Hexion Inc. recently announced the release of its "2020 Sustainability Report" highlighting the company's efforts and accomplishments in enhancing safety, efficiency, sustainability, and social responsibility.

"In a year that saw Hexion post its best safety and environmental performance in its history, as well as introduce formal sustainability goals, our Company made significant progress and pulled together like never before in 2020 to advance our strategic sustainability initiatives," said Craig Rogerson, chairman, president, and CEO. "I'd like to acknowledge the hard work and tremendous focus demonstrated by our associates in meeting the challenges associated with the global pandemic, while continuing to operate our manufacturing sites without interruption and serving our valued customers. While we remain focused on continually improving our environmental, health and safety performance, their dedication drove the Company to a new level of safety excellence in 2020. The introduction of formal sustainability goals in 2020 also strengthened our commitment to sustainable growth and delivering on our strategic approach of 'Responsible Chemistry,' which includes collectively supporting our associates, customers and communities."

The report focuses on a number of key accomplishments, including:

• Safety: Hexion's Occupational Illness and Injuries Rate (OIIR) dropped to 0.45 in 2020, the lowest rate recorded in the company's history. In addition, Hexion has created a cultural change program targeting a reduction in severe incident factor (SIF) injuries. SIFs are defined as high-risk work activities, which if not properly controlled, could result in serious injuries, permanent disabilities, and/or fatalities. Hexion began tracking SIFs in 2013, and over that time, the company has decreased SIF injuries by 95%. While the company's goal remains zero SIF incidents, Hexion experienced only one SIF incident last year.
• New Product Development: The company continues to focus on developing new products with sustainable attributes, such as its recently-launched ArmorBuilt™ fire resistant wrap, a new product that reportedly improves fire protection when applied to a substrate such as wood utility poles.
• Commitment to Responsible Care®: In 2020, two programs and 13 Hexion facilities were named Responsible Care award winners and honored for excellence in waste minimization and energy efficiency by the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The Responsible Care initiative helps ACC member and partner companies significantly enhance and improve the health and safety performance of their employees and the communities in which they operate. Facilities within Hexion's global manufacturing network have achieved additional certifications, including ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System), and OHSAS 18001 (Health and Safety Management System).
• Social Responsibility: Despite the pandemic, nearly 90% of Hexion sites participated in at least one community impact event in 2020.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives: In November 2020, Hexion announced that Karen M. Fowler joined the company as its first director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Fowler is responsible for accelerating Hexion's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts worldwide. In addition, Hexion recently joined a strategic initiative with the American Chemistry Council (ACC), The Chemours Company, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), and the HBCU Week Foundation known as the "Future of STEM Scholars Initiative" (FOSSI). FOSSI is the chemical industry's first collaborative equity, diversity, and inclusion program. FOSSI enables a diverse set of students to pursue STEM majors at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), developing a pipeline of candidates to fill the increasing number of highly-skilled jobs needed in the chemical industry and beyond.

The most recent sustainability report also highlights Hexion's formalized sustainability goals. In 2020, the company completed an updated materiality assessment where it engaged with various internal and external stakeholders. From that assessment, the company determined its most important areas of focus, which included formalizing the following goals:

• Minimizing climate change impact: Hexion will strive to protect against climate change throughout its business lifecycle by efficiently using natural resources, optimizing existing processes and enhancing products and technologies through continuous innovation.
• Developing innovative sustainable products: Hexion is committed that by 2030, all new products will incorporate sustainable attributes.
• Enhancing worker safety/well-being: By 2022, Hexion will offer a voluntary well-being program that addresses associate physical, mental, and financial well-being with the goal of 50% associate participation in the program by 2025. Hexion also re-affirmed its commitment to continue to drive toward zero recordable injuries.
• Reducing spills and releases: Hexion has committed to reduce spill mass and releases by 80% by 2025.
• Maintaining product stewardship: Hexion remains committed to implementing the Responsible Care Product Safety Code and will continue to be transparent and communicate to key stakeholders regarding its stewardship programs such as risk reviews and reduction of substances of concern.

Learn more at www.hexion.com.