Board of Directors Address Possible Implications of PTFE Regulatory Action and Focus on ESG

Led by Chairman Matt Thiel, President, AUMA Actuators USA, VMA’s Board of Directors held their first meeting of 2023 last week, with a number of critical issues on the agenda including PFAS, ESG, government affairs, and industry education and networking, along with general Association business issues.

Both here in the U.S. and globally, there is a focus on a grouping of chemicals called PFAS due to some of the harmful, cancer-causing chemicals in that grouping being found in drinking water. While our industry does not use the harmful cancer-causing chemicals, we may still be impacted if there is a ban on using any chemical in this PFAS grouping and it could affect members serving a number of different end use markets. This article from VALVE Magazine provides a good overview. The Board has asked that a listing of companies who would like to be kept up to date on the issue be formed, and that a Task Force be formed under the VMA Technical Committee to help VMA further refine the industry impact and help guide VMA’s technical and governmental response. 

Please contact Heather Rhoderick to join the informational list or Task Force.

Working to help customers reduce fugitive emissions, running a safe and compliant plant through environmental, health and safety programs, and being a good corporate citizen is not new to our industry and are all of these activities are part of ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) or sustainability efforts.  However, the terms ESG and sustainability have risen in visibility recently with the global focus on reducing carbon, community and workforce interest in environment and social justice, and the call for more public reporting from companies on these topics. VMA’s Board of Directors agreed to develop a VMA and industry message on ESG to demonstrate the value our industry provides and our view on ESG.  Additionally, as member companies choose to define what ESG and sustainability mean to them, VMA will be developing a tool kit on considerations for this process, as well as examples and benchmarks of what other companies in the industry are doing. With many end use market customers also asking for information on ESG activities, ways to approach setting a baseline to measure against will also be included, especially on the “environmental” activities related to ESG. VMA’s Sustainability Task Force will lead this effort. 

The Board of Directors also discussed VMA’s current educational, networking and event offerings and reiterated the importance of these activities. The continued opportunities in projects related to hydrogen, energy transition and security, the change in workforce with retirements, geopolitical implications to our industry, reshoring, supply chain – along with the other critical issues addressed earlier – all underscore the need for VMA members and the entire industrial valve and flow control industry value chain to convene. Other Association business items such as a review of the organization’s financial standing and membership were also discussed.

For more information on the VMA Board, getting involved with VMA and different committees, the topics identified above, or any other VMA activity, contact Heather Rhoderick.