Jul 30, 2020   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Essential Utilities Inc. Advances Environmental, Social and Governance Function

Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) announced today that it has further advanced its environmental, social and governance (ESG) function for the corporation, which will be led by ESG manager, John Catalano. ESG refers to the three central factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of an investment in a company or business.

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John Catalano (Photo: Business Wire)

John Catalano (Photo: Business Wire)

“Increasingly, investors and other stakeholders are evaluating businesses on measures beyond traditional financial performance,” said Christopher Franklin, Essential’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “They believe the strongest companies to invest in are highly committed to preventing climate change, respecting human rights and advancing the interests of the local community, as just a few examples. These principles are deeply rooted in our company and the creation of the ESG manager role demonstrates our ongoing dedication to these values.”

Catalano will report to Brian Dingerdissen, Vice President, Chief of Staff, Investor Relations and Communications for Essential.

“We’re fortunate to have someone with John’s expertise and passion for sustainability join the Essential team,” said Dingerdissen. “ESG is an important part of telling our entire story to the investment community and to the general public. From our work in environmental sustainability to internal programs designed to support our operations, John’s work will be critical to sharing these efforts with all interested audiences.”

The foundation of ESG at Essential has been underway for a number of years and includes the company’s completion of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in 2018 and 2019, and most recently receiving a score of B- and publishing a sustainability report. Additionally, the company updated several ESG-related policies and made additional disclosures as part of the publication of ESG tear sheets that can be found here.

“We have worked hard in building a strong ESG platform in past years and believe our actions are in complete alignment with our mission as a company. With John in place to support this work full-time, we hope to take our program to the next level by accelerating and advancing our efforts and projects,” Dingerdissen added.

Prior to joining Essential, Catalano held the role of senior financial analyst with QVC. Previously, he served as an audit associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Catalano earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Villanova University and will complete his M.B.A. studies there this summer. He is also a certified public accountant.

About Essential

Essential is one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., serving approximately 5 million people across 10 states under the Aqua and Peoples brands. Essential is committed to excellence in proactive infrastructure investment, regulatory expertise, operational efficiency and environmental stewardship. The company recognizes the importance water and natural gas play in everyday life and is proud to deliver safe, reliable services that contribute to the quality of life in the communities it serves. For more information, visit http://www.essential.co.

WTRG (General)