2021 Owens Corning Sustainability Report | Expanding Our Product Handprint | Sustainable Growth | 113 ■ Partnering and collaborating with builders, contractors, architects, and homeowners to understand their needs and help them leverage leading-edge building science to adapt to better building products and systems. ■ Using science and technology to develop innovative building products and systems to improve durability and deliver energy efficiency and building comfort. ■ Sharing our building science expertise to educate the industry and advocate for building code improvements and green building standards. ■ Continuing to make our employees’ safety, health, and wellness a top priority. Advanced Manufacturing and Productivity Our focus on capital efficiency enables us to achieve a better return on our investment overall. In addition, the Owens Corning advanced manufacturing team looks for ways to use all resources as efficiently as possible, helping us achieve the most possible output with the least possible input. This work is supported by our digital transformation efforts in manufacturing. We apply advanced process controls to increase predictability in our manufacturing processes, which leads to better products and helps us use materials more effectively, reducing cost and our footprint. As an additional benefit of our increased efficiency, our operations are more stable overall. This has the potential to contribute to safety within our facilities, as employees are less likely to be in unplanned or unexpected situations. All told, improving productivity through advanced manufacturing enables growth that aligns with our aspiration to be a net-positive company. Promotion and Advocacy Owens Corning’s advocacy objectives include support for initiatives that align with our core values, especially as they relate to energy efficiency measures and contemporary building code development and adoption. Our efforts to promote our products take many forms, including education campaigns, code advocacy, attention to legislation and regulation related to wildfires, work with the insurance industry, and more. As an example, over the past few years, attention has turned to the codes and standards that apply to the fire performance of products and wall systems. In response to wildfires on the west coast of the U.S., as well as fires in the U.K., Europe, and the Middle East, we expect to see municipalities and possibly even state governments adopt code requirements that drive the market toward non-combustible materials such as Thermafiber ® mineral wool insulation. In addition, expansion of zero-energy code policies in places like California would call for increased R-value per inch, and this could further drive the market toward Thermafiber ® insulation and our other higher R-value insulation products. We also engage with policy makers, with our government affairs team overseeing our interactions and ensuring that our activities are aligned with our climate policy. We regularly review language and activities with both the external affairs and sustainability departments and conduct legal reviews of all external communications including letters, testimony, and activities with outside advocates or NGOs. Owens Corning’s political advocacy objectives are to support initiatives that align with the company’s core values, namely advocating for energy efficiency measures, and for contemporary building code development and adoption. Partnerships with Industry Organizations Our collaborations with the organizations active in our industry provide us with invaluable insights as we seek to improve our sustainability capabilities, and they offer opportunities to collectively advocate for our industry, which in turn promotes growth. Owens Corning employees work with trade associations and research institutions, as well as the organizations that set codes and specifications for the buildings and products that use our materials. Our experts often participate as board and committee members in these organizations, providing leadership that incorporates our strong sustainability standards. The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) is made up of companies that manufacture fiberglass, rock wool, and slag wool insulation. Its members produce the majority of the insulation products used in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. NAIMA is primarily focused on promoting energy efficiency and the preservation of the environment, as well as the safe production and use of its members’ products. Owens Corning is also a member of the European Insulation Manufacturers Association (EURIMA), which represents the interests of all major mineral wool producers throughout Europe. Owens Corning employees hold leadership positions in the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), which represents both manufacturers and the companies that supply their raw materials. ARMA is dedicated to the advancement of the asphalt roofing industry through the collective expertise of its member companies, and the organization is also a resource for building and code officials, as well as regulatory agencies and allied trade groups. Our employees have leadership positions with this organization, including chairing the Asphalt Roofing Recycling Committee and Codes Steering Group. Our employees are also active in the Asphalt Institute and Asphalt Institute Foundation and have leadership