Linde : Sustainable Development Report (2024 sustainable development report)

Published: 2025-06-18 13:11:06 ET LIN

Published on 06/18/2025 at 13:11

2024 Sustainable Development Report

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Table of Contents

04 Message from our CEO

Letter from VP, Sustainability

How We Create Economic, Environmental and Social Value

About Linde

10 Business Model

13 Sustainability Reporting Foundations: Frameworks & Transparency

15 Materiality, Priorities and Targets

16 Sustainable Development Targets

19 Climate Change-Challenge & Opportunity

22 Walking the Talk: Linde's Clean Energy Progress

24 Performance Towards Targets

29 Governance

31 Risk Management

32 Engaging Stakeholders

36 Stakeholder Groups Engaged by the Organization

38 Economic Topics

48 Environmental Topics

66 Social Topics

94 Sustainability Data Summary

97 Assurance

101 GRI Content Index

110 ISSB/TCFD Index

111 TNFD Index

113 SASB Index

Linde has reported in accordance with the GRI Standards for the period January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. GRI Standards are referenced throughout and an index is provided starting on page 101.

This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are identified by terms and phrases such as: anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, expect, continue, should, could, may, plan, project, predict, will, potential, forecast and similar expressions. They are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date the statements are made but involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the performance of stock markets generally; developments in worldwide and national economies and other international events and circumstances, including trade conflicts and tariffs; changes in foreign currencies and in interest rates; the cost and availability of electric power, natural gas and other raw materials; the ability to achieve price increases to offset cost increases; catastrophic events including natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics such as C0VID-19, and acts of war and terrorism; the ability to attract, hire and retain qualified personnel; the impact of changes in financial accounting standards; the impact of changes in pension plan liabilities; the impact of tax, environmental, healthcare and other legislation and government regulation in jurisdictions

in which the company operates; the cost and outcomes of investigations, litigation and regulatory proceedings; the impact of potential unusual or non-recurring items; continued timely development and market acceptance of new products and applications; the impact of competitive products and pricing; future financial and operating performance of major customers and industries served; the impact of information technology system failures, network disruptions and breaches in data security; and the effectiveness and speed of integrating new acquisitions into the business. These risks and uncertainties may cause future results or circumstances to differ materially from adjusted projections, estimates or other forward-looking statements.

Linde plc assumes no obligation to update or provide revisions to any forward-looking statement in response to changing circumstances. The above listed risks and uncertainties are further described in Item 1A. Risk Factors in Linde plc's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on February 26, 2025 which should be reviewed carefully. Please consider Linde plc's forward-looking statements in light of those risks.

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Message from our CEO

In 2024, Linde continued to advance our mission of making our world more productive, sustainably across a number of key areas. In the communities our people call home, colleagues personally supported over 800 local community projects worldwide- a significant increase from the 600 projects completed in 2023. This momentum and unwavering support underscore the passion of more than 65,000 Linde colleagues around the world given that employees also successfully navigated a challenging macroeconomic environment to deliver industry-leading financial results in the same period.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Linde reduced absolute greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 by increasing low-carbon power consumption to 47% of our total consumption. We also helped our customers operate more efficiently and successfully while helping them reduce their greenhouse

gas emissions. In 2024, Linde enabled our customers to avoid more than 96 million metric tons of CO₂e, more than double the emissions that Linde generated from its operations. These results received continued external recognition with inclusion in the Dow Jones Best-In- Class World Index for the 22ndconsecutive year, the S&P Sustainability Yearbook, and Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies® list for the fifth consecutive year.

"I am privileged to lead Linde, where so many talented and diverse individuals work tirelessly and collaboratively to drive innovation and efficiency. Together, we are making our mission come to life and improving the quality of life for the communities, customers and stakeholders we serve."

While this recognition validates the core values we endeavor to exemplify each day, our people are never satisfied with the status quo.

Continuous improvement is a hallmark of the Linde culture and our bold sustainability targets illuminate our path forward. In 2024, we introduced a new Water Withdrawal Intensity target aimed at reducing water withdrawal at sites in scope for Water Management Plans 20% by 2035. At the same time, 451 of our sites diverted 90% or more of their waste from landfills as part of Linde's Zero Waste program- beating our 2028 goal of 450 sites four years early! Those sites prevented 200 million pounds of waste from reaching landfills. We also delivered measurable progress against existing targets such as our "35 by 35" target for a 35% absolute reduction in Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. Clearly, we're not just imagining a sustainable future-we're building it to leave a lasting, positive impact on the planet for generations to come.

I am privileged to lead Linde, where so many talented and diverse individuals work tirelessly and collaboratively to drive innovation and efficiency. Together, we are making our mission a reality, and improving the quality of life for the communities, customers and stakeholders we serve.

Chief Executive Officer

Sustainable Development

Achievements

Diverted more than

200 million pounds of waste from landfills

Achieved 77% Inclusion

score on employee survey

Saved more than 350 million

gallons of water through sustainability initiatives

Helped customers avoid

approximately 96 million metric tons of equivalent carbon dioxide

Provided philanthropic Benefitted more than 360,000

support to more than 1,600 people through employee

organizations globally community engagement projects

Sourced 47% of electricity

from low-carbon and renewable resources

Best-in-class safety

performance

External Recognition and ESG Ratings

MSCI

Maintained A rating

Ethisphere Institute

0ne of World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute

Forbes 2024

Forbes 2024 World's Top Companies for Women

FTSE4Good

Constituent for 9thconsecutive year

ISS ESG

Maintained Prime rating

2025 Sustainability Yearbook

S&P Global top 10% global ESG score, Chemicals

CDP

Maintained leadership level for Climate (A-) and earned management level for Water Security (B)

S&P Dow Jones Best-in-Class

Constituent of Dow Jones Best-in-Class for the 22nd consecutive year, ranked 99thpercentile, #1 in industrial gases

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Disclaimer

Linde plc published this content on June 18, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 18, 2025 at 17:10 UTC.