WHC certifications reflect Marathon Petroleum’s commitment to environmental stewardship

Business News

Galveston Bay, Texas, Robinson, Illinois, Canton, Ohio, Catlettsburg, Kentucky, Detroit, Michigan, Martinsville, St. Paul Park, Minnesota, Garyville, Louisiana
A field of tall flowers and grass with a storage tank in the distance.
The aviary and pollinator habitat at MPLX’s Martinsville tank farm.

Key Points

  • Marathon Petroleum has been recognized for its commitment to environmental stewardship through management of conservation habitats.
  • Six company habitat sites have re-qualified for WHC Certification®, powered by Tandem Global, an international, voluntary sustainability standard.
  • In all, the company has nine currently certified conservation sites that cover more than 750 acres. 

Achieving WHC Certification®, powered by Tandem Global, involves far more than checking boxes on an application. It’s a continual process. Documenting and maintaining ongoing benefits are required to meet the world’s only voluntary sustainability standard for biodiversity enhancement and conservation education on corporate landholdings.

“Companies achieving WHC Certification are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them,” said Margaret O’Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, Tandem Global.

Among MPC’s representatives at Tandem Global’s 2026 annual conference were (l-r) Environmental Specialist Megan Ruggles, who supports the Catlettsburg refinery’s conservation habitat; Olivia Starkey, an intern with MPC’s Sustainability Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement group; and Advanced Environmental, Social, Governance & Stakeholder Engagement Representative Gloria Young.

At its 2026 annual conference, Tandem Global, formerly Wildlife Habitat Council and World Environment Center, recognized certification renewals for six conservation habitats owned and maintained by assets across Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) and its midstream segment, MPLX: 

  • Savage Branch Wildlife Reserve - Catlettsburg, Kentucky, refinery
  • Marathon Gardens - Detroit, Michigan, refinery
  • Pollinator garden - Garyville, Louisiana, refinery
  • Aviary and pollinator habitat - Martinsville, Illinois, tank farm
  • Washington Park - Robinson, Illinois, refinery
  • Prairie Park - St. Paul Park, Minnesota, refinery
A man and woman dig a hole in a field to plant a tree.
(l-r) Associate Environmental Specialist Jeffery Long and Environmental Engineer Carissa Oliver plant a tree at the St. Paul Park refinery’s Prairie Park site.
Young children walk across a small bridge in a wooded area. 
School children on a field trip to the Catlettsburg refinery’s Savage Branch Wildlife Reserve.

WHC Certification has three tiers: Certified and Certified Silver that stay current for two years, and a three-year Certified Gold designation. The Catlettsburg and Detroit habitats earned Certified Silver status, and the other four sites received Certified honors.  

Certified programs need to have at least one qualifying habitat, species or education project. Projects must exceed any relevant regulatory requirements, have a conservation or conservation education objective, and provide documented, measurable outcomes.  

A grassy field with trees and colorful flowers.
Sycamore trees and wildflowers at the Detroit refinery’s Marathon Gardens.
A close-up image of a plant with a large caterpillar on it.
A gulf fritillary caterpillar on a purple passionflower at the Garyville refinery’s pollinator garden.

Managing the habitats across MPC and MPLX involves hundreds of employee volunteer hours. Tasks range from hosting school field trips to monitoring wildlife populations.  
 
“Species observations include detailing the level of activity around nesting structures for birds,” said Regina Cooper, a lead training specialist at MPC’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City, Texas, and a volunteer at the refinery’s conservation habitat. “Tandem Global wants to see continuous improvement from programs, requiring adequate monitoring to provide data that can be evaluated over time.” 

In all, MPC and MPLX have nine WHC-certified sites that cover more than 750 acres. Beyond the six highlighted this year, three locations gained certification renewals in prior years. The Galveston Bay refinery site has a Certified Gold designation that extends through 2027. Additionally, a second habitat at the Robinson refinery earned Certified Silver recognition and a site at the Canton, Ohio, refinery qualified for Certified status, both of which remain in effect through 2026. 

A brightly colored map on a video display screen. 
A presentation screen at the 2026 annual conference highlighted the international reach of WHC Certification, powered by Tandem Global.