Sustainability Overview
Message from CEO David Grzebinski
Kirby has a strong and long-standing commitment to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) ideals, which serve as the foundation for its culture and core values. Kirby’s core values are embedded in its “No Harm” objectives: “No Harm to People, No Harm to Equipment, and No Harm to the Environment.” Treating our employees well, supporting the communities in which we operate, and respecting the environment are not just good for business, but they are the right thing to do. Despite the disruptive challenges caused by COVID-19 variants early in the year and abnormal operating conditions due to historic low water conditions on the Mississippi River, the Company continued its focus on ESG initiatives in 2022.
Part of Kirby’s strategy toward sustainability includes engagement and participation with key stakeholders including investors, trade associations, and customers. Listening to the concerns of key stakeholders has given management the opportunity to make sure we understand the needs of the communities in which we operate. In 2022, Kirby was able to participate and serve in leadership roles in impactful organizations, including the Blue-Sky Maritime Coalition, which brings together waterborne transportation companies to focus on decarbonization initiatives. This past year, Kirby also saw increased engagement with customers, which helped Kirby strategize opportunities and initiatives to help further sustainability progress with the companies we serve. Additionally, our Lead Independent Director and members of the management team took a proactive approach in meeting with investors to discuss and review their priorities into our ESG initiatives. This increased participation gave us a better understanding and new insights to help us progress our sustainability journey.
In 2022, the Company continued to advance its own environmental goals and objectives as well. With executive management and board-level oversight, Kirby developed its first short-term carbon emissions reduction goal in 2020 and met the goal early. In 2022, the Company raised the bar by aiming to achieve a 40% reduction of carbon emissions per barrel of capacity by 2040. Currently, the Company is developing many approaches to achieve this new objective. Testing out alternative fuels, finding operational efficiencies, and investing in new technologies are a few initiatives the Company is exploring to accomplish its targets. Additionally, I’m pleased to share that Kirby’s emissions dashboard has been rolled out for internal use, allowing us to better understand our emissions performance at a more granular level.
Read MoreSustainability Report Highlights
Guiding ESG Frameworks and Standards
Kirby is relying on the following frameworks and standards to guide our ESG journey.







“The Kirby Way”

Safety
Our guiding principle is No Harm to people, the environment, or equipment. Safety is at the core of everything we do and always drives our decision-making.

People
Our people make the difference. We invest in the tools and resources to empower our employees, and we promote a workplace that values mutual respect, knowledge, and teamwork.

Integrity
Do the right thing by having the highest ethical standards while always being transparent and accountable for our actions.

Excellence

Community

Kirby Contributes to a Better Quality of Life Every Day
Kirby’s products and services are vital to the development of common end-products such as those shown above and used by people daily. Our involvement stretches from our marine transportation business, which safely and efficiently moves millions of cargo tons of petrochemicals, refined products, and agricultural liquids annually, to the environmentally friendly oilfield equipment manufactured by Kirby Distribution and Services. We are proud to play a critical role in the supply chain of countless products that create a better quality of life for people around the world.
Stakeholder Engagement and Participation
Blue-Sky Maritime Coalition (BSMC)
– Kirby is a founding member and serves in leadership positions (Board of Director & Treasurer)
– BSMC members recognize the need to address global climate change and are committed to accelerating the transition of waterborne transportation in the United States and Canada toward net zero GHG emissions through development of infrastructure, encouraging innovation, and promoting policies
Getting to Zero Coalition
– The coalition acknowledges that an urgent and equitable decarbonization of the maritime supply chain by 2050 is possible and necessary, with urgent action to be taken immediately and over the coming decade
Business Network for Offshore Wind (BNOW)
– Kirby is a leadership member and also serves in the network’s Gulf of Mexico working group
– BNOW is a nonprofit, educational organization with a mission to develop the offshore wind renewable energy industry and its supply chain


Climate-related Risks and Opportunities
Kirby’s Marine Transportation Group moves millions of cargo tons of petrochemical, refined, and agricultural products annually. Demand for these products has increased over the years and according to the International Energy Association is expected to continue moving forward. Therefore, Kirby is met with a dual challenge with respect to emissions from transporting said products and climate-related risks and opportunities. Below is a summary of the framework used in Kirby’s report on the Task Force of Climate-Related Disclosures.
Governance
Board oversight
– ESG & Nominating Committee: ESG issues
– Audit Committee: Climate-related risk and opportunities
Management oversight
– Climate-related risk and opportunities
– ESG/Sustainability issues

Risk Management
Our enterprise risk management process, Kirby is performing a scenario analysis of risks and opportunities associated with changing weather patterns that could have significant impact on our operations
– Hurricane scenario
– High water scenario
– Energy technology transition
Strategies with Examples
Transition Risks
– Policy and Legal: Oil and gas regulations changes
– Technology: Transition to low-emissions equipment, energy technology
– Market: Eco-friendly fracking equipment
– Reputation: Cargo spills
Physical Risks
– Acute: Hurricanes
– Climate: Flooding
Target and Metrics
– Kirby Corporation is committed to reducing the negative effects of climate-related risks and developing strategies to capture opportunities
– To address its marine fleet’s CO2e emissions, the Company has established a 40% emissions reduction target per barrel of capacity through 2040
– See the Environmental page for more information