Company: ENBSF
Filing Date: 2025-02-14
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000895728-25-000006
Chunk: 250

Company: ENBRIDGE INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-14
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 250
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 industries are facing changing expectations and increasing scrutiny from a wide range of stakeholders related to their approach to sustainability and ESG matters of greatest relevance to their business and to their stakeholders. Our and other energy companies’ customers, shareholders, employees and other stakeholders have diverse expectations, demands and perspective on these topics, which are continuing to evolve. For example, companies in the energy industry, including Enbridge, have experienced stakeholder opposition to their operations and infrastructure projects, as well as organized opposition to the fossil fuel industry in general. Changing expectations of our practices and performance across these areas may result in or create exposure to new or heightened risks, which may include higher costs, project delays or cancellations, loss of ability to secure new growth opportunities or permits, restrictions on or the cessation of operations due to increasing pressure on governments and regulators, public opposition including protests, activism and legal action, such as the legal challenges to the operation of Line 5 in Michigan and Wisconsin. We may not be able to meet the diverse expectations and demands of all of our stakeholders, which could result in adverse publicity, harm our reputation, lead to claims against us and affect our relationships with our customers and employees, and subject us to legal and operational risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

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Our operations, projects and growth opportunities require us to have strong relationships with key stakeholders, including local communities, Indigenous groups and others directly impacted by our activities, as well as governments, regulatory agencies, investors and investor advocacy groups, investment funds, financial institutions, insurers and others, some of whom are increasingly focused on sustainability and ESG practices and performance. Enhanced public awareness of climate change has driven an increase in demand for lower-carbon forms of energy. In recent years, certain investors have been increasing investments in lower-carbon assets and businesses while decreasing the carbon intensity of their portfolios through, among other measures, divestment of companies with higher exposure to GHG-intensive operations and products. Commercial and investment banks and insurers have been pressured to reduce or cease providing financing and insurance coverage to the fossil fuel industry. Managing these risks requires significant effort and resources. Potential impacts could also include changing investor sentiment, impaired access to and increased cost of capital, and adverse impacts to the demand for, or value of, our services or our securities.

In recent years, geopolitical uncertainty, slowing Canadian economy and continuing inflationary pressures have underscored the critical need for access to secure, affordable energy. The pace and scale of the transition to a lower-emission economy may pose a risk