A process for the production of ethylene glycol comprising: (i) supplying ethylene and oxygen and an organic chloride moderator to an EO reactor, thereby producing a reactor product stream; (ii) supplying the reactor product stream to an EO absorber, thereby producing a fat absorbent stream; (iii) supplying the fat absorbent stream to an EO stripper, thereby producing a concentrated ethylene oxide stream and a lean absorbent stream; (iv) recirculating the lean absorbent stream to the EO absorber; and (v) supplying the ethylene oxide stream and/or the ethylene carbonate stream to hydrolysis reactors with an alkali metal salt hydrolysis catalyst to form an ethylene glycol stream; wherein the process additionally comprises: (vi) removing a glycol bleed stream from the ethylene oxide stripper; and (vii) adding a base to the ethylene oxide stripper such that the pH in the bottom section of the stripper is maintained from 9.5 to 12.0.