Environmental Stewardship

We have a demonstrated track record of reducing emissions in our operations and producing low-carbon fuels today and for future generations.

• Achieved our short-term 2025 GHG emissions target by reducing/displacing more than 63% of global refinery Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2022, three years early.
• On track to achieve 100% global refinery Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction/displacement target by 2035.
• New 2050 ambition to reduce and displace companywide GHG emissions for Scopes 1, 2, 3 and 4 by more than 45 million metric tons CO2e.

As part of our strategy to be the safest, most reliable and best operator in the business, we will continue our efforts to: 

• Focus on safety, reliability and operations excellence to consistently deliver essential transportation fuels and petrochemical feedstocks;
• Strive to reduce emissions, increase efficiency and invest in opportunities that improve our environmental stewardship;
• Lead the industry in low-carbon renewable fuels, regularly evaluating opportunities to expand production;
• Execute a long-term strategy that addresses shifting consumer needs under a changing policy and technology landscape. 

For more information, see SASB report on page 76.

*Beginning in 2022, fresh water withdrawn includes volume that was withdrawn and sold. Values in prior years include only freshwater used in Valero's operations.

We have well-developed management structures central to decision-making and risk management, including three programs that oversee our environmental management:

1.    Commitment to Excellence Management System (CTEMS): is a proprietary systematic approach to planning, executing, checking, and acting to improve everyday work activities at many of our refineries and plants. CTEMS has 9 elements: leadership accountability, protecting people and the environment, people and skills development, operations reliability and mechanical integrity, technical excellence and knowledge management, change management, business competitiveness, external stakeholder relationships and assurance and review.

2.    Environmental Excellence and Risk Assessment (EERA): elevates the environmental audit and compliance functions to an environmental excellence vision. Its main goal is to assess the design and effectiveness of environmental performance regarding specific excellence objectives, and to facilitate continuous improvement across the company. EERA defines more than 100 expectations and involves a proprietary five-step process using due diligence on data and field assessments reviewed by a combination of external and internal subject matter experts.

3.    Fuels Management System (FMS): provides operational safeguards, software, training, and protocols for uniformity across our refineries and plants to reinforce our compliance with applicable fuels regulations. Built on the success of FMS, our Low Carbon Assurance Program (LCAP) was implemented to further delineate and strengthen our internal processes to assure compliance. LCAP defines key regulatory requirements, management expectations and internal regulatory assurances relating to transportation fuels regulated by low-carbon fuels programs.