Committed to Our Communities
We recognize the opportunity we’ve been given — to be a good neighbor and an operator on someone’s land — and we approach this role with an emphasis on safety, stewardship and partnership. We commit to responsible operations, respectful and mutually beneficial relationships and strengthening the communities where we do business.
Owner Relations
Partnering with our mineral and surface owners
Community Engagement and Investment
Supporting relationships and economic growth in the communities where we operate
Philanthropy
Strengthening our communities through charitable giving and volunteering
In 2023, Chesapeake hosted a series of in-person meetings in the areas where we operate with a goal of transparently communicating company operations, sharing our commitment to the community and offering direct access to the company.
These gatherings featured presentations by company leaders, interactions with local staff and opportunities for stakeholders to ask questions or communicate concerns. Invitations were sent to royalty and mineral owners, neighbors, elected and regulatory officials, local business representatives and media.
Investing in Our Communities
Delivering on our business strategies provides a financial benefit to our shareholders and economic support to our communities. Our operations foster community development through job creation, capital investment, tax revenue and owner payments.
In the last 10 years (2014 – 2023), we have paid more than $2.4 billion in taxes. These funds help facilitate infrastructure projects, education and safety services.
2023 Local Economic Impact
$474mm
taxes incurred
$1.4B
royalty payments
$14mm
PA impact fees(1)
(1) Funds from natural gas operations, a percentage of which is allocated to municipalities where we do business. The funds paid by Chesapeake are included in the 2023 taxes incurred.
Road Safety, Traffic and Maintenance
Our operations often require the use of public roadways for transporting equipment, water and other aspects of our value chain. Recognizing that this can cause additional road wear, we invest in upgrades and maintenance for improved road safety.
To further minimize impact, we develop operational plans to avoid community disruptions, including timing our routes to avoid school traffic. We also use escort vehicles and offer flaggers in places with hazards or other safety limitations. And, where possible, we utilize temporary lay-flat lines (hoses) to transfer fresh water without truck traffic.
Most importantly, we proactively train our drivers and require continued training each year. Road signage near our operational routes offers contact information should the community need to report a concern.
Partnering with Our Owners
Operating on someone’s land is a responsibility Chesapeake takes seriously. We work to build long-term relationships with our mineral and surface owners through transparent communication and easy accessibility.
Owner Relations Engagement Process
1
Outreach to Owner Relations group
2
Owner Relations attempts to resolve without transfer
3
If needed, Owner Relations transfers to a specialized employee
4
Matter is resolved and documented for future reference
5
Relevant lessons learned are reported
Owners may also interact through our online owners’ portal which provides direct access to revenue statements, daily operational activity and production numbers.
Reporting Concerns
Should a community member or owner have a concern, they have several feedback mechanisms, including:
- Calling or emailing our Owner Relations team
- Interacting with our field employees
- Participating in our in-person community meetings
When our employees are contacted regarding a concern or any other type of engagement, we track the interaction through our OwnerView system. This system allows us to document the nature of the communications, assign specialized employees for response and monitor the timeliness of our communications. We are also developing a process for studying these engagements to observe trends and report lessons learned to improve our processes.
Philanthropy
Being a responsible operator means helping our neighbors in need. We partner with our communities by investing in projects and programs that align with local needs and business priorities. We accomplish this through charitable donations, in-kind resources and employee volunteerism.
Charitable Donations: In 2023, we donated $4 million to nonprofit partners across our four charitable giving areas — STEM education, environmental, emergency and disaster response and community development.
Employee Volunteerism: Through our H.E.L.P. (Helping Energize Local Progress) Initiative, we actively seek volunteer opportunities that create a sustainable impact in the areas where we live. Employees may use eight hours of company time per year to volunteer at the nonprofit of their choice.
United Way: Chesapeake has a decades-long partnership with the United Way. Each year we host annual companywide fundraising campaigns to support our local chapters. In 2023, our employees raised nearly $900,000 for United Way across three states.
