COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American
Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) was named one of the Best Places to
Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation. AEP earned a perfect score for the second consecutive
year on the foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index, an annual
measure of how equitably large businesses in the United States treat their lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and queer employees, consumers and
investors.
"AEP is proud to be recognized again as one of the Human Rights
Campaign Foundation's Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality," said
Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman,
president and chief executive officer. "Building a diverse
workforce that embraces different perspectives and experiences is
an important part of our vision for a brighter energy future. We'll
continue implementing policies and programs that advance inclusion,
equity and belonging for all of our colleagues, while also
advocating for positive change in our communities."
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation rating criteria is based on
four pillars: non-discrimination policies across business entities;
equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families; supporting
an inclusive culture; and corporate social responsibility.
AEP's perfect score was achieved by meeting the following
requirements:
- Prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender
identity for all operations
- Equivalency in same- and different-sex spousal and domestic
partner medical and soft benefits
- Equal health coverage for transgender individuals without
exclusion for medically necessary care
- Three LGBTQ internal training and education best practices in
place
- Employee group or diversity council
- Three distinct efforts of outreach or engagement to the broader
LGBTQ community; and if a supplier diversity program is in place,
it must include LGBTQ suppliers
- Contractor/supplier non-discrimination standards and
philanthropic giving guidelines
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a
smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and
custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP's approximately
17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest
electricity transmission system and more than 221,000 miles of
distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to
nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is
one of the nation's largest electricity producers with
approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity,
including more than 5,300 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP's
family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas,
Appalachian Power (in Virginia and
West Virginia), AEP Appalachian
Power (in Tennessee), Indiana
Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of
Oklahoma, and Southwestern
Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas
Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners,
AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative
competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information,
visit aep.com.
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SOURCE American Electric Power