2021 Owens Corning Sustainability Report | Reducing Our Environmental Footprint | Protecting Biodiversity | 198 PROTECTING REPTILES IN GUANGDE, CHINA As part of the reptile class of animals, alligators and turtles have survived on Earth for over 200 million years — dating back to the time of the dinosaurs — but the very existence of many of these species could be threatened if humans fail to protect them. The Yangtze alligator and golden-headed box turtle are critically endangered, and Owens Corning has been taking steps to safeguard them since acquiring the mineral wool plant in Guangde, China, in 2018. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a species is considered critically endangered when it faces an extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild. Because there are fewer than 1,000 golden-headed box turtles in the wild, and the habitat for Yangtze alligators is limited to the region surrounding our plant, Owens Corning is taking a number of important steps to do our part to preserve them. During huddle meetings, plant leaders are raising awareness of the animals’ physical proximity to our site, and information regarding the natural reserve is posted on site for both employees and visitors. We have also met with local environmental protection bureau officials to ensure we have the required resources. Good news came in July 2021, when staff at the natural reserve uncovered 16 eggs laid by the Yangtze alligators that had been released into the wild two years ago. With the species beginning to breed and hatch in that region for the first time in the last 20 years, we have good reason to believe that the environment around the area is showing improvement. This inspired the Guangde team to take on some additional initiatives, including providing funds for the “adoption” of Yangtze alligators. As our biodiversity efforts yield a more complete understanding of our impact at this site and at our other locations around the world, we will be in an even better position to protect the countless species with which we coexist. Photo submitted by: Dewu Hou | Xuancheng, China Guangde plant leaders confer with the former head of the Yangtze Alligator Natural Reserve. (From left to right) Dewu Hou, Guangde EHS leader, Jingjing Fu, Guangde plant leader, Gang Wang, Guangde maintenance leader, Feng Cai, former head of Guangde Yangtze Alligator Natural Reserve.