Doyon, Limited is pleased to present its inaugural Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) report. This report reflects Doyon’s continued commitment to our shareholders and partners, Alaska’s communities, the environment, and the public by reporting on ESG metrics to formally plan and improve.
While implementing ESG is not mandatory for Doyon, this is an opportunity for us to proactively implement best practices. The ESG framework also provides a way to recognize Doyon’s value-driven mission, history, financial strategy, and shareholder employment goals.
“ESG complements Doyon’s traditional Athabascan values, and it reminds me of subsistence moose hunting. Environmental: the land we hunt on and the care we take to preserve that habitat. Social: how we share the moose meat with our elders and community members. Governance: the importance of using all that we can from the gift of the moose,” said Shirley Cleaver, Doyon’s Board Secretary.
This 2023 report covers information for Doyon, Limited and covers datasets collected from 2022.
Doyon’s initial report methodology covers three aspects of ESG reporting. First, the report is Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) compliant; secondly, Doyon’s initial ESG report provides information on community and shareholder benefits provided by our corporation. Lastly, Doyon provides Scope 2 Emissions data from 2022.
“As Doyon’s management, board of directors, and employees have been formally planning and implementing our sustainability initiative, Doyon looks forward to using ESG metrics to track continued progress and plan for continued success,” said Aaron Schutt, President and Chief Executive. “Doyon is pleased to present this report and looks forward to expanding the ESG efforts to the Doyon family of companies in future years.”
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
Sustainability
When the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) was created in 2011, Doyon, Limited had already established a nearly 40-year track record as a sustainable private company — a company organized not only to generate returns for our Alaska Native shareholders, but one explicitly tasked with doing so in ways that promote and strengthen our Native way of life, while protecting and enhancing the lands and resources we share with each other and ensure for future generations.
Data Security
The Code of Conduct explicitly addresses our records management and employee data privacy obligations and goals. Everyone affiliated with Doyon, Limited contributes to our ability to identify, manage, and address data security risks. We are unaware of any data breaches that have occurred at Doyon, Limited during at least the last 25 years in which we have tracked such information.
Workforce Diversity and Engagement
Approximately 70% of Doyon, Limited’s full-time employees are diverse by race, ethnicity, or gender. Doyon, Limited regularly reaches out to our employees to seek their input — including asking them how to best engage them. Finally, Doyon, Limited’s total annual employee turnover rate is less than half that of the relevant national average, suggesting that our employee loyalty is well above average.
Professional Integrity
All incoming Doyon, Limited employees are required to complete ethics training as part of their onboarding process. In addition, Doyon, Limited’s senior management must annually complete a Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Form that parallels that of publicly traded companies governed by U.S. securities laws. Doyon, Limited has not suffered any monetary losses as a result of professional-integrity-related legal proceedings in at least the last 25 years for which records are the most available.
Scope Emissions
Doyon is pleased to provide the first public disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with our operations. In this first report, we disclose emissions data associated with our ‘indirect’ Scope 2 emissions.
We rely on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definitions to calculate our emissions. As per the EPA, Scope 2 emissions are indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling.
Doyon, Limited’s Total Scope 2 emissions FY 2022: 1,828 tons.
Shareholder and Community Benefits
Monetary and Material Donations
Doyon Gwintł‘eeneegiyilii General Fund distributed $537,270 in fiscal year 2022 (FY22). Beneficiaries broadly included nonprofit agencies, tribal and village councils, schools, and cultural events. Doyon’s Daaga’ Awards contributed $49,400, which impacted an estimated 1,800 shareholders and community members in 12 rural communities. In FY22, there were 10 requests. Sand and Gravel Donations in 2022 were provided to eight communities, with an in-kind value in FY22 totaling $9,017 across the Doyon region.
Doyon Foundation
In 2022, Doyon, Limited donated a $200,000 language revitalization grant to the Doyon Foundation. Through the funding received, the Doyon Foundation is working with WGBH Boston to produce dubbed episodes of the PBS Kids TV show “Molly of Denali” in two of the Native languages of the Doyon region: Denaakk’e (Koyukon) and Dinjii Zhuh K’yaa (Gwich’in). Total contributions to the Doyon Foundation for 2022 were $2.2 million, an increase of $200,000 from the $2 million in 2021.
Social, Cultural, and Advocacy Programs
Food Security
The Doyon, Limited board of directors has two representatives serving on the Hunting, Fishing, Gathering Task Force, established by the Tanana Chiefs Conference to direct state and regional advocacy efforts to protect Alaska Native hunting and fishing rights central to the Alaska Native traditional way of life and Alaska Native well-being. Furthermore, Doyon agreed to fund the Alaska Salmon Research project on the Anvik River chum salmon escapement at $75,000 for the 2022 field season.
Political Advocacy
Doyon, Limited was part of a coalition created to advocate for our regions and communities during the redistricting process after the 2020 Census. One successful outcome of our coalition’s advocacy effort was the adoption of House District 36. In 2021, Doyon participated in a Get Out the Native Vote (GOTNV) voter-turnout initiative geared toward getting shareholders, tribal members, and Alaska Natives involved in local and state elections. In FY22, Doyon spent $30,000 on GOTNV efforts.
Youth Programs
Doyon, Limited raises funds annually for the Christmas is for Kids effort and raised $26,514 in FY22 (for Christmas in 2021). These funds are generously donated by Doyon employees. Usually, Doyon hosts in-person Back-to-School events, but in 2022 Doyon selected seven villages — Allakaket, Anvik, Circle, Koyukuk, McGrath, Tanacross, and Tanana — to distribute 147 backpacks and school supplies to villages.
Education and Training
Doyon, Limited continues to support the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) with annual monetary contributions from the General Fund. In 2021, Doyon contacted each rural school in our region to advertise and recruit for the GeoFORCE Alaska program. We had three Roustabout Trainings in FY22; of the 70 applicants for this training, 48 were interviewed and 28 participated. We held one Per Scholas IT Training in FY22; of the 21 training applicants, eight were interviewed and six participated in the program. In 2022, there were 18 shareholder interns within the Doyon family of companies. Also, in November 2021, Doyon, Limited donated $25,000 to the University of Alaska Foundation for the creation of a scholarship fund in memory of the late John Sackett.
Our History and Culture
Doyon, Limited celebrated our 50th anniversary in June 2022, hosting two large events to highlight the significant milestone: an ANCSA Symposium with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development in April, and a 50th anniversary celebration potlach in July.
Also in July, the Walter Harper statue was raised at the Doyon headquarters in downtown Fairbanks; Doyon was one of the community contributors, including a $25,000 donation, employee time, and providing the property where the statue is located. Doyon also partnered with Eighth Generation to create custom blankets with inspiration and knowledge from two talented Interior Alaska artists: “K’eyeedze” by Lacey Sam of Huslia, and “Traditions” by Emma Hildebrand of Northway.
Community Outreach
Dialogue with Doyon meetings are designed to connect with shareholders in urban and rural areas who cannot attend the annual meeting; Doyon staff contacted 407 shareholders before the meetings, and 157 shareholders attended. The Village Connection e-newsletter began publishing in 2017 has since grown to include schools, tribes, and city councils, totaling 285 recipients. In FY22, Doyon hosted nine shows on KRFF Voice of Denali 89.1 FM radio.
