Otter Tail Corporation.
OTTR.US | Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
Otter Tail Corporation is an energy company headquartered in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. It operates primarily in the electric utility industry through its subsidiary, Otter Tail Power Company, which generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to a service area spanning parts of Minnesota, North ...Show More
Better Health for All
0
No evidence available to assess Otter Tail Corporation on Better Health for All.
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
0
Otter Tail Corporation is primarily an electric utility company and does not offer lending, deposit, or other consumer financial services.
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Therefore, the KPIs related to financial products, pricing, fees, lending compliance, wealth building outcomes, and financial literacy initiatives are not applicable. The company's core business lies outside finance, and it does not generate or manage customer finance data or operate financial service access points.
2
While the company offers programs like energy efficiency assistance and bill payment support with income eligibility, these are related to utility services, not financial products or services as defined by the rubric.
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Fair Pay & Worker Respect
40
For 2024, the ratio of the CEO's annual total compensation to the median employee's annual total compensation was 81 to 1.
1
The company provides health, dental, life, PTO, and other traditional benefits to executive officers that are identical to or consistent with non-executive employees.
2
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
0
No specific, quantitative evidence was found across the provided articles for any of the KPIs related to Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing. While the company states commitments to human rights
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, expects suppliers to adhere to policies
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, and tracks supplier diversity classifications
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, there is no data on the percentage of fair-trade certified spend, audit frequency, substantiated forced/child labor incidents, supply chain traceability, remediation speed, the percentage of contracts with enforceable ethical clauses, or the share of procurement budget directed to diverse suppliers.
4
Honest & Fair Business
-20
Otter Tail Corporation has a formal whistleblower protection policy with a 24/7 helpline, text/SMS, and online reporting options, including anonymous submissions.
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The helpline is handled by an independent third-party consultant, and retaliation against whistleblowers is prohibited.
2
The Audit Committee Charter outlines procedures to review and act on complaints related to accounting, internal controls, and audit matters.
3
In 2023, 9 out of 10 board members were independent, including all members of the Compensation and Human Capital Management, Corporate Governance, and Audit committees.
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The company has a Code of Business Ethics that explicitly addresses bribery, corruption, gifts, and entertainment, including compliance with the FCPA.
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However, there is no evidence regarding the frequency or effectiveness of training for this policy. An internal audit function exists, and an independent third-party consultant handles the whistleblower helpline, but the extent of independent verification for other ethical claims is not specified beyond these areas.
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Kind to Animals
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The company is an electric utility and manufacturer of plastics and metal parts. There is no evidence provided regarding cruelty-free certifications, animal testing, humane certifications for animal operations, or the use of animal-derived ingredients.
1
While the company mentions environmental protections, wildlife-friendly fencing for solar projects, and assesses environmental impacts, there are no measurable biodiversity impacts, species recovery, or habitat restoration metrics provided.
2
Supplier evaluations focus on cybersecurity, business ethics, safety, and human rights, with no mention of animal welfare compliance.
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The company monitors and complies with EPA regulations concerning air quality and visibility in national parks and wildlife refuges, but this does not constitute active engagement in animal welfare policy improvement or advocacy for higher animal welfare standards.
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No information is available regarding R&D investment in animal-free technologies or participation in animal-free collaboration initiatives.
5
No War, No Weapons
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The company's core business is primarily in the electric utility industry, with some manufacturing of plastics and metal parts. The provided articles do not contain any specific, concrete evidence regarding the company's involvement in arms manufacturing, military contracts, dual-use technologies, sales to embargoed regimes, peacebuilding investments, conflict divestment policies, board oversight of defense activities, export end-user certificates, lobbying related to arms control, humanitarian procurement, human rights due diligence frequency in conflict areas, Arms Trade Treaty compliance, AI military safeguards, UN Guiding Principles alignment with specific metrics, dual-use item screening, surveillance transparency, ethical red lines for weapons, exposure to controversial weapons, war-related supply chain risk audits, annual conflict partner reviews, defense divestment, conflict minerals, peace tech investment, procurement from conflict zones, or ethical red lines compliance rates. Therefore, no KPIs under the 'No War, No Weapons' value can be scored based on the provided information.
Planet-Friendly Business
-60
Otter Tail Corporation reported total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions of 3.468 million tCO₂e in 2024.
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The company has set targets to reduce carbon emissions from owned generation resources by 50% by 2030 and 97% by 2050, but these targets are not explicitly stated as SBTi-validated.
2
Currently, 40% of the company's owned or contracted energy generation comes from renewable resources, with a target to reach 55% by 2030.
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In 2023, the company's water withdrawal was 6,803.89 m³ per $1 million revenue. Environmental assessments are conducted before investing in new assets or operations to analyze potential impacts. The Hoot Lake Solar facility was designated as Habitat Friendly Solar, including 34 native flower species and 33 delineated wetlands.
4
Green Plains Otter Tail, LLC, a subsidiary, faced multiple regulatory violations between 2018-2021, including chlorine and arsenic discharge exceedances, resulting in a $14,812 civil penalty.
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An implied net-zero target year of 2050 is based on the 97% carbon emissions reduction target for owned generation.
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The company's sustainability report is prepared with reference to the TCFD framework, and its Board regularly reviews climate change risks through its Business Risk Management process.
7
The company has disclosed that its Coyote Station will run for emergency purposes only from June 2026 to 2031, after which Minnesota customers will no longer use its capacity or energy.
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The company doubled its annual capital spending on transmission and distribution asset replacement in 2022 and 2023, and submitted six concept papers for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding to improve resilience against weather events.
9
Respect for Cultures & Communities
-20
The company has at least 11 formal partnerships with local community groups, including regional learning organizations, two K-12 schools, the University of Minnesota, Morris, and various energy partners.
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In 2024, the company's Foundation giving totaled $887,373, which is approximately 0.17% of its $525 million revenue.
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No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported.
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A Phase Ia Cultural Resources Literature Review and Assessment was conducted, and a Phase I Archaeological Survey is planned for a project area in October 2024.
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The workforce distribution shows 473 employees in Minnesota, 219 in North Dakota, and 119 in South Dakota, totaling 817 employees across its service area.
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The company offers grievance mechanisms, with qualified personnel available during business hours to resolve customer inquiries and complaints, and commits to contacting customers within five business days if a complaint cannot be resolved promptly, and at least every 14 calendar days thereafter.
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The company sent letters to 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations in Minnesota, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, requesting comments on a project and inviting tribal members to participate in cultural resources field investigations.
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The company's total procurement spending directed to local vendors was 53.5% in 2024.
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No previously recorded archaeological sites, historical cemeteries, or architectural properties were identified within a project's study area.
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The company has reached out to neighbors and the local community to ensure community impacts are considered for a project.
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In 2024, the Foundation's giving for community, civic, and cultural development was $435,294.
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The company's third-party notice program is highlighted as being helpful for customers who do not read English.
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Education initiatives for all employees, aimed at inclusive leadership and a respectful workplace, focus on identities and culture, unconscious bias, the power of diverse teams, and culturally sensitive conversations, though a completion rate is not specified.
13
Safe & Smart Tech
-10
The company has not historically experienced material cyber incidents.
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It employs a defense-in-depth strategy that includes employee training and awareness on cybersecurity risks and best practices, with 100% of employees completing required compliance training in 2024.
2
Multi-factor authentication is a required security measure.
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The company utilizes third-party consultants for penetration and vulnerability testing and monitoring, and the Board of Directors annually reviews these results.
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Critical vulnerabilities are patched within 30-45 days on average. The company collects personally identifiable information only if specifically and knowingly provided by the user and recognizes an obligation to limit and protect what they collect, but retention periods are not specified.
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Personal information is not provided to third parties, except entities who help provide requested products and services.
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Users have the right to review and correct or delete their personal information, but the company advises against sending sensitive information via email due to lack of security.
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The company's cybersecurity policies and practices are based on the Center for Information Security (CIS) Critical Security Controls and are subject to regulation by multiple governmental agencies, including NERC standards.
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The company monitors network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information.
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Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
-60
Otter Tail Corporation has implemented two waste reduction initiatives: a program to reuse Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) in applications like shingle grit and sandblasting media, and an appliance recycling program for customers.
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In 2023, the company disposed of 5.20 metric tons of hazardous waste, an increase from 0.20 metric tons in 2022.
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Historic violations at its Coyote and Big Stone coal plants include non-compliance with the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
3
A 2011 EPA report rated the condition of coal combustion waste impoundments at Coyote Station as 'POOR' due to a lack of critical analyses.
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The company provides basic disposal information on some products through its appliance recycling program, which encourages the use of Energy Star certified products.
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