Williams Cos Inc/The

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Direct Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Comment	Score
Comprehensive	Williams Cos Inc demonstrates a high level of transparency around its climate-policy lobbying. The company names a wide array of identifiable measures it has engaged on, including the Spur Permitting of Underdeveloped Resources (SPUR) Act, targeted reforms to the Natural Gas Act contained in H.R. 1, the Inflation Reduction Act’s methane-fee and hydrogen-incentive provisions, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s draft Policy Statements on Pipeline Certification and Greenhouse-Gas Emissions, as well as issues under the National Environmental Policy Act and EPA methane-emission standards. It also discloses the methods and audiences of its advocacy in detail: a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, formal testimony before that Committee, comment letters and technical-conference participation with FERC, “in-person meetings with policymakers,” and coordinated work “through coalitions of which Williams is a part,” all of which target specific entities such as Congress, FERC, and the Executive Branch. Finally, Williams spells out the concrete results it seeks, for example supporting “holistic reforms to all federal infrastructure permitting,” backing “provisions in the SPUR Act” to remove bottlenecks, urging “a color-blind approach to hydrogen production incentives,” advocating “stronger methane controls,” and pressing for reinstatement of FERC’s 1999 pipeline-certification policy to give regulatory certainty. By naming the policies, describing the channels it uses, identifying the decision-makers addressed, and explaining the legislative or regulatory changes it wants, the company provides comprehensive insight into its climate-related lobbying activities.	4

Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Comment	Score
Moderate	Williams Cos Inc/The demonstrates a moderate level of governance in its lobbying activities, with some mechanisms in place to ensure alignment with its broader strategies, including climate-related goals. The company discloses that its "Governance and Sustainability Committee reviews our political contributions at least annually," indicating some oversight of political engagement. Additionally, the Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Outreach oversees community engagement and lobbying activities, which suggests a degree of accountability. Williams also provides transparency by disclosing "expenditures of corporate funds used for nondeductible lobbying and political spending on our website" and linking to federal lobbying disclosures. However, while the company mentions its bipartisan approach and engagement with policymakers, there is limited evidence of a structured process specifically for aligning lobbying activities with climate goals. The statement that "Our Government Affairs and Outreach team oversees our education of policymakers and other government stakeholders on our projects and policy positions" implies some effort to align advocacy with company priorities, but the disclosures lack detail on monitoring mechanisms or actions taken to address misalignment, particularly in indirect lobbying through trade associations. Furthermore, while the company has a public commitment to the Paris Agreement, it does not disclose a specific process or audit to ensure lobbying alignment with these goals. Overall, Williams provides some transparency and oversight but does not disclose a comprehensive governance framework for climate lobbying alignment.	2