HDR Sustainability Overview, 2025

2025 Sustainability Overview

Letter From the CEO

In 2025, our world-class culture of ownership, deep technical expertise and commitment to our clients continued to fuel our unparalleled success as one of the largest 100% employee-owned companies in the world. However, our goal is not to be the largest firm, but to be the best in our business by consistently delivering quality work and always doing what is right. Sustainability is a good example of this ethos, demonstrating our commitment to our clients and communities and how we operate as a company.

HDR continues to earn respect and client trust in coastal restoration projects. Our Nueces Bay Marsh Restoration project near Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S., is enhancing shoreline resilience by rebuilding intertidal salt marsh, a critical environmental habitat in this region. The project earned a 2025 Best Restored Shores award from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, the fourth consecutive year HDR has been honored with this award. Many HDR coastal engineers are soughtafter experts in their industry, elected to national leadership positions on various boards of directors. They offer their insight around the globe.

We are also trusted partners in the Environmental Sciences and Planning field, improving communities for the people who live and work there now and for generations to come. From noise pollution, to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site remediation, to marine science, we have worked

on more than 8,000 federal facilities across North America and throughout the Pacific Ocean. This commitment is reflected in our No. 20 rank in Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Global Environmental Firms.

When a client comes to HDR with a dream and vision, our team has a full slate of professional services to help them achieve their goals while also helping them consider things that perhaps they had not yet envisioned. We now have sustainability directors across all business lines to collaborate with each other and our clients, considering impacts on people, resources and our planet. This is reflected in Quinte Health’s Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital in Picton, Ontario, Canada — the first acute care hospital in North America with an unencapsulated all-mass-timber structure, setting an industry precedent for healthcare design and saving 9 million kilograms of embodied CO2 compared to conventional steel or concrete structures. HDR’s team in Canada unveiled a strategic plan to integrate designs and ideas while connecting with key staff members who might potentially contribute to each client and project. When we offer these high-quality and innovative services, we set new standards in our industry while bringing more sustainable, resilient options and opportunities to our partners.

Finally, we continue to elevate our industry and our communities through our Corporate Sustainability program. We are finding ways we can make smarter choices as a company, for example, offsetting

air travel for HDR’s Leadership Forum 2025 and hosting multiple zero-waste events. We have active Sustainability Stewards programs aligned with many of our offices around the world, allowing local offices to choose how they contribute to our sustainability goals. We are taking action on the same opportunities we support our clients with. For example, we are designing and delivering allelectric buildings that aim to contribute to the U.K. government’s ambition to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

At HDR, we remain dedicated to our Sustainability Vision Statement: we strive toward an inclusive, sustainable future by elevating our communities, industry and professions through human-inspired technical and creative solutions. As we celebrate significant accomplishments from 2025, we reaffirm our commitment to the impactful strategies and decisions that have built trust with our clients, communities and our teammates. I am proud to be part of a team generating countless ideas that continuously make our planet, our company and each other better.

John Henderson, P.E. Chairman and CEO

Our goal is not to be the largest firm, but to be the best in our business by consistently delivering quality work and always doing what is right. Sustainability is a good example of this ethos, demonstrating our commitment to our clients and communities and how we operate as a company.

John Henderson, P.E. Chairman and CEO

Letter From the Sustainability Director

As HDR continues to help address the world’s most pressing infrastructure needs, our sustainability vision remains central to how we deliver value to our clients, our communities and employee-owners. In 2025, we advanced our efforts with actions that reflect our commitment to resilience, compliance readiness and long-term performance.

Through this lens, we aim to create value for HDR and our stakeholders by embedding sustainability into decisions, driving innovation, reducing risk and supporting shared success. We recognize that this is a journey of continuous improvement that requires evolution as we gain new insights and experience ever-changing challenges and opportunities.

Our Sustainability Vision Statement

As an employee-owned firm, we strive toward an inclusive, sustainable future and to elevate our communities, industry and professions through human-inspired technical and creative solutions.

Our Progress in 2025

HDR’s approach combines enterprise-level strategy with employee-driven action. Incremental steps, taken across a global firm of more than 14,000 employees, can lead to meaningful impact. Through programs such as the Sustainability Stewards, Employee Network Groups, and Wellness, our employee-led local initiatives support environmental stewardship, employee engagement and growth, and health.

Together, these initiatives reflect our effort to integrate sustainability across all levels of HDR. This year, we progressed on our 14 material topics. The following highlights include targeted initiatives that align with our high-priority material topics:

• Employee Ownership & Culture: Our employee ownership model and presence in more than 200 communities shape a culture rooted in engagement and shared purpose. This was demonstrated in 2025 through HDR’s participation in 125+ industry associations, contributing $16.1 million* in efforts to elevate our communities, industries and professions. HDR employees embodied that culture by donating more than $2.02 million* to our HDR Foundation and global philanthropic funds, enabling grants supporting education, healthy communities and environmental stewardship.

• Talent Management and Learning & Development: In 2025, HDR supported employee growth across career stages through efforts such as formalizing our cross-company internship program, expanding mentoring through the Principal Project Manager Mentoring program, and launching new leadership and technical training initiatives such as Strategic Pursuit training. Efforts continue to meet our evolving needs, such as curating training for employees in the effective and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

• Risk Management & Business Resiliency: Completed our first climate risk assessment, improving our understanding of physical and transition risks. Our International Organization for Standardization-aligned environmental management systems and Quality program support business resilience, human rights and transparency.

• Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: Achieved a 19.5% reduction in emissions intensity per employee since 2019. Increased renewable electricity procurement, with a focus on local communities and clients while managing costs and risks.

Looking Ahead

As we prepare to celebrate our 30th year of employee ownership, we look forward to continuing our focus on organizational efforts and client solutions that engage communities, support the environment and strengthen business resilience to meet today’s needs and help future generations meet theirs.

Lisa Fewins, ENV SP Corporate Sustainability Director

*Values are in United States Dollar (USD).

About HDR

As

a professional services firm, we specialize in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction services.

More than 100 years ago, our mission began by helping rural communities adapt to a changing world, designing power and water treatment systems where they were needed most. Our impact continues today as we provide solutions to complex challenges for our clients across the globe. By promoting and practicing mindful stewardship of our communities and resources, we create shared value as we work to make the world a better, smarter and safer place through delivery of our services and operations.

Collaborating with clients to provide resilient and responsible solutions that support communities and the environment is at the core of who we are at HDR.

For over a century, HDR has shaped communities and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. Our expertise spans more than 14,000 employees in more than 200 locations around the world — and counting. We understand that good governance is the backbone of doing good business.

Our Values

Listen first.

To find the best answer, we try to understand the root and complexity of the problem.

Hold ourselves accountable. We are empowered to find the best solutions for our clients and for our own company.

Push boundaries.

We strive to do things better and stretch further.

Design smart.

We have the skills and ability to tailor our approach to each situation, whether it’s tried and tested, or something more cutting edge.

Live the network.

We think global and act local, and as a result we learn from each other. We strive to bring together the right people for each individual client and engagement, ensuring the right skills, expertise, experience and teamwork.

This Sustainability Overview shares a brief snapshot of HDR’s sustainability efforts, informed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

For additional detail and full context, readers are encouraged to review the complete Sustainability Report

Our Sustainability Governance

Board of Directors

Directs the management of the Corporate Sustainability program.

Executive Sponsor & Board Member

Reports strategy, development and implementation of the Corporate Sustainability program to the board of directors.

Corporate Sustainability Steering Committee

Oversees Corporate Sustainability program. Verifies alignment with HDR’s strategy, culture and leadership.

Corporate Sustainability Director

Develops, implements and manages the Corporate Sustainability program.

Sustainability Stewards Program

Teams support local, environmental stewardship, primarily led by employee volunteers.

Corporate Sustainability Advisory Committee

Advises the Corporate Sustainability Director.

Sustainability Criteria Leaders

Evaluates and manages related sustainability efforts.

A Culture of Conservation and Community

In 2025, the Sustainability Stewards program continued to improve its operational and community impact while increasing its visibility and participation within the organization. Our ongoing investment is built on HDR’s culture of local, environmental stewardship while expanding the program’s geographic reach and fostering purposeful collaboration with HDR operations.

The program provides a unique opportunity for HDR employees to help improve the environment of local communities by connecting like-minded employees, providing educational opportunities, advancing employee volunteer programs, and advocating for creative solutions in our professional design work.

Primarily a volunteer-driven organization, Sustainability Stewards aligns closely with the strategic priorities of HDR’s Corporate Sustainability program and supports our Smart Solutions program. Our Smart Solutions program focuses on key operational topics — including procurement, travel, office environment and employee engagement choices — that reduce energy consumption, minimize waste and promote other sustainable behaviors. Stewards collaborate with operations teams to champion these sustainable practices at the local-office levels.

Our 78 teams are integral to HDR’s mission of advancing sustainable practices across our operations and professional services. By empowering our employees to act as environmental stewards, the program reinforces our commitment to create lasting positive change in the communities we serve and the world we share.

Sustainability Stewards Highlights Awards

Each year we recognize four teams and an individual in our annual Sustainability Stewards Program Awards for making outstanding environmental and social impacts in their communities.

With 17 self-nominations judged by sustainability leaders across HDR, four teams were recognized, with winners receiving funds to donate to an environmentally-focused nonprofit of their choice or to make a sustainable office purchase. Additionally, one employee is recognized as Sustainability Steward of the Year.

The winners were:

1. Anna Perry | Sustainability Steward of the Year

Anna Perry, transportation engineer-in-training, was recognized for their efforts to focus on everyday sustainability improvements that make an impact in both the Orlando office and across HDR’s Florida offices. Examples include implementing a composting program and developing sustainable practices for group meetings.

2. Brentwood, TN, U.S. | Community Impact Winner

The Brentwood team initiated yearlong programming that included educational initiatives for staff, participation in community awareness activities, strategic waste reduction in the office and regular volunteering with local nonprofits. Highlights included a waste audit, reduction in coffee pod usage, commute survey promotion, and collections of food, clothing and pet rescue supplies.

3. Sacramento, CA, U.S. | Effectiveness Winner

The Sacramento team expanded participation and improved upon its workplace sustainability tactics. The office launched an employee-driven sustainability newsletter, participated in a local river cleanup, added reusable dishware and utensils, moved away from single-use coffee pouches and creamer, and switched to a locally sourced coffee roaster.

4. Orlando, FL, U.S. | Innovation Winner

The Orlando team spotlighted sustainability and environmental stewardship by collaborating with internal expertise. Examples include promoting hurricane preparedness kits, battery recycling collections, stocking fewer individually wrapped snacks, and promoting Earth Day and other community partnerships.

5. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Rookie Team of the Year

The Sydney team demonstrated growth and success in encouraging employee engagement since forming in June 2024. The team focused the office’s efforts on reducing their environmental impact through low-emission commuting habits, introduced everyday behaviors to reduce energy consumption and improved office waste infrastructure.

Other Activities & Impact

6. Kansas City, MO, U.S. | To build long-term digital sustainability awareness, the office added a digital- cleanup guide to new-hire onboarding after hosting a luncheon that drove immediate email-reduction actions.

7. Cincinnati, OH, U.S. | To support employe well-being and connection with nature, the office organized a guided nature walk in local green space.

8. Boston, MA, U.S. | To ensure food choices reflect environmental health, safety, inclusion, and community values, the team developed a refreshed list of preferred caterers.

9. East Lansing, MI, U.S. | To strengthen sustainability engagement and learning, the office launched a quarterly newsletter highlighting new educational opportunities.

10. Phoenix, AZ, U.S. | To grow awareness of climateand sustainability topics, the team coordinated four sustainability-focused lunch-and-learn sessions.

11. Tampa, FL, U.S. | To support community agricultureand local partnerships, the office built a relationship with Sweetwater Farms and helped secure an HDR Foundation grant.

12. Richmond Hill, ON, CAN | To restore local ecosystems and support biodiversity, the team helped plant 800 native trees and shrubs and 325 wildflowers.

13. Saint Louis Park, MN, U.S. | To reduce transportation-related emissions, the office led a month-long low- carbon commute challenge that cut 1,433 lbs. of CO2

Key SSP Team

14. San Antonio, TX, U.S. | To protect waterways and enhance local ecosystems, the team sponsored the state’s largest cleanup event and volunteered along Salado Creek.

15. Thief River Falls, MN, U.S. | To increase pollinator habitat and beautify shared spaces, the office distributed native wildflower and pollinator seeds across community green areas.

16. London, U.K. | To advance circular economy principles, the team volunteered at a local repair café where nearly 100 items were restored for continued use.

17. Bellevue, WA, U.S. | To support local hunger-relief efforts, the office partnered with the Inclusion, Diversity & Equity committee to coordinate an apple-picking event for City Fruit.

Materiality Assessment

Our Corporate Sustainability strategy is based on prioritizing the topics believed to have the most significant impact on our business and communities. Further information about HDR’s process for determining and managing our material topics can be found in Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 3-1 and 3-3 of our Sustainability Report.

Material Themes, Aspects and Boundaries

Below are descriptions of each material topic that arose during stakeholder engagement activities and desktop research, along with the themes that emerged around each topic. Following those descriptions is a graphical depiction of those same topics plotted according to the stakeholders’ perceived importance of each topic. The definitions do not necessarily reflect HDR’s management approach, which is structured to consider and balance broad business goals that can include, but are not limited to, stakeholder priorities. For example, within the areas of “Technology, Information Security, and Cybersecurity,” the identified priorities include data governance, the responsible and ethical use of personal information, support for responsible and ethical use of personal information, and support of information technology security. However, HDR’s management of that topic is much broader and includes those issues and more.

Public Policy | Aims to promote accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. Examples include public policy and advocacy, regulatory compliance and political accountability.

Ethics & Integrity | Promotes peaceful and inclusive institutions at all levels. Examples include addressing corruption and bribery and increased accountability/transparency.

Risk Management & Business Resiliency | Promotes inclusive and sustainable development while fostering innovation. Examples include quality management, adaptability/diversification, technological innovation and integration, and sustainable and resilient-focused solutions.

Technology, Information Security & Cybersecurity | Promotes healthy data governance, responsible and ethical use of personal information, and support of information technology security.

Employee Ownership & Culture | Promotes inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Examples include our ownership structure, employee retention, health and wellness, employee network groups, and competitive benefits and incentives.

Health & Safety | Furthers healthy lives and promotes well-being for all ages. Examples include access to resources that support physical and mental health, adequate healthcare and benefits, and safe working conditions.

Inclusion, Diversity & Equity | This topic aims to improve inclusion and belonging. Examples include employee engagement, talent attraction and employee retention.

Talent Management & Learning & Development | Addresses thought leadership and expertise required to successfully provide professional services. Examples include internal and external training/seminars/mentoring, career pathing, crossbusiness group collaboration and continuing education.

Community Engagement/Initiative | Promotes community outreach and engagement, including acknowledging the rights of Indigenous peoples. Examples include volunteerism, partnerships, pro bono work, school outreach/scholarships and professional societies.

Responsible Supply Chain Management | This holistic view of sustainable procurement considers the product’s life cycle and the potential negative environmental and social externalities it may produce. Examples include modern slavery management, procurement from local and sustainable suppliers, and life-cycle assessments for alternatives.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions | Includes efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and other atmospheric emissions while transitioning to cleaner, renewable energy. Examples include vehicle emissions, energy consumption and air quality.

Water Use | Includes efforts to protect and advance the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Examples include conservation, scarcity and treatment.

Biodiversity/Regeneration | Includes efforts to maintain, protect and restore ecosystems on land and in water. Examples include deforestation, soil health, land rights, rising ocean levels, urban development planning and plastic pollution.

Waste Management | Includes efforts to bolster sustainable consumption and production patterns that generate less waste. Examples include consumption reductions, recycling/reuse and promotion of circular economies to reduce pollution and extraction.

Matrix Assessment

Maintain – Material topics that are not identified as areas where significant impact can be made through additional investment and efforts.

Advance – Material topics where there is opportunity to improve, but these items are not critical or urgent in terms of the impact possible.

Focus – Areas identified as high priorities to stakeholders, with significant opportunity to generate impact through strategic initiatives and commitments.

Governance

In 2025, we continued as stewards of progress on our governance initiatives, striving to enhance our world’s well-being and intelligence. Building on a legacy spanning over a century, our global team of more than 14,000 employees is committed to fostering good governance, which we believe involves establishing and implementing effective policies, regulations and decision-making processes to promote sustainable practices.

Industry Recognition

Engineering News-Record

No. 6 - ENR Top 500 Design Firms No. 3 - Top 100 Pure Designers

Building Design + Construction

No.2 - Top Architecture Engineering Firms

Visit our website to see all 2025 rankings

200+ Locations Around the World

14,000+ Global Employees

10 Board Members

Five Internal HDR Employees & Five External Members Achieved

Cybersecurity Maturity Model

Level 2 Certification

Developed AI training & resources toolkit.

12th

Sustainability Report published demonstrating authentic progress on material topics.

Reported to third-party rating systems:

• CDP

• Eco Vadis

• TSP

• Achilles

• Evergreen

78 Sustainability Stewards Teams

• 81% Increase in teams from 2023.

• 71% of employees in an office with a team.

• Smart Solution activities align with our material topics

Social

In 2025, our continued commitment to stewardship on social initiatives enhanced the well-being of our employees, their families, communities and the world at large. We foster a culture that supports the development of a qualified, forward-looking workforce with colleagues who are empowered to bring their diverse perspectives to create lasting value. Through initiatives such as learning and organizational development, wellness programs, and internal policies, we prioritize community and social well-being, nurturing it from within our organization outward.

National Center for Employee Ownership

No. 1 – Largest 100% employee-owned architecture/ engineering company in U.S.

No. 4 – Largest 100% employee-owned company in U.S.

No. 5 – Largest employee-owned company in U.S.

2025 U.S. Health & Safety Rates

• Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR)

HDR’s Rate: 0.22

2024 Industry Average: 0.6

• Days Away, Restricted Transferred (DART)

HDR’s Rate: 0.04

2024 Industry Average: 0.1

• Experience Modification Rate (EMR)

HDR’s Rate: 0.58

2024 Industry Average: 1.0

Industry Recognition

• Named Among America’s Best Employers for Company Culture and New Grads 2025 Forbes

• HDR United States Veterans Engagement Award (2025) American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association

• HDR, Canada Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2025) Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Visit our website to see all 2025 awards .

Elevating Industry & Professionals

• Pathfinders is our internal peer-reviewed, peer-driven recognition program. 1,400 awards given to employees for their dedication to quality, innovation and productivity.

• 4 Company-Wide Recognition programs recognize business, operational, technical and creative excellence.

° 229 Associates *Entry path for Officers or Professional Associates programs

° 258 Officers *Business and operations path

° 78 Professional Associates *Technical specialists path

Thinking Global,

Investing in Talent

• 1-year, research-funded HDR Fellowship Program 4 research topics chosen to advance innovation through applied research initiatives.

• 12 training hours per year/per employee on average.

• 1,328 unique course offerings.

• 470 interns & apprenticeships at HDR.

• Continuing Sustainability Education

° Graduated 1st sustainability & resilience course cohort

° 200+ practice groups elevating industry technical expertise.

° 400+ participants in Sustainability & Resilience practice group.

° 400+ bi-weekly sustainability newsletter recipients.

Living the Network

• 8 Employee Network Groups (ENGs) Asian Pacific | Black | Hispanic/Latino(a) | LGBTQ+ | People With Disabilities | Veterans | Women | Young Professionals

• Our Employee Network Groups help create an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

° 11.4% participation increase in ENGs.

° 25% of employees participated in at least one ENG.

° Expanded ENG enrollment from 3 maximum to unlimited.

Acting Local *Values are in United States Dollar (USD).

• HDR provided $16.1 million* in corporate sponsorships.

• HDR Foundation & Global Philanthropic Funds

The HDR Foundation is primarily an employee-funded and employee-driven foundation that was founded in 2012. The focus areas mirror HDR’s breadth of knowledge and expertise: education, healthy communities and environmental stewardship.

° Exceeded $2.02 million* in employee donations during the 2025 Day of Giving campaign.

° Provided more than $2.6 million* in philanthropic grants in healthy communities, education and environmental stewardship focus areas.

° Awarded an $180,000* grant to the Arbor Day Foundation to supporting six tree planting events across the U.S. in 2026.

Environment

In 2025, we continued as stewards of the environment, dedicating ourselves to working toward reducing our ecological footprint. Recognizing the significance of responsible practices for our clients, employees, and communities, we are committed to mitigating the effects of our operations. By reducing our business impacts, we contribute to the resilience, sustainability, and overall well-being of both the environment and human health.

Awards & Rankings

Engineering News– Record No. 6 – Top 100 in Green Building Design Firms No. 4 – Top 5 in Health Care

No. 20 – Top 200 Environmental Firms No. 5 – Top 10 in Environmental Science No. 10 – Top 10 in Consulting/ Studies Work No. 10 – Top 10 in Engineering/ Design Work No. 13 – Top 20 in Wastewater Treatment No. 15 – Top 20 Water Treatment/ Supply

Top Design Firms in Environment No. 4 – Top 15 Dams & Reservoirs No. 4 – Top 10 in Solid Waste No. 5 – Top 50 in Water Supply No. 6 – Top 25 in Sanitary & Storm Sewers No. 6 – Top 20 in Water Transmission Lines & Aqueducts No. 7 – Top 50 in Sewer and Waste No. 8 – Top 25 in Wastewater Treatment No. 9 – Top 20 in Water Treatment, Desalination Plants No. 13 – Top 15 Site Assessment& Compliance No. 36 – Top 50 in Hazardous Waste Environment Analyst No. 12 – Top 100 Global Environmental & Sustainability Consultancy Firm

HDR, Canada

Canada’s Greenest Employers (2025) Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Visit our website to see all awards and rankings .

Waste Metrics

16,166.30 lbs (95.26%) of waste diverted from large, internal events hosting 3,000+ attendees.

4,000+ lbs

e-waste recycled for headquarters.

HDR, U.K. 100% renewable electricity.

HDR, Headquarters 100% renewable electricity.

Supported application of the Envision framework on 32 projects.

HDR Consulting Limited (U.K.) is committed to striving to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.

View our U.K. Carbon Reduction Plan

Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

Gross Emissions Scopes

(Percentage of Overall Emissions)

Scope 1 — 7,432 MTCO2e (10%)

Direct GHG emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the entity.

• Vehicle Fleet

Scope 2 — 14,920 MTCO2e (21%)

Using a location-based approach, indirect emissions associated with consumption of:

• Electricity

• Natural gas

Scope 3 — 49,934 MTCO2e (69%)

Indirect emissions not included in Scope 2; a consequence of the entity’s activities but released from sources outside its organizational boundary.

• Business travel

• Employee commute

• Purchased goods (electronic equipment and paper)

MTCO 2 e (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) is the unit of measure used to compare emissions from various GHGs based upon their global warming potential (GWP).

19.5% emissions intensity reduction per employee since 2019.

See GRI 305 of our Sustainability Report for more GHG scope emission data.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Many of the photos in this Overview file were captured by HDR’s employees and submitted in the annual Young Professionals (YP) Photo Contest. The YP 2025 Photo Contest was the 10th round of this competition, centered around the theme, “Balance.”

Into the Future | Mikkel

Living on the Edge |

Reaching the Gods | Fadrian

All HDR employees are encouraged to participate in this event, and entries are judged by a panel of HDR employees based on artistic expression, creativity, originality and quality.

A city in dream.

Caught between earth and sky, the city pauses — a breath held in fog, gold and blue.

My

exploring

Took my photographer friend from out of town to Roxborough State Park in the winter and caught him while he was enjoying snapping shots of the beautiful park.