Waste Connections Inc..
WCN.US | Collection of non-hazardous waste
Waste Connections, Inc. is an integrated solid waste services company that provides waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services in the United States and Canada. They collect waste from residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company operates through a network of collec...Show More
Better Health for All
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The provided articles do not contain specific, concrete data points relevant to the 'Better Health for All' ethical value, as defined by the rubric and its exclusions. Information regarding environmental pollution control (e.g., emissions reductions, environmental violations, community demographics near facilities) is explicitly excluded from this value assessment, as it falls under 'Planet-Friendly Business'. Similarly, data on workplace safety (e.g., incident rates, safety violations) pertains to 'Fair Pay & Worker Respect' and is also excluded. For all other KPIs under 'Better Health for All', the articles explicitly state 'No data' or that the KPI is 'Not applicable' to Waste Connections' business model. Therefore, no KPIs could be scored.
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
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Waste Connections Inc. is an integrated solid waste services company, not a financial institution.
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The company does not offer lending, deposit, or other financial services to consumers. Therefore, KPIs related to financial products, services, and their impact on economic opportunity for underserved populations are not applicable to its core business. While the company has pricing policies for its waste removal services
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and engages in charitable donations,
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these activities do not fall under the scope of 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' as defined by the rubric, which specifically covers activities that lend, insure, move, or store money.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
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The most recent specific CEO-to-median employee pay ratio for Waste Connections was 84:1 in 2020.
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In 2018, the ratio was 250:1, or 83:1 when a $9.1 million retention equity award was excluded, with the median employee compensation identified as $54,624 for a commercial truck driver.
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The CEO's total compensation in 2023 was $6,859,562.
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Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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No evidence available to assess Waste Connections Inc. on Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing.
Honest & Fair Business
-40
The company has established procedures for complaints regarding accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters, which include provisions for confidential and anonymous submission of concerns.
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However, there is no evidence provided regarding independent investigation processes for these submissions.
Kind to Animals
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Waste Connections Inc. is a waste management services company. The provided articles do not contain any specific, measurable data points related to animal testing, animal-derived products, animal agriculture, or quantifiable wildlife conservation impact metrics. Therefore, no KPIs under the 'Kind to Animals' value can be scored based on the available evidence.
No War, No Weapons
0
The provided articles, including a sustainability report summary and community initiative descriptions, explicitly state that they do not contain data relevant to the "No War, No Weapons" ethical value. Consequently, no specific evidence is available to assess Waste Connections Inc. against any of the defined KPIs for this value.
Planet-Friendly Business
-50
Waste Connections Inc. reported total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions of 9,052,569 tCO₂e in 2024.
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The company achieved a 13% decline in Scope 1 and 2 emissions
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and a 41% improvement in emissions intensity from a 2019 baseline.
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Its GHG inventories are prepared and verified by third parties,
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and operational offsets exceeded emissions by over 4 times in 2023.
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Waste Connections initiated a Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) review in 2023
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and is committed to setting an emissions reduction target.
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The company diverts over 50% of collected waste volumes in many markets,
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with some achieving over 70% diversion,
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and processed 2,363,658 tons of recycled commodities in 2024,
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a 54% increase from the 2018 baseline.
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In June 2024, the Chiquita Canyon Landfill received a U.S. EPA violation for gas collection system failures, leading to excessive toxic gas emissions,
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and also receives notices of violation from other state and local regulators,
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with estimated costs of $75 million in 2024.
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There was one noncompliant air emissions issue in 2024, two in 2023, and seven in 2022.
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A 2025 environmental violation with a penalty of $32,597 was recorded for a company currently owned by Waste Connections.
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Waste Connections adopted the TCFD framework in 2022
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and provides disclosures aligned with its recommendations, including climate scenario analysis.
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The company has spent $3.5 million to provide Los Angeles County with funds for environmental, educational, and quality of life programs, including a utility relief program for residents affected by the Chiquita Canyon Landfill,
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and conducts an Environmental Justice analysis of its U.S. and Canadian operating sites.
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Respect for Cultures & Communities
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In 2023, 96.4% of Waste Connections employees participated in training sessions that included diversity and inclusion.
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The company has a formal cultural impact assessment protocol, which includes an Environmental Screening Process (ESR) for projects like the Ridge Landfill expansion, utilizing the EPA's EJScreen tool, and actively consulting with local First Nation communities during permitting.
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Waste Connections has 3 formal partnerships with indigenous or local community groups, including a technical review agreement with Caldwell First Nation, a partnership with the Lower Thames Conservation Authority, and a joint partnership with First Nations for a Berm Naturalization Project.
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No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported.
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Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes are not applicable to the company's operations, and no cultural incidents were mentioned, thus no response framework was applicable. There is no specific community representation on governance bodies.
Safe & Smart Tech
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Waste Connections provided cybersecurity and consumer privacy training to 96.37% of its employees in 2023.
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The company experienced a data breach on August 13, 2021, exposing employee healthcare data, though the scale of affected individuals was not disclosed.
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The company offers users control over their personal data, including rights to access, delete, and correct information, with requests handled via a Privacy Request Form within 45 days, and updates possible through a profile page requiring password verification.
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Its privacy policies explicitly address compliance with major privacy regulations such as CCPA, CPRA, VCDPA, and CPA.
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For authentication, the company requires unique passwords but does not provide evidence of multi-factor authentication options.
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No specific data on AI ethics governance, cybersecurity investment, privacy certifications, encryption implementation, AI audit practices, algorithmic transparency, unauthorized data use incidents, vulnerability management, bug bounty programs, privacy by design, security testing coverage, data minimization practices, algorithmic harm remediation, or digital rights advocacy is available.
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
-30
Waste Connections reports a waste diversion rate of over 50% in many markets, with some reaching over 70%.
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The company has set a quantitative target to increase recycling by 50%.
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It implements numerous waste reduction initiatives, including a 44% cumulative increase in recycling from a 2018 baseline, overhauling a major Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in 2023, acquiring several solid waste operators with recycling capacity, investing in robotics and optical sorting technology, developing landfill gas-to-energy projects, converting waste to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) with several plants commenced, and opening a Sustainability Campus.
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Waste Connections integrates circular economy principles, being described as a "Model of Sustainable Growth in a Circular Economy"
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and "Advancing the Circular Economy." The company also provides customer education through local training and a WasteConnect app to improve recycling quality.
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No waste disposal violations or compliance issues were mentioned in the provided articles.