asian — — — 1.8% 1.9%
Black or African American — — — 7.1% 7.6%
Hispanic — — — 11.0% 11.5%
White — — — 73.6% 72.1%
Indigenous or Native — — — 0.4% 0.5%
Other (includes: Employee chose not to report, not specified and employees in Canada and India) — — — 6.1% 6.4%
Safety
Days Away/Restricted or Transfer (DART)—Employees 2.7 2.9 2.2 2.3 2.4
Days Away/Restricted or Transfer (DART)—Contractors and Contingent Labor 0.130 0.150 0.110 0.110 0.087
Vehicle Accident Recordable Rate (VARR) 19,376 19,729 19,371 22,059 19,631
Hourly Accident Recordable Rate (HARR) 9,090 10,776 11,684 12,272 11,611
Total Recordable Incident Rate
(incidents per 100 employees)		 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.8 3.0
Hires
Total Number of New Employee Hires 9,250 10,616 11,645 8,369 12,744
Percentage of Open Positions Filled by Internal Candidates (internal hires) 33% 16% 9% 29% 22%
2021 EEO-1 Table (U.S. Only)  PDF View PDF
Job Categories Hispanic or Latino Non-Hispanic or Latino Overall Totals
Male Female
Male Female White Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Asian American Indian or Alaska Native Two or More Races White Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Asian American Indian or Alaska Native Two or More Races
Exec/Sr. Officials & Mgrs
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 1		 Female: 1
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 56		 Male - Black or African American: 1 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Male - Asian: 2 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Male - Two or More Races: 1 Female - White: 11 Female - Black or African American: 2 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Female - Asian: 1 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Female - Two or More Races: 0 Overall Totals: 76
First/Mid Officials & Mgrs
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 458		 Female: 156
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 3027		 Male - Black or African American: 287 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 9 Male - Asian: 76 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 12 Male - Two or More Races: 27 Female - White: 742 Female - Black or African American: 128 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 2 Female - Asian: 34 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 5 Female - Two or More Races: 11 Overall Totals: 4974
Professionals
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 84		 Female: 93
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 574		 Male - Black or African American: 64 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 3 Male - Asian: 107 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 1 Male - Two or More Races: 11 Female - White: 476 Female - Black or African American: 92 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 4 Female - Asian: 79 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 1 Female - Two or More Races: 7 Overall Totals: 1596
Technicians
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 1		 Female: 0
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 4		 Male - Black or African American: 3 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Male - Asian: 0 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Male - Two or More Races: 1 Female - White: 5 Female - Black or African American: 0 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Female - Asian: 0 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Female - Two or More Races: 0 Overall Totals: 14
Sales Workers
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 148		 Female: 230
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 817		 Male - Black or African American: 104 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1 Male - Asian: 19 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 2 Male - Two or More Races: 8 Female - White: 832 Female - Black or African American: 218 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 5 Female - Asian: 16 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 9 Female - Two or More Races: 24 Overall Totals: 2433
Administrative Support
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 322		 Female: 766
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 650		 Male - Black or African American: 220 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 6 Male - Asian: 17 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 7 Male - Two or More Races: 17 Female - White: 2075 Female - Black or African American: 842 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 14 Female - Asian: 52 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 27 Female - Two or More Races: 56 Overall Totals: 5071
Craft Workers
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 855		 Female: 18
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 2399		 Male - Black or African American: 327 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 11 Male - Asian: 55 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 27 Male - Two or More Races: 32 Female - White: 67 Female - Black or African American: 9 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Female - Asian: 1 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Female - Two or More Races: 3 Overall Totals: 3804
Operatives
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 5942		 Female: 188
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 11460		 Male - Black or African American: 5227 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 96 Male - Asian: 167 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 165 Male - Two or More Races: 185 Female - White: 358 Female - Black or African American: 418 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 8 Female - Asian: 8 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 15 Female - Two or More Races: 23 Overall Totals: 24260
Laborers & Helpers
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 631		 Female: 217
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 812		 Male - Black or African American: 927 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 16 Male - Asian: 79 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 17 Male - Two or More Races: 32 Female - White: 124 Female - Black or African American: 135 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1 Female - Asian: 26 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 4 Female - Two or More Races: 5 Overall Totals: 3026
Service Workers
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 8		 Female: 1
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 13		 Male - Black or African American: 5 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Male - Asian: 0 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Male - Two or More Races: 2 Female - White: 3 Female - Black or African American: 2 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0 Female - Asian: 0 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Female - Two or More Races: 0 Overall Totals: 34
Total
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 8450		 Female: 1670
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 19812		 Male - Black or African American: 7165 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 142 Male - Asian: 522 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 231 Male - Two or More Races: 316 Female - White: 4693 Female - Black or African American: 1846 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 34 Female - Asian: 217 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 61 Female - Two or More Races: 129 Overall Totals: 45288
Previous Year Total
Hispanic or Latino
Male: 8402		 Female: 1619
Non-Hispanic or Latino
Male - White: 20154		 Male - Black or African American: 7053 Male - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 144 Male - Asian: 484 Male - American Indian or Alaska Native: 233 Male - Two or More Races: 286 Female - White: 4636 Female - Black or African American: 1585 Female - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 27 Female - Asian: 195 Female - American Indian or Alaska Native: 54 Female - Two or More Races: 104 Overall Totals: 44976
Training
Average Hours of Training per Employee — — 30 30 30
Average Spend on Training per Full-Time Employee (using blended learning techniques) — — $600 $600 $650
Total Annual Training Hours Among Full-Time Employees — — 492,770 332,578 438,631
Percentage New and Current Employees Trained on Code of Conduct — — 100% 100% 100%
Percentage Employees Offered Training — — 100% 100% 100%
Percentage Operational Divisions Receive Training Annually — — 100% 100% 100%
Percentage Environmental Professionals Received Safety Training Annually — — 100% 100% 100%
Percentage Drivers Received Safety Training Annually — — 100% 100% 100%
Percentage Employees Trained Annually — — 100% 100% 100%

Average hours of training per employee includes training completions tracked in WM’s Talent Central System and an estimate of blended learning techniques (e.g., daily training huddles, weekly safety training, monthly observations and post-training reinforcement methods such as videos and practice sessions) that occur in the field.

Total annual training hours among full-time employees includes learning and development team salaries/contract labor, development costs, learning management system, travel, external products and services, materials.

New and current employees trained on Code of Conduct includes trainers’ salaries, facilities, trucks and equipment, materials, travel/lodging/meals.

Employees trained annually includes training completions tracked in WM’s Talent Central System and an estimate of blended learning techniques (e.g., daily training huddles, weekly safety training, monthly observations and post-training reinforcement methods such as videos and practice sessions) that occur in the field.

Community

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Community Vitality
Charitable Donations ($ in millions) 17.2 13.0 14.8 14.2 12.8
In-Kind Services ($ in millions) 1.9 1.9 1.6 1.2 1.5
Total Charitable Giving ($ in millions) 17.2 14.9 16.4 15.4 14.3
Community Events Hosted and/or Participated in by WM — >4,000 3,496 860 1,096
Environmental Conservation
Wildlife Habitat Council Certified Programs 90 83 79 75 73
Gold- and Silver-Certified Programs — — 38 32 35
Acres Actively Managed for Wildlife Preservation 20,000 19,823 17,917 14,709 13,721
Pollinator Gardens and Wildflower Meadows Projects 38 63 63 63 70
Habitat, Species and Education Certified Projects
'On-the-Ground'		 — 255 217 190 177
Environmental Education
Participants in WM-Supported/Hosted Education Events and Programs — 300,000 393,000 57,565 536,738

Participants in WM-Supported/hosted education events and programs number is significantly lower in 2020 due to constraints related to the pandemic.

Governance

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Board of Directors
Percentage Ethnic Minority 20% 20% 33% 22% 22%
Percentage Women 20% 20% 22% 33% 33%
Annual Total Monetary Contributions to and Spending for Political Campaigns, Political Organizations, Lobbyists or Lobbying Organizations, Trade Associations and Other Tax-Exempt Groups
Federal Lobbying, Interest Representation or Similar $411,000 $264,344 $250,000 $260,000 $310,000
Local, Regional or National Political Campaigns/​Organizations/​Candidates $400,724 $572,558 $392,814 $210,350 $223,817
Trade Associations or Tax-Exempt Groups (e.g., think tanks) $686,345 $550,241 $989,392 $860,605 $916,341
Other (e.g., spending related to ballot measures or referendums) $18,500 $18,500 $18,500 $10,500 $0
Total Contributions and Other Spending $1,516,569 $1,405,643 $1,650,706 $1,341,455 $1,450,158
Contributions to or Expenditures to Trade Associations to Influence Political Campaigns or Public Policy and Legislation

Note the amounts are based on the information provided by the association or organization. WM PAC contributions are excluded and can be found in our publicly available disclosure Participation in the Political Process.
Name of Organization Type of Organization Description 2021
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Trade association WM works with NAM to address key issues facing the waste and recycling industries, including trade barriers to recycling, renewable electricity and fuel policies, congressional engagement on sustainability matters and environmental justice. $ 26,220
Environmental Technology Council (ETC) Trade association WM works with ETC to address specific issues facing our hazardous business units, including advocacy and agency outreach on improvements to the tracking of hazardous waste shipments, destruction and disposal of materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and the long-term storage and management of elemental mercury. $ 21,889
National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) Trade association WM works with NWRA to address a wide range of federal and state issues, including tax reform, incentives to increase domestic recycling infrastructure, environmental policies impacting landfill and recycling operations, extended producer liability, international recycling standards, vehicle safety and employee health issues, infrastructure permitting, safety, the impacts of tariffs on recycling markets, recycling infrastructure legislation, the emerging contaminant PFAS (commonly found in discarded household products) and other workforce development issues. $ 43,268
The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas   WM advocates EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard Program as well as federal and state incentives to produce and use renewable transportation fuel and renewable electricity. $ 3,090
Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)   ISRI represents the interests of the scrap recycling industry and its members at the federal and state level as well as regulatory agencies and international bodies around the world. WM participates in several committees including the Paper Stock Industries (PSI), the Plastics Division and the MRF Committee. $ 12,971
Issue or Topic Corporate Position Description of Position / Engagement 2021
Renewable energy: WM has invested in infrastructure to collect landfill gas for a variety of applications to create renewable energy. First, WM has installed 124 landfill gas-to-energy facilities, where we use the processed methane to generate electricity that is sold to utilities. EPA endorses landfill gas as a renewable energy resource, putting it in the same category as wind, solar and geothermal resources. Second, WM has installed four facilities that generate renewable natural gas (RNG) from landfill gas. RNG, which is recognized as a renewable fuel by EPA, is used as transportation fuel in over 55% of our natural gas trucks. Third, WM collects, processes and cleans landfill gas to natural gas quality for delivery of the RNG to transmission pipelines to be used in the normal applications for natural gas. In each of these renewable energy applications, WM has reduced its reliance on fossil fuels. Support WM supports federal and state energy policies that facilitate the widespread development and use of renewable energy sources, including electricity and transportation fuel derived from landfill gas. With a third of our trucks running on RNG produced from landfill biogas, federal and state policies play an important role in our efforts to make significant investments to reduce GHG emissions associated with fossil fuel consumption. WM thus supports policies—including the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard, the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the Oregon Clean Fuels Program and state renewable portfolio standards—that encourage production of electricity and fuel from renewable sources such as municipal solid waste and provide attractive and stable returns to generators of renewable electricity and producers of RNG. $ 24,979
Recycling: Governments continue to seek ways to divert waste from landfills, while product manufacturers have established lofty recycling goals in order to find circular solutions for their packaging through increased recycling and recovery. Increased pressure by producers has led to efforts along the supply chain to recycle a broad range of materials. WM supports such programs when they make economic sense and strongly supports the development of education programs and market development to increase demand for recycling. Support WM has taken a national leadership role in support of policies to improve recycling education to ensure that a clean feedstock is delivered to our MRFs, and to support the development of domestic markets for recyclables. Material processed through our MRFs is recycled only after it has been manufactured into a new product, reducing the use of virgin materials. In 2019, WM made a commitment to purchase curbside carts with 10% post-consumer curbside plastic. We also continue to support education efforts through our Recycle Right® program. WM advocates for both education and market development for post-consumer content legislation. $ 82,459
  2019 2020 2021
Reports of Potential Misconduct

Discipline for substantiated allegations included: counseling, warnings, suspensions and terminations.
Reports of Potential Misconduct
Number of Reports of Potential Misconduct 2,558 2,938 3,489
Percentage of Reports Made Through Confidential Integrity Helpline N/A 62% 62%
Percentage of Reports Through Other Avenues Including People Organization (which includes our independent Investigation Team), Corporate Security, Internal Audit, Senior Leadership, and Compliance and Ethics N/A 38% 38%
Percentage of Total Reports Made Anonymously N/A 39% 33%
Percentage Employment Practices Matters (harassment, discrimination, unprofessional behavior, employee relations, etc.) 75% 76% 83%
Percentage Fraud-Related Matters (bribery, business practices, fraud, payroll fraud, etc.) 9% 8% 6%
Percentage Security-Related Matters (burglary, identity theft, privacy concerns, property damage, workplace violence, etc.) 9% 6% 6%
Percentage Other Code of Conduct Matters (conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, etc.) 7% 10% 5%

1 Based on voluntary identification.

This ESG Data Center may contain forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of opinion, view or belief about the future, goals, strategies and any other future events, performance or results. You should view these statements with caution. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different. Please see Waste Management, Inc.’s filings with the SEC, including Part I, Item 1A of its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, for information regarding such risks and uncertainties. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

Updated on December 1, 2022