Table of Contents

Contact Point for Questions Regarding the Report GRI 102-53

3

Board Industry Experience

3

Board Support and Responsiveness

3

Board Capture

4

Material Related-Party Transactions (RPTs)

4

Stock Ownership

5

Executive/Board Misconduct

5

Business Practices Controversies

5

Controversies Summary

5

Engagement and Responsiveness to Shareholders

6

Chair of the Highest Governance Body GRI 102-23

6

Board Age/Tenure

7

Nominating and Selecting the Highest Governance Body GRI 102-24

7

Director Biographies

8

Board Effectiveness

8

Shareholder Board Candidates

9

Shareholder Meeting & Voting

10

Effectiveness of Risk Management Process GRI 102-30

10

Governance Structure GRI 102-18

10

Board Diversity

12

Shareholder Votes

12

Ownership and Legal Form GRI 102-5

12

Capital-Related and Liquidity-Related Risks

12

Shareholder Rights & Restrictions

13

Poison Pill Plan

13

Compensation Report

14

Say On Pay Provision

14

Pay Controversies

14

Long-Term Incentives for Employees

15

CEO Compensation - Long-Term Performance Alignment

15

CEO Pay Ratio

16

Remuneration Policies GRI 102-35

17

Golden Parachute Agreements

17

Median Compensation

17

Clawback Provision for Executive Compensation

18

Indep Committees

18

Audit Fees

19

Auditor Ratification and Employment

20

Audit Details

20

CSR and Board Committee

21

Compensation Linkage

21

Political Donations

22

Political Contribution GRI 415-1

23

Contributions & Other Spending

24

Corruption & Bribery

24

Bribery, Corruption and Business Ethics

25

Tax Strategy and Governance

26

Tax Reporting

27

Non-Discrimination

27

Supplier Implementation

27

Emissions Reduction Targets

28

Environmental Procurement

29

Corporate Environmental Policy Areas

29

Environmental Policy

32

Environmental Management System

32

Biodiversity Program

34

EMS

35

Air Emission Reduction

36

Global Totals by Year

37

Water Reduction

38

CO2e Intensity

39

Intensity Targets

40

Supplier Environmental Programs

40

Labor Policy

41

Diversity Tracking

42

Employee Turnover Rate

43

H&S Management

44

Accidents, Fatalities and Incidents

45

Supplier Social Compliance

46

Community Engagement

47

Community Development Program

48

Code of Conduct

50

Whistleblowing Programs

51

United Nations Global Compact

52

CSR Report

52

Identifying and Managing Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts GRI 102-29

53

Diversity of Governance Bodies and Employees GRI 405-1

54

Composition of the Highest Governance Body and its Committees GRI 102-22

54

Notes for Sustainalytics

56

Contact Point for Questions Regarding the Report GRI 102-53

Sustainalytics Number: Contact

General Disclosures / Reporting Practice / Contact Point for Questions Regarding the Report GRI 102-53

Contact point for questions regarding the report or its contents.

Name:

Tory Payne

Title:

Corporate Financial Analyst

Mailing Address:

NorthWestern Energy

3010 South 69th Street

Sioux Falls, SD 57106

Phone:

605-978-2851

Email:

tory.payne@northwestern.com

Additional Comments

Optional contact: Travis Meyer at 605-978-2967 or travis.meyer@northwestern.com. Physical mailing address is the same as above.

Board Industry Experience

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.1

General Disclosures / Governance / Board Industry Experience

Number of board members with relevant work experience in the company's sector according to GICS Level 1 sector classification, excluding executive members and employee representatives.

Number of independent or non-executive members with industry experience (e.g., excludes executives):

5

Please list the independent or non-executive directors included in the above count:

Tony Clark, Britt Ide, Linda Sullivan, Mahvash Yazdi, Jeff Yingling

Attach up to five (5) public URLs indicating where this information is available in your public reporting or corporate website.

2021 Proxy StatementPage(s) 49

Please select one of the following options. (Required)

We do report this information and have completed the table above.

We do not report this information.

Not applicable. Please provide explanations in the appropriate comment box below.

Not known

Board Support and Responsiveness

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.2

General Disclosures / Governance / Board Support and Responsiveness

Generated from OneReport

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NorthWestern Energy

Publicly available disclosure of instances of low vote support or material governance failures at NorthWestern Energy .

Describe details of board failure to implement a shareholder resolution, response to low vote support for a management proposal, or low support or approval rate for directors. Attach public references as needed.

None

Lowest percentage of vote support received by management-nominated directors at most recent annual meeting:

83.19

Describe details of board members' service on other boards, including governance controversies and performance failures at other companies. Attach public references as needed.

Other boards our directors are members of can be found in their individual biographies in the proxy on pages 50-53. There are no known governance controversies or performance failures at other companies.

Additional Comments

Q49: None

Q99: NA

Q312: None

Q345: No

Q350: NA

Q383: 83.19%

References:

2021 Proxy StatementPage(s)53 50-

Board Capture

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.3

General Disclosures / Governance / Board Capture

Seeks to identify board experience and level of independence

Identify board experience and level of independence

Northwestern's longest tenured director has been on the board for more than 12 years and our two shortest tenured directors have been on the board for less than two years. Only two of our directors have been on our board for more than ten years. None of our board members serve on other boards together and none of our executives serve on any boards related to our directors.

References:

2021 Proxy StatementPage(s)53 pp. 49-

Material Related-Party Transactions (RPTs)

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.6

General Disclosures / Governance / Material Related-Party Transactions (RPTs)

Publicly available details of material related-party transactions (RPTs) at NorthWestern Energy

Percent of directors involved in material related-party transactions:

0

Information on whether directors with related-party transactions sit on key board committees.

Information regarding director or CEO involvement in material related-party transactions. Attach publicly available supporting references as needed.

Information regarding related-party transactions with significant shareholders.

Additional Comments

Q50: 0%

Q51: NA

Q216: No

Generated from OneReport

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NorthWestern Energy

Stock Ownership

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.7

General Disclosures / Governance / Stock Ownership

Publicly available information regarding stock options and ownership for executives and directors at NorthWestern Energy .

Describe holding or retention period for stock options as well as for restricted shares/stock awards for executives:

The Company does not grant stock options.

Directors are subject to stock ownership guidelines:

Yes Link to disclosure:https://www.northwesterne...

What are the pricing conditions for stock options granted to executives?

Proportion of directors with more than one year of service who own stock:

100

Information regarding pledging of company shares by any executive or director

We are aware of no pledging of company shares. Our insider trading policy prohibits pledging of company shares.

Additional Comments

Q134/135: There is an expected stock ownership level for executives based on position that must be maintained while in that position at the Company.

Q143: Yes. Directors are subject to stock ownership guidelines.

Q144: 100% of directors own stock

Q243: No

References:

Corporate Governance

Guidelines

Page(s) 6

2021 Proxy Statement

Page(s)

63

Executive/Board Misconduct

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.8

General Disclosures / Governance / Executive/Board Misconduct Seeks to identify Executive or Board misconduct

Identify Executive or Board Misconduct

None.

Business Practices Controversies

Sustainalytics Number: CG.1.9

General Disclosures / Governance / Business Practices Controversies Seeks to identify any business practices controversies

Identify any business practices controversies

None

Controversies Summary

Generated from OneReport

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NorthWestern Energy

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NorthWestern Corporation published this content on 08 September 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 08 September 2021 23:01:00 UTC.